Dumb?  These Dum-Dums?

Dumb? These Dum-Dums?

The story you are about to read is true.  No names have been changed to protect the  innocent. since no one named is. Monday, April 3rd, 4:27 a.m.   It was unseasonably cool in Los Angeles.  As I tend to do at that time of the day, I was doomscrolling through my overnight e-mails and alerts … Read more

Write History.  Don’t Rewrite It.

Write History. Don’t Rewrite It.

I want to go on record that I fully endorse and support the concerns of the talented members of the Writers Guild of America in their battle with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that has led Hollywood, in the centennial year of its iconic sign and two of its largest studios, Warner … Read more

Take Us Out Of The Bore Game?

Take Us Out Of The Bore Game?

It’s major league baseball’s opening day, and I couldn’t be more excited,  Appropriately, one of the first two games of a rare opening day where all 30 teams are scheduled will be at Yankee Stadium, whose original iteration  across the Bronx’s River Avenue first opened 100 years ago.  The teams that will play, the Giants … Read more

No Beef With This Wick

No Beef With This Wick

If you’ve ever spent any time in Western New York, particularly Buffalo, there’s two must-have local favorites you must experience, calories be damned. Real Buffalo wings, particular those from the Anchor Bar, and with celery and blue cheese dressing as a side, is a must.  So, too, is a hearty sandwich called a “Beef on … Read more

Tik Tok?  D-Oh!!!

Tik Tok? D-Oh!!!

I admit I’m predisposed to liking most things Chinese, despite a lot of evidence that I should not.    I grew up in a multicultural neighborhood filled with excellent Chinese restaurants; if you’ve ever seen Awkwafina’s hilarious semi-autobiographical Comedy Central NORA FROM QUEENS, know that filmed it largely in my area (in fact, her grandparents … Read more

The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle

And now, the pinky promise is kept. CBS made a couple of other changes to its daytime lineup 50 years ago today besides adding THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS.  With the encouraging early success of their morning game show block, they carved out an hour of their late afternoon for a similar strategy, moving the … Read more

Not That Young.  But Still Quite Restless.

Not That Young. But Still Quite Restless.

This is a pretty historic week for daytime TV geeks.  If Labor Day, 1972 was the day that most fans cite as the most seminal one in history, that being the day CBS reintroduced THE PRICE IS RIGHT as part of a three-pronged morning game show lineup that took it out of the rerun business … Read more

Savoring Private Ryan

Savoring Private Ryan

I am unapologetically a fan of Shawn Ryan.  I’ve had the privilage of working with him at two companies, FX and Sony, where has demonstrated his talent and value for more than two decades as a showrunner, producer and visionary.  While THE SHIELD was far and away his signature series to date, literally putting FX … Read more