Hypercrite
October 2, 2009
Filed under Television
Tags: CBS, CNN, David Letterman, Jimmy Carter, Mark Sanford, Regina Lasko, Robert Halderman, Sarah Palin
Hypocrite seemed a bit lacking for today’s subject, so pardon my coining of a new term. Good ole D avid Letterman, former king of late night, Sarah Palin obsessor, Mark Sanford critiquer(although I can understand that) among other things. Seems that Dave has been a busy boy of late. He just married his long time girlfriend, Regina Lasko, this year. She is also the mom of his child.
Seems that monogamy has not agreed with Dave. News reports surfacing yesterday and today have him admitting to liaisons with several staff members (must have been difficult to tell the boss no) over the years. His admission followed news of an attempted extortion plot by an Emmy CBS producer, Robert Halderman, or so it is alleged.
So many questions. Would Letterman have fessed up without the plot? Should he have fessed up at all? Will CBS fire him( that on is a joke) ? Will Sarah Palin have her own Top 10 Letterman list?
And, just for fun, should CBS fire him, what would he do? I have an idea. Maybe he and Jimmy Carter could be the first two residents of the Home for People Who Have Outlasted Their Stay in the Public Eye. So many choices there. But the pedagogical Mr Carter, reverting back to his habit of lecturing others as to where they are wrong and he isn’t, gets the nod. He told CNN that he did not say Obama protesters were racist. In fact, he said go back and read it yourself. If you do, he did.
Wonder what the feminists will have to say about this situation? Clue, nada.
Season #7
September 15, 2009
Filed under Television
Tags: DiNozzo, NCIS, Shane Brennan, Ziva David
Hate to be the one at whom that gun is pointed
Not to early to prepare. NCIS begins the new season next Tuesday, the 22nd. From what I read and seen, it should be a doozy premiere. Shane Brennan has been dropping some interesting hints about what might be forthcoming. As you watch”Aliyah” tonight again, keep the image of Ziva in the back of your mind. Supposed to be very significant.
Maybe we will even have a Ziva and DiNozzo thing develop. Can’t afford to miss an episode!
A DiNozzo in its natural state
The “O” Team
September 7, 2009
Filed under Media, Television
Tags: Bob Greene, Chicago, Dr Mehmet Oz, Dr Phil McGraw, Harpo Films, Keith Olbermann, magazines, Oprah Winfrey, OWN, Rachel Ray, The Doctors
I had a really difficult time coming up with a suitable title, but I think I hit the jackpot with the one shown. How else to describe what could be the most powerful group of media personalities ever(? ) to have a common background. Not that there is anything common about this group. There are television shows ,( the Oprah herself, Dr Phil,Rachel Ray and the newest Dr Mehmet Oz) , magazines(The Oprah and Rachel Ray) and the list goes on.
Yep and you thought I meant another name beginning with O. Shame on you, although they do have Chicago in common. The width and depth of this media empire is staggering in its success and influence. But, just to cover the bases, allow me to list the names:
- Oprah Winfrey
- Bob Greene- fitness guru
- Dr Phil McGraw
- Rachel Ray
- Dr Mehmet Oz
- The Doctors- a Dr Phil spin off
Arguably, this is the most successful group of spin-offs ever. That would be the case even if you only counted the tv shows. But, of course, there are the magazines and books etc that ratchet up the success factor.
More numbers? Oh, alright. Oprah made $275 million last year from tv and Dr Phil made around $80 million. She led the media list and he was in the top 15. Magazine sales show The Oprah magazine with 2.4 million copies sold in 2008, ranking#27 and Everyday With Rachel Ray at 1.8 million copies, ranking#48.
Harpo Films produces award winning and highly rated shows for television and theatres. Oprah’s Book Club of course does wonders for those authors whose books she endorses. But, by doing so, she is also promoting reading itself, which is a great by-product.
And, there is OWN, a great acronym. It stands for the Oprah Winfrey Network. Although struggling to get going, launch date pushed to mid 2010, its pedigree suggests it will do well.
With all these things going for her is it any wonder that Ms Winfrey wasn’t interested in my proposed cabinet position as Secretary of Flash and Dash. It would have been a step down, for sure. But, in looking at that list again, Keith Olbermann still looks good as Secretary of Ranting and Raving since the job is still unfilled.(See post of 11/15/2008)
Little People Who Are Not
April 6, 2009
Filed under Culture, Television
Tags: advertising, fast food, McDonald;'s, Television
Filed under studies that are almost too unbelievable to be believed is a new one about overweight children. This study discovered that 18% of 4 year old are youngsters are obese. Not just overweight, mind you, but obese. Those who conducted the study were just stunned by their findings. The thing about this study that probably most surprised me was that no one particular company or industry was singled out for blame. Just wait though. If this study gets any traction, doubtless the evil fast food restaurants will be held accountable.
Here is something else to chew on however( pun intended, of course). Maybe the school lunch menus are not as bad as they are accused of being. If lots of little people are obese before they get into the education machine, of whom should we be asking questions? The parents you say, why it cant be their fault. Must be television providing the means for the great ogre of advertising that makes us do things we would never, ever do of our own volition. Feel better? Anything wrong with you, just blame the commercials. You’e welcome.
Only In Obamaville
March 16, 2009
Filed under International politics, Television
Tags: Barack Obama, Cuba, Hugo Chavez, Iran, Jay Leno, Keith Olbermann, military, Moscow, President Ahmadinejad, Russia, Venezuela, White House
Yes, folks only here in our sorta still great country could we talk about these things in the same post. Jay Leno, President Obama, Russia and Iran. There is unfortunately an obvious and growing connection between items three and four in our list. One slight aside concerning Russia, however. There are reports about the possibility of Russian bombers being based in Cuba and Venezuela. That Hugo Chavez is such a kidder, isn’t he?
