What Is Wrong with Bartiromo?

Has Maria gotten a new prescription from her doctor?

Am I the only one wondering what has gotten in CNBC's Maria Bartiromo? Almost overnight she has gone from serious newscaster to a giddy pre-pubescent teenager at her first dance giggling and wiggling all over the place. I keep waiting for Dylan Rattigan to backhand her and tell her to get her shit together.

The skeptic in me thinks she got wind of the poll that the NY Post (I think it was them) ran that showed she painfully lagged the much younger Erin Burnett in popularity on the network. It would seem the "Money Honey" was old news and viewers en-mass were drawn to Burnett's more playful banter with her co-hosts. Bartiromo, who is no dummy and broke ground in this medium must have decided that was the way to go and now is about as irritating as a human being can be. She is either off her Ritalin or is taking something quite effective at putting a whole lot of jump in her step.

Trying to watch her as she hops all over the place is like watching Paula Abdul during American Idol and unfortunately for Bartiromo, she is just about as coherent. While not a huge fan of Ratigan, I actually feel sorry for him. When she gets going now he just gets a blank stare on his face like a Labrador being read "War and Peace" as he wonders who the hell he pissed off to get this choice assignment. He looks like he is almost wishing to get assaulted by a bystander so he can get off camera with her. Poor bastard.

The real shame of it all? There was nothing wrong with Bartiromo to begin with. I For one appreciated her style and enjoyed her segments. Now, I keep hoping for a blackout when she is on. I swear to god if I hear her giggle one more time at absolutely nothing I am going to have a stroke.

It is painful watching someone fight the inevitable aging we all go through. she is not handling this well at all. Maria, go back to what you did before.

At least then you had your dignity...