I freely admit I’m a huge fan of CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl, and it’s not just because he’s one of the few at that level who has a background in TV research. To put in a nutshell why he has my utmost and unabashed respect, one need look no further than his response to … Read more
One more signpost that we’ve survived another summer of transition is the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, The 48th such premiere was last night, and while it featured four new cast members, more importantly, it did not feature eight members of last year’s cast. For reasons that included both career aspirations, personal dissatisfaction and, … Read more
Like almost everyone who has been exposed to Howard Stern during his lengthy and prolific radio career, there is both a level of admiration and disgust, often occuring simultaneously. I’ve always admired Howard’s brutally honest takes on politics and media, being frustrated enough with the political shenangians in his home state of New York to … Read more
At a time of year usually devoted to premieres, last night’s announcement by Trevor Noah that he was stepping down as host of Comedy Central’s THE DAILY SHOW was, to most observers, shocking and unexpected. Upon further review, however, it actually appeared to be predetermined and, given the landscape changes that have been seen since … Read more
Up until a few days ago, most Los Angelenos had not heard of Janene Drafs, even though she had been holding one of the significant jobs in local media for over two years. In February 2020, soon after KTLA had been taken over by Nexstar Broadcasting, she was named the replacement for longtime LA local … Read more
It seems like a day doesn’t go by of late when JEOPARDY! hasn’t been somehow infused into the mainstream pop culture zeitgeist. A year into the regime of showrunner Michael Davies, and two years removed from the death of longtime emcee Alex Trebek, the show has never been more ubiquitous, available and connecting past, present … Read more
The Boston Celtics are beginning the defense of their surprising run to the NBA Eastern Conference championship with a new, interim head coach. As any basketball fan knows, the rookie head coach that led them to that runm Ime Udoka, has been given a one-year suspension, the result of an external legal firm’s investigation into … Read more
In the same week when President Biden told the world, or at least those who watched 60 MINUTES, that “pandemic is over”, and when even the ubercautious Los Angeles County finally aligned with the majority of the U.S. and rescinded the mask mandate for public transportation and airports, the Los Angeles Times carried this op-ed … Read more
The news earlier this week that Parade Magazine, a supplemental Sunday publication carried in more than 700 newspapers for more than 80 years, was ceasing its print edition by Thanksgiving was yet another jarring reality check that the way I grew up consuming media is forever moving toward obsolesence, and the pace of Bataan death … Read more
Of all of the attempts to try and get attention to the season premieres of broadcast TV shows during the past week, one of the more ambitious was the first-ever staging of SHARK TANK in front of a live studio audience. It was hardly the most heavily promoted event, and with good reason. SHARK TANK … Read more