As a producer, particularly in the realm of reality television competitions, few have been as successful and impactful as Mark Burnett has been. For more than a quarter-century, he has created, nurtured and developed unique, emotionally charged series with life-changing stakes and a flair to cast competitors who audiences can develop attachments to over the … Read more
You may have noticed that lately things have not been going very well for me in the real world, and I haven’t been able to avoid seeing connections to bigger picture events beyond my private Idaho that somehow make me feel that somehow it’s all connected. The growing number of silent protests in China that … Read more
When I once had a falling out with my spouse, I was desperate for a suggestion for a makeup gift to get back in her good graces. Her bestie strongly suggested that I indulge in a gift I wouldn’t be able to enjoy as an act of contrition, and strongly suggested a Balenciaga handbag. She … Read more
When one experiences rejection, particularly with the frequency as I have of late, it’s often much easier to try and blame “extenuating circumstances” for one’s woes. There’s some sort of comfort in being able to reassure yourself that “it’s not your fault”. I’ve seen that behavior exhibited in plenty of recent quarterly reports and media … Read more
When I was a younger, larger child one of the few things I looked forward to during the three day weekend following Thanksgiving was the knowledge that my folks were going to splurge and buy me the new editions of the annual fact books that I coveted. Typically, Thanksgiving weekend was when the upcoming editions … Read more
Somehow, I’ve made it to another Thanksgiving Day, and, if you’re reading this, so have you. Thanksgiving, for me, has always been associated with family. No matter how distant or disjointed my circumstances were at any point, I would always somehow have some family member willing to share turkey, stuffing, and my personal favorite seasonal … Read more
If I’ve been spending what some what consider to be quite a lot of time and effort on the return of Bob Iger as CEO as Walt Disney, forgive me. I admire what he’s accomplished to date, his vision, his ability to pivot, his dedication. For my money (and, admittedly, there’s scant little of it … Read more
Last week yet another favorably reviewed limited series debuted on FX and Hulu. FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE, which has already earned plaudits both for the talents of its leads, especially Jesse Eisenberg as the eponymous newly divorced Manhattan doctor navigating dating opportunities while grappling with the disturbing disappearance of his ex-wife. It is yet another … Read more
31 years ago, Disney produced a cute little comedy called WHAT ABOUT BOB?, which starred the reliable Bill Murray as someone who simply wouldn’t go away, even when his analyst (the sardonic Richard Dreyfuss) tried to go on a family vacation. Ever popular among everyone else in his analyst’s circle of friends and family, Bob … Read more
Nearly half a century ago, the first concert I was ever allowed to attend was Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tour at the then spanking new Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. One of the few friends I had at the time (male, of course) took two buses, transferring and waiting in a drug den … Read more