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Midwest Hotels Drops CNN

November 17, 2006

They should call this one “All About That Sniper Video.”

Conservatives have been complaining about the patriotism of CNN for weeks because they showed footage of Iraqi snipers shooting at American troops.

So now Stoney Creek Hospitality Corp is pulling CNN from it’s hotel rooms.

Oh, whatever! It’s called Journalism, you numskulls!

The broadcast, which aired Oct. 18 on both CNN and CNN Headline News, featured edited portions of a tape the network said it obtained from a rebel group called Islamic Army of Iraq.

The video crossed the line into propaganda, said James Thompson, president of the Iowa-based Stoney Creek Hospitality Corp.

''It was shocking and repulsive,'' he said. ''Their actions supported terrorism.''

Oh, yeah. You know… CNN, that evil Atlanta-based terror organization! What are you, an idiot?

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UK Combats Fat Kids

Broadcasting and Cable is reporting on the latest in the fight against childhood obesity.

The UK has decided to ban all TV ads for any food that has too much sugar, salt, or fat in any programming that is specifically targeted at children.

Those responsible for marketing food to children in the US met earlier this week to discuss and decide on a few standards of compliance for healthier eating. But the UK has really gone all-out on this one, banning the commercials altogether.

The UK has even gone so far as to say that any fatty, sugary, or overly-salty food products can not use celebrity endorsements, liscensed cartoon characters, or any free gift promotions as part of their marketing to children.

That’s the other interesting part. Originally, the ban was supposed to be in effect for children under 9, but UK officials recently upped that number to age 16.

Although critics say that the United States should adopt similarly strict standards, Adonis Hoffman of American Association of Advertising Agencies had this to say: "In America, food companies are rapidly re-tailoring their approach so that the food is more healthful and the messages are more responsible. Their pro-active self-regulation obviates the need for any government regulation.”

As much as we’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt here, we’re going to wait and see.

O.J. Simpson Book, Show Blasted

November 16, 2006

Relatives of the victims in the Simpson slayings case are speaking out against at the planned publication of a book by O.J. Simpson in which he discusses how he would have committed the killings of his ex-wife and her friend ''if I did it.''

Surprised? We’re not either. The idea is repulsive. Offensive. And stupid.

''He destroyed my son and took from my family Ron's future and life. And for that I'll hate him always and find him despicable,'' Fred Goldman said in an interview broadcast Thursday on ABC's ''Good Morning America.''

The book, ''If I Did It,'' is being published by ReganBooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. It goes on sale Nov. 30. Fox, which like Harper Collins is owned by News Corp., is airing a two-part TV interview of Simpson on Nov. 27 and 29.

Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, accused publisher Judith Regan of ''promoting the wrongdoing of criminals'' and commercializing abuse.

She added: ''It's unfortunate that Simpson has decided to awaken a nightmare that we have painfully endured and worked so hard to move beyond.''

Regan refused to say what Simpson is being paid for the book, which is being offered for $16.47. She said he came to her with the idea.

''This is an historic case, and I consider this his confession,'' Regan told The Associated Press.

Well then what does that make you, Ms. Publisher, a fraud? An accessory?

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Dancing With Teddy Bears

In case you missed it –and we’re not sure how you could have – the finale was promoted like a presidential election. The darn thing was on every television at the gym.

But teddy-bear Emmitt Smith won “Dancing With the Stars.”

Don’t die.

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Return of Comic Relief

November 15, 2006

Just when the serious issues of the world feel completely overwhelming: Comic Relief is coming back to lighten the mood – and raise some cash.

The show marks the ninth major telecast of Comic Relief, a 20-year-old institution that held its last major event in 1998. Participating this year are Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, George Lopez and Sarah Silverman. Wayne Brady will host the show's satellite location in New Orleans. It will be broadcast live from Caesars Palace on HBO and, with an 8-second delay for content, on TBS.

After an eight-year hiatus, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg will take the stage to cap the weeklong Comedy Festival that began Tuesday in Las Vegas.

Funds raised will go to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

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O.J. Simpson Could Have Killed

Or is it “would have”? It all depends on how desperate you are to sell books.

Fox is desperate to get viewers so they are airing a two-part interview between O.J. and his publisher Judith Regan about his new book, “If I Did It.”

Gross? We think so.

The two-part television interview, titled ''O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened,'' will air Nov. 27 and Nov. 29 on Fox, the TV network said Tuesday.