Anyway, back to our original train of thought. The White House has confirmed that the president will be appearing on Jay Leno on Thursday of this week, one day after Keith Olbermann( no comment needed) shows up.It is being billed as the first presidential appearance on a talk show since the election. Now, correct me where I’m wrong since I only see excerpts of the show due to its late hour and my ” old” age. There are usually entertainers; comedians, singers, actors etc along with a comedy monologue. Now one must ask, why would the President of the United States choose to appear in such a format?
I don’t know for certain but I have a few ideas. The President has been trying to talk down Iran, so to speak, from proceeding along its merry, nuclear pathway. He even resorted to sending a letter to Russia, asking them to intervene on our behalf. Response from Moscow, Nyet, nyet and double nyet. Or as we might put it, you have got to be kidding. So, here is political genius at work. Obama goes on Leno and pitches his plan to the Iranians( you know that Iranian President Ahmadinejad watches Leno) with the able assistance of the jut-jawed humorist. Brilliant, the Iranians will probably call in during the show, eager to agree.hey, this makes at least as much sense as offering to give up American military bases in central Europe if Russia would help( yes he did do that) mediate.
And for icing on the proverbial yellow cake, there are foreign policy “experts” and journalists who wouldn’t worry too much about Iran getting the bomb.
Shalom, my friends, shalom.
Broadvision
March 15, 2009
Filed under Sports, Television
Tags: Bill Currie, Billy Carmichael, Carmichael Auditorium, Carolina, Frank McGuire, Lennie Rosenbluth, public television, Smith Center, Tar Heels, Tin Can, William Friday, Woody Durham, Woolen Gym, WUNC
1957 Tar Heels and Coach McGuire
Unknown to me, there is actually a company by the above name. My article will not deal with them but rather with an interesting concept in sports television that began in 1957. As Heels fans know, that was a glorious year for the basketball guys. Led by Lennie Rosenbluth and Coach Frank McGuire, Carolina went 32-0, winning the first NCAA championship for the program (no, I didn’t forget the undefeated champs of 1924) by beating Kansas in a fabulous three overtime thriller.
As might be expected, interest in the 1957 team grew dramatically as the victories piled up. Woolen Gym(built in 1937) held about 5000 people and was packed to the rafters game after game. As the Duke game approached on February 9, interest was intensifying. UNC President William Friday and advertising executive Billy Carmichael came up with a unique plan to televise the game, but nothing like that which exists today. Working in tandem with WUNC public television, the plan they devised was ingenious.
There were obstacles to televising sports in those days, from the teams and from radio stations among others. What would happen to ticket sales, would anyone even care to go if they could see a game for free? The plan called for televising the game as it happened, no play-by-play, no commercials etc. You watched it as a fan who wa sathere and listened to the radio if you so chose. Voila! It worked. As a youngster, I remember it well and for me, it was as if I were there. For all I knew, it might be as close as I would ever get to a game in person. It was great. Many times since then , I have turned down the television and listened to Woody Durham and his predecessor, Bill( The Mouth of the South) Currie.
Woolen is still there, next to Carmichael which would succeed it in 1965. The Smith Center would arrive on the scene in 1986. I was privileged to watch a game or two in Carmichael and it was great indeed. I can only imagine how it was in Woolen Gym and its predecessor, The Tin Can which dates back to the 1920’s.
Broadvision, we salute you and those innovators who made it happen. For Carolina fans and others, you launched us on a magical journey.
Mark Harmon(aka Leroy Jethro Gibbs)
March 14, 2009
Filed under Sports, Television
Tags: American Idol, Heisman Trophy, JAG, Jethro Gibbs, Mark Harmon, NCIS, Nielsen, Ted Bundy, Tom Harmon, UCLA
Time for some fun with NCIS, one of America’s most watched shows, in spite of American Idol. Current Nielsen numbers show that NCIS ranks sixth even though it doesn’t do all that great in the coveted 18-49 age bracket. Scuttlebutt has it that there will be a new series spun off as well, just like NCIS got its beginnings from JAG( my second favorite show).
Obviously, NCIS gets its mojo from Mark Harmon as Jethro Gibbs, retired Marine gunney, who is tougher than shoe leather but resonates well with children and backs his team with a sort tough love a parent could envy.
Many people know of Harmon’s previous roles on stage and screen, particularly one as Ted Bundy. His earlier years might not be as familiar. I came across an interesting article in an old North Carolina football program from September, 1973. Harmon was interviewed along with his dad, Tom, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1940. At the time of the interview, the elder Harmon did play by play for his son’s UCLA team. Alert NCIS viewers might remember Kate Todd wearing a USC jersey in one episode,alas; not Mark’s old number.
Even from this picture, you can the future Jethro. “On it boss” or maybe “This one’s on me , boss.”
Leroy Jethro Gibbs With Hair
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How many channels do you need ?
Most of us probably think tv is a necessity . How else could we keep up all that is happening on American Idol or Dancing with the Stars or So You think you can Dance or the plethora of so- called reality shows that come to dominate the viewing landscape . Confession, my total American Idol viewing time is considerably less than one episode and probably less for the other shows in this manufactured genre .Yes we do have cable and being male , I frequently channel surf through our 40 or 50 viewing options . more often than not there is nothing that my wife or I are very interested in watching . Thank goodness for NCIS ( if you arent watching , theres no time like the present ) and ESPN’S PTI . If not for those and a handful of other things, indeed tv would be a vast, vasr wasteland . In summary I believe I have discovered a new scientific law as pertains to tv . The quality of the shows available is in inverse proportion to the number of channels available . Ta – da .
