Palin and Simon and Jay oh my! Part 2

So it's finally done... $45 million for Conan. I guess if NBC talks about a round of layoffs, those in fear of losing their jobs should storm the castle. But it done offer proof that television executives aren't very high on the evolutionary chart.
I know that the Conan fan sights are painting Jay as the bad guy. I think instead of wearing black, he might settle more into a shade of gray. It was NBC that five years ago didn't think that "The Tonight Show" would still be number one with Jay at the helm. They didn't want to lose rising star Conan, so they made a deal that would keep both. Fast forward five years, Jay doesn't want to leave and NBC again wants to retain both. Jay could have been the gentleman and stepped aside, but chose not to. So now NBC eats over $45 million (one should probably include the money spent on bringing Conan to the West Coast and the amount of publicity involved).
Unfortunately, the real loser who seems to get lost in the shuffle is Andy Richter. That guy can't seem to catch a break as he's already had three television series canceled. He seems more cursed than the cast of "Seinfeld."
Well, at least it's over, although late night television has just become less funny.

Maybe the NBC executive should have taken a cue from Fox News, who recently hired Sarah Palin. A very shrewd move by both parties included. Fox knows there demographics and with Palin hot off a book tour, and can only help. Meanwhile, Palin keeps in the public eye, giving herself a chance to weigh future options. Talk show? Presidential run? Thelma and Louise-type spree? Who knows? And while I don't agree with the politics, I understand the move.

And Simon leaving "American Idol"? I never really watched the show except for the occasional train wreck the first couple weeks. Of course, with those quickly appearing on-line ("Pants on the Ground" guy), there really is no reason to watch. Simon seemed to be the brutally honest one of the group, and quite frankly, some people need to told they can't sing. Sorry, your parents and friends aren't always the best judge of talent.

Five Things I'm Digging Right Now:

1) "Archer"- Currently on FX, it's a really funny spoof of the secret agent genre. Produced by the guys from "Sealab 2021", another show I loved.

2) The Rolling Stones- I was never a fan in high school, as I was more into the Beatles and the Who. I've been listening to a lot of their pre-1973 stuff lately.

3) "The Daily Show"/"The Colbert Report" - I got behind over the holidays, so I've been watching a lot of episodes. Favorite late night combo (thank you DVR).

4) Pylon- "Gyrate"- Most people aren't familiar with Pylon, which is a shame. Angular, cutting guitars with a danceable beat. They only put out three albums and this would be my second choice.

5) "Avatar"- Sort of. The 3-D and special effects just blew me away. The story... not so much. A couple times Cameron was just showing off without really advancing the story. But I guess if you have cool technology, why not?

Palin and Simon and Jay oh my! Part 1

The last couple days have provided a literal feast for the television news world. After having only a few stories to beat into submission recently, the media were handed a golden platter. Which story would get the most attention? Would it be Mark McGwire's admission that he used steroids or the late night problems at NBC (which I find funny how much publicity NBC is getting on the other networks)? But don't forget about Simon leaving the biggest show currently on the planet and Sarah Palin joining Fox News. Even Barbara Walters tried to drum up some attention, only to be pushed aside for those who weren't fans of "The View". Her story just wasn't big enough in the feeding frenzy.
The Leno/O'Brien situation has created quite a mess for NBC, one that will likely cost them millions of dollars, paid to a person sitting on the bench or even on another network. However, as television continues to become more competitive to get eyeballs, networks are quick to pull the trigger if they feel a show isn't attracting a desired audience at a quick enough pace.
Critics wasted no time in condemning NBC for moving Leno to the 10:00 p.m. slot. With Conan on at 11:30 p.m., followed by Jimmy Fallon, the network would be developing a quagmire of talk shows. The affiliates feared this would weaken their lead-in numbers for local news, causing a decline in their ratings. But NBC, in an effort to keep Leno and O'Brien on board, went ahead with the plan. Jay and Conan had successful first weeks, then the numbers went south.
From what I've read, the expectations for Leno weren't too high, and he was able to deliver on the numbers the network projected. It was still cheaper than slotting in a high priced drama. Conan, on the other hand, wasn't as lucky. "The Tonight Show" numbers slipped behind Letterman, something that hadn't happened in years. So NBC, with only one ratings period in the rear view mirror, pulled the plug on their grand experiment. And one has to wonder if the sale to Comcast had a hand in the situation.
I've never understood the appeal of Leno, as to me, he is to comedy as vanilla is to flavors. Where Johnny Carson seemed engaged in his guests, Leno often comes off as uncomfortable. Maybe it's because I grew up with and appreciated Letterman when he did "Late Night", and enjoy a quirky, off-beat sense of humor, like Conan exhibits. However, it doesn't seem fair to either talent as NBC backed themselves into a corner in order to appease both comedians, hoping that by throwing enough money around, the problem would work itself out.
I guess we'll keep a watch on how this situation changes and unfolds. Conan said he won't move, the affiliates won't be able to blame Leno and the network has some programming holes to fill. So, if you have any show ideas, now might be the time to forward them to NBC.

Five Things I'm Digging Right Now:

1) Bob Dylan- "Highway 61 Revisited". Sometimes you just have to go back to the classics.

2) "Steven Seagal: Lawman". I just started watching this series and it wouldn't be so funny, but Steven is so serious. It's also a great drinking game. Drink when he mentions "martial arts" or uses the word "zen".

3) "Modern Family". One of the few sitcoms on television that I watch. It has an edge, but doesn't totally rely on snark.

4) The Beatles Remasters- I've been slowly buying these when they came out and they are great to listen to with headphones. The only disappointment; no bonus tracks.

5) "The Hurt Locker"- Since this didn't play at my local theater, I had to wait for DVD. A well done movie about a bomb squad in the Iraq War. It avoids the politics to feature plenty of tense moments.

Welcome to my resolution

We received about three inches of snow over the weekend, which for my area, is a big deal. The winter weather created light traffic and an easy to navigate shopping experience. And yet, as I arrived at the gym, the cardio room was packed with people, eager to maintain their freshly made resolutions. Ah, the start of a new year.
I personally have never been much of a resolution person. I've tried in the past, only to find myself adjusting the resolution in mid-January, then again at the end of the month only to abandon it by the start of February. The resolutions were generic in nature, usually involving health or money, with no real stated goal. You know how they go; I want to be in better shape, save more money, blah, blah, blah. Like I said, no real goal.
But over the last couple of years, I really lost interest in those hollow promises. If I really wanted to be a better person, why wait until the start of the year? If you really want change, why not right now? I started a workout program during May while getting a better grip on my finances in September. And when I start to slack, I get back on track the first given opportunity.
However, this year I thought I would try again, making the resolutions simple; where I'm not trying to change my entire being, but rather small pieces. And a return to writing this blog is one of the pieces.
Again, I'm hoping to cover a wide range of topics, and hopefully I can make this stick. Now off to play some Guitar Hero... resolution #7.

Five Things I'm digging right now:

1) My new iPod: I had a mp3 player that worked, but I wanted one with the ability to hold more stuff. Thousands of songs without hearing the same one twice.

2) Daniel Johnston: While I haven't watched the documentary about him, I have found myself gravitating toward his music. Some might think childish, but really listen to it.

3) "The Hangover": Sure, it make a lot of money at the box office, but it was the funniest movie of the year. The DVD extra with Ken Jeong is hilarious.

4) "30 Rock": Of the Thursday night show on NBC, this one has turned into the most consistently funny. "The Office" still has it's moments, but "30 Rock" shines.

5) "Modern Family": For those who thought the family sitcom was dead.