You may not have known the name Dick Block even if you consider yourself to be a true fan of media history and content. His most recent full-time executive position ended more than three decades ago, and his first was in the days where UHF over-the-air television was the disruptive equivalent of Netflix. And UHF … Read more
It sure seems that streaming services are being run by and for folks who clearly think folks in my age bracket are afterthoughts. And that’s a shame, because I happen to fall into a clearly growing sector of it that continue to embrace, pivot and even default to them, despite their inability to grasp the … Read more
CBS was once called the Tiffany network, and its news division, spearheaded by what was regularly the most-watched program on television, 60 MINUTES, was a huge reason in the minds of its viewers and sponsors why that was the case. No, you may not be old enough to remember such halycon days, but I’ve seen … Read more
Many of these musings come from something either inspiring or incendiary than happen in the normal course of human events –sometimes both simultaneously. Sometimes they come in droves, which means there might be a lag in just when I find enough time to articulate some sort of point of view that I believe will resonate … Read more
A year ago, I woke up to the disturbing news that came out of Israel that, 50 years and a day after the outbreak of the Six-Day War, the country came under attack once again. This time, not by a nation, but an ideology. I’d like to say I was as mortified and activated as … Read more
It’s almost ironic that in an industry that has historically seen a disproprtionate amount of Jewish people in positions of influence, and continues to still be labeled as such despite the realities of DEI and, to be sure, actually qualified people of different backgrounds, there have been few successful movies or TV series that have … Read more
For all the things that proverbially grind my gears, none get me quite as cranky as when people offer opinions, often negative ones, on things they’ve never seen. Log lines and trailers are designed to provoke interest, not prejudgement. If they’re not impactful enough to get you into a theatre or onto a couch to … Read more
The Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers shocked casual baseball fans and thrilled their ardent supporters with surprising road upsets in their respective Wild Card Series. The Tigers will now be moving on to face a Cleveland Guardians team that won that potent Central Division, the first time these original American League teams will face … Read more
So another executive shakeup has gone down, this time at my old stomping grounds. VARIETY veteran Cynthia Littleton was among the many that broke the news yesterday afternoon: Sony Pictures Entertainment is set for a transition at the top in January when Tony Vinciquerra steps down from his role as CEO and hands the reins to Ravi Ahuja. Ahuja … Read more
The much-anticipated golden anniversary of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE kicked off last night , and you bet I watched. After all, unlike most of the folks who recently made a movie that celebrated that legacy, I was actually watching a half-century ago when it all began. So I guess I’m a creature of habit. These days, … Read more