I imagine when Chris Licht first took the gig as head of CNN he had a similar reaction to the CNN+ business plan as I did when I got set up with Marilyn. Well-intentioned, to be sure. But not for me. But in both situations the challenge is to be respectful enough to those who … Read more
I took yet another holiday weekend trip to my sanctuary of sanity. completed yesterday just in time to be back where the choice and quality of legal weed was ample enough to celebrate today appropriately (and responsibly, I assure you. The Nets-Celtics rematch and the streaking Mets are far too attractive tube propositions for me … Read more
I extol praise on quite a number of Apple TV+ projects, and I’ll admit I’m a little pre-disposed to wanting to. I’ve had the privilege of working directly with many of their key executives for many years, and I’ve seen first-hand their dedication to finding the right talent and the right tone for projects they … Read more
Sometimes the silliest questions provoke the most profound revelations, at least in my case. Someone asked about some obscure daytime TV scheduling moves from decades ago, and as I typed out my response (without looking it up, of course) I realized that the network made three different programming moves in one half-hour time period in … Read more
Any sign of normalcy in a world inexplicably resistant to return to normalcy is seen here as exceptionally positive. For me, nothing was more positive than the fact that MIP-TV was held IN PERSON this week in Cannes, France. The fact that this week large contingents of actual people finally got on planes, congregated in … Read more
After the news cycle of the last couple of weeks, the return of Saturday Night Live to original episodes this past weekend was especially welcomed. I look forward to new episodes with eagerness and anticipation, and I’m not alone. Last year, SNL was the most-viewed network program among young adults in same-day viewing, and it … Read more
It’s Sunday, so it’s arguably time for some confession. Here’s one that’s hardly shocking to anyone who knows me. I HATE being alone. My personal circumstances are a bit more exaggerated than many. I endured a decade and a half of a partnership that encouraged me to spend every waking minute apart from work at … Read more
A year ago today, I was overjoyed when I drove up to the parking lot of the Magic Mountain amusement park, proudly displayed my bare upper arm and looked away while a cooperative medical clerk obliged my request to capture my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine into my left arm. At long last, I … Read more
I have to admit I’m not a fan of The Foo Fighters, but I am a fan of talent and, humbly, an expert on what and why people are popular. So when the news broke yesterday of the untimely passing of their drummer Taylor Hawkins at the tragically young age of 50, I knew it … Read more
If it hadn’t been for William Shatner and a long Shea Stadium ticket line, today wouldn’t be the strangest anniversary to celebrate. OK, let’s unpack this. My all-time favorite game show is PYRAMID, which back in 1975 was just a $10,000 triangle. Among its more exuberant players was Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner. While a … Read more