I’m going to preface this musing by admitting I’ve known and respected the author and architect of PROGRAMMING INSIDER Marc Berman since we shared a classroom in a Hebrew school in Queens far too many years ago for either one of us to be comfortable copping publicly to a specific number. He has actually been … Read more
Ellen DeGeneres is back, kicking off three months of returning to her roots snarkily titled ELLEN’S LAST STAND…UP TOUR. It kicked off Wednesday night with a relative whimper, as DEADLINE’s Bruce Haring reported yesterday: Returning to the stage Wednesday night at Largo in Los Angeles, the former host of The Ellen DeGeneres Show was not afraid to address … Read more
Media is hardly an industry devoid of mistakes. Not a single successful person has a perfect track record. Attend enough conferences where panelists and speakers are asked for an example of theirs as icebreakers and you’ll soon realize how imperfect and inexact a science this all is. I’ve never failed to gain the trust of … Read more
We’re halfway through week 2 of the Trial Of This Century, and much like a car chase or a rush hour accident, far too many of us simply can’t stop having a morbid curiosity about the details of what’s going on. Especially since ratings-starved media outlets have been literally trying to create more and more … Read more
Yesterday was the 54th anniversary of Earth Day, an event that these days all but goes unnoticed except by those truly as invested in the cause as the 20 million who took to the streets to make their views on the environmental crisis known. New York City Mayor John Lindsay even consented to give them … Read more
I made two small children cry yesterday, and it wasn’t because I was decked out head to toe in Mets gear. I’ve never been a parent, but I spent some of my favorite years doing qualitative research with them, and I’m as proud an uncle as there has ever been. So the first rule of … Read more
If you follow the volume of media critics and reviewers that I do, you pick up on a sense of both glee and dread as we sprint toward the end of the Emmy eligibility period. In their never-ending quest for awards and at least momentary inclusion on the list of must-have subscriptions, many streaming services … Read more
Happy 4/20, to those that “celebrate”. Speaking for myself, I’ll have to settle for some CBD balm because, honestly, decent weed is a little beyond my current budget. Besides, it sure seems like the best stuff in the area is being consumed by some folks in my neighborhood, or at least by some of their … Read more
Imagine if you were coaching a football team that was dominating its opponent in time of possession, yardage and even interceptions but you somehow only had a 10-point lead deep into the game. YOU know you’re truly great, but the scoreboard isn’t responding in concert. In football, you can’t suddenly decide that that silly yardstick … Read more
I’ve always had a soft spot for National Public Radio, even though I admit I rarely listen to it these days. But long before cable and satellite options proliferated NPR, much like its television counterpart PBS, provided a welcome alternative voice and a listening environment that I often equated to a zen garden. My small … Read more