MEMO TO: SUSIE WILES, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF/KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY CC: FAT ORANGE JESUS, E. MUSK, X. MUSK RE: AN IN-HOUSE SOLUTION TO YOUR SELF-INFLICTED “PROBLEM” Mornin’, ladies. Congrats on your one-month anniversaries as adversaries–er, advisors–to the Ki–er, President of the United States. Forgive me for my confusion; given what comes … Read more
It’s both reassuring and daunting to realize that I’m often not alone when it comes to media musings that, in the immortal words of that noted Quahog 5 commentator Peter Griffin, “really grind my gears”. Richard Rushfield does that regularly as one of the founding fathers of THE ANKLER, and TOO MUCH TV’s Rick Ellis … Read more
I have to admit for the past few months I’ve had little reason to watch any of HBO’s scripted series with any urgency. I thought THE PENGUIN was fine, but it was a short season and ultimately, at least for me, not zeitgeisty enough for me to feel a need to set an alert or … Read more
It might be Sunday, but don’t tell that to Lorne Michaels and the minions at NBC and Comcast that he arguably has more savvy, experience and clout than the majority of them have–collectively. Being the overlord of what is still their most-viewed program–in any daypart–allows you to dictate when you get to celebrate your golden … Read more
Well, I finally made it to immortality. Sorta. In the early days of TV, and even before that in radio, there was a show called THIS IS YOUR LIFE, which the noted game show pioneer Ralph Edwards sold on the heels of a popular segment of his hit game show TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES–one that was … Read more
I try to remain indifferent about content that I have nominal personal interest in, and in the case of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that’s usually been my approach. I concede that I’ve never really gotten into all of the myriad and complex tapestries woven over the past 15 years in the various reimaginings and reiterations … Read more
I can’t help but wonder if there’s a significant part of America that think that if you were born in the 20th century you are literally a fossil unworthy of even having a valid opinion. And as we get deeper into the 21st the ability of those with such an arrogant attitude–even if technically they … Read more
I’ve lived in Los Angeles nearly as long as Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, and I’ve worked in media a lot longer than he has. Granted, he’s dabbled in other areas like medicine and biotech research, and his net worth is far, far better than mine–admittedly anything but a high bar. But some of my most intense … Read more
Once again, I give full props to those more prolific and thoughtful than moi than inspire musings on days when I struggle to do so. If you had any idea what kind of turmoil and angst I’m now dealing with–and it’s frankly too volatile and traumatic for even me to discuss publicly at this point–you … Read more
On the eve on what was going to be a banner weekend for what’s left of FOX the company at long last decided to entered the subscription streaming wars, nearly six years after they sold off what Rupert Murdoch consistently referenced as the “middle of the paper” to Disney and immediately became several of the … Read more