CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil, while reporting live from the Vatican on Wednesday, remarked that the Cardinals selecting the pope’s successor would be ‘raw-dogging’ the process.
The use of the popular slang term came during his network’s coverage of the Papal Conclave.
It refers to shunning certain forms of entertainment to yield a more bare-bones experience.
It’s also a spin on a older phrase that holds an entirely different meaning – to have unprotected sex.
Such a phrase used on television, particularly during a live report from outside the Sistine Chapel, seemed inappropriate and prompted uncomfortable reactions from the rest of the CBS Conclave team.
On social media, the reaction was more pronounced.
Many aired outrage over what they viewed as an insult given the occasion. Others simply expressed disbelief.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis passed away nearly two weeks ago at the age of 88. The Cardinals were engaged in the esteemed task of choosing a successor when Dokoupil, 44, made the unusual comment.
‘Most of them will tell you that while that’s going on, they’re sitting reading their breviary, that’s a book of prayers that clergy have, or praying a rosary,’ Josh Allen, the editor of Catholic news website Crux, first said.
‘The one thing we know they’re not doing is checking Instagram because their devices have all been confiscated,’ he added – at which point Dokoupil chimed in.
‘I believe the kids call it raw-dogging it– ‘ Dokoupil – the host of struggling CBS Mornings – joked, allowing a beat for he had hoped was laughs.
But they never came, with the journalist met with a wall of silence following a quick smirk from Allen.
The journalist was enlisted to aid the CBS Conclave team with its coverage, as was Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo, a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark Dokoupil.
Also presiding was Vatican magazine editor Delia Gallagher, who bravely sought to break the silence after Dokoupil’s joke fell flat.
First, though, the anchor who recently came under fire for a fiery interview with pro-Palestinian writer Ta-Nehsi Coates that aired on CBS Mornings in October attempted to explain the term as if it had gone over his colleagues’ heads.
‘…if you’re gonna go through a long period of time with no electronic device,’ he stammered – leading Gallagher to jump in to get things back on track.
‘Oh, right. Well, they’re of a certain age, so they might be used to it,’ she said, before Father Figueiredo quickly changed the subject.
‘I just wanted to say, the Cardinal we just saw come up with the black covering over his head is the Cardinals from Melbourne, just 45 years old,’ he said, referring to bishop Mykola Bychok.
‘The youngest [Cardinal in the Catholic church],’ he emphasized, seemingly using Dokoupil’s strange use of some useful slang to segue to something more saintly.
‘Incredible, the youngest. Imagine if he were elected pope,’ he continued, with the bizarre exchange ending there.
However, it was not lost on eagle-eyed viewers over on X, who relentlessly roasted CBS – currently being scrutinized by the FCC for alleged bias – as a result.
‘CBS says the Cardinals will be “rawdogging” during the Conclave. Very normal media,’ one account remarked.
‘CBS anchor mentions the term “rawdogging” in a segment about the conclave,’ another added. ‘Incredible moment in TV news history.’
Others indicated feelings of secondhand embarrassment, via emojis and various means.
‘NOW that’s what I call journalist!’ someone else remarked, spinning off the tagline for a popular series of compilation albums intended for kids.
The response showed how the reference was not lost on CBS’s audience, but rather rejected as an ill-timed attempt to resonate with younger members of the network’s audience.
Show ratings appear to show why Dokoupil felt the need, with both CBS Mornings and CBS Evening News both in last place in their respective fields.
According numbers released by Nielsen this week, CBS Mornings – with 1.924 million total viewers and 302,000 in the key 25-54 demo – was down 11 percent in total viewers and 29 percent in the demo from last year.
Statistics surrounding CBS Evening News – which went through a disastrous revamp in February thought up by recently resigned 60 Minutes boss Bill Owens – are even worse.
The show – manned by Maurice DuBois (who was also at the Papal Conclave) and John Dickerson – has failed to move the needle, especially after losing Norah O’Donnell.
The anchor stepped away from the desk after more than four years in January, but is still with the network as a senior correspondent.
She was part of the Conclave team as well, but did not reference Dokoupil’s remarks. CBS’s coverage of the prestigious event, meanwhile, continues. As of writing, a pope has yet to be selected.