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Al-Jazeera Speaks English

Ten years after starting Arabic-language broadcasts that angered leaders in the region and Washington, Al-Jazeera on launched an English-language news channel available in more than 80 million homes but lacking major U.S. distribution.

But web-savvy folks can watch online at >http://english.aljazeera.net

Al-Jazeera English went on the air at 3 p.m. (8 a.m. EST) today broadcasting from the station's headquarters in Doha, capital of the tiny Persian Gulf state of Qatar.

A screen graphic with a clock ticking down the minutes gave way to a photo montage of the biggest news stories of the past decade and an announcer saying the new channel would be ''setting the news agenda.''

''It's Nov. 15th, a new era in television news,'' its anchor said.

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Lara Flynn Boyle: Insatiable

November 14, 2006

She’s hungry like the wolf. Okay, Ms. Flynn Boyle isn’t that old that we should flaunt a Duran Duran lyric at her. But her new show sounds about as silly. “Insatiable” on Showtime co-stars Andie MacDowell and Andrea Martin, all of whom have “insatiable” addictions.

Damn, that sounds like exciting television. Who is addicted to sex?

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Katie Couric Boots Free Speech

Not completely, but she kicked it away from her nightly news at least three times a week.

The news from Black Rock (CBS HQ) is that they’re cutting the unwanted segment down to twice a week and will use people whose opinions are unfamiliar.

Oh, great. Let’s see. So now...

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Laura Bennett Dresses Boston Legal Star

Julie Bowen of “Boston Legal” fame (if one can be famous for being on that show…) hired “Project Runway 3” star Laura Bennett to make her maternity clothes.

"I called her up,” Bowen explains, “and asked her to make me a dress. I love her style, she dressed herself very well pregnant. So I asked her to send me a dress. [Finding maternity clothes] definitely is not my favorite thing in the world, because you're stretching around a whole new body. What's up with that? It's like I'm 14 and have to figure out how to dress."

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Andy Griffith Sues Andy Griffith

November 13, 2006

So here’s how it goes:

A Wisconsin man named William Fenrick was running for sheriff of Grant County. In order to win more votes, he changed his name to TV’s most beloved sheriff, that lovable guy from Mayberry -- Andy Griffith. He lost the election, and then the real life Andy Griffith decided to sue the pants off of him.

To be fair, the names are sort of different. The second Andy Griffith (whose name used to be William Fenrick) chose Andrew Jackson Griffith, and the actor’s name is Andrew Samuel Griffith.

Still, the lawsuit alleges that there were copyright and trademark laws violated, as well as violation of privacy upon Andy Griffith, who also starred in “Matlock.”

The new Griffith had this to say, 'During this campaign I never sold or profited even one nickel from the use of the name Andy Griffith or any item bearing the name Andy Griffith. Everything was a promotional item, and everything was given away for free,'' he said.

Here’s the part that makes it all genuinely absurd. After admitting to changing his name to garner (free) publicity for the race, the-also-ran-formerly-known-as-Fernick had this to say about Andy Griffith: 'For such an American icon, it's a pretty un-American thing to do to me.”

Really. You think grubbing votes by playing on the nostalgia of a long-cancelled TV show – that’s the act of a real American?

Dan Rather Returns

Dan Rather used to reach 7 million people a day, on a network that had access to 111 million homes. One hundred and eleven million homes.

This week, he returns to television with ''Dan Rather Reports,'' his new weekly magazine. His audience will be considerably smaller. Four million satellite and cable homes can watch the show on Mark Cuban’s network, HDNet.

''We are broadcasting to a tiny audience,'' Rather acknowledges, while staying upbeat, ''I want us to be right up on the balls of our feet, able to shift in a nanosecond if we have to,'' he says.

The show will focus on investigative stories, in-depth interviews, and what Rather is calling ''hard-edged field reports.'' Favorite subjects are likely to include the nation's fighting forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic squeeze on middle-income families and politics.

''I see this as a pioneering experience,'' Rather says. And he could be right.

''When I first talked to Mark Cuban, he told he that he was prepared to give me total, complete and absolute editorial and creative control,'' Rather says. ''Now stop and think about that for a moment: do you know any journalists past and present (with such an arrangement)? Let's face it,'' he reasons, ''over the length and breadth of a career, I've gotten a whole lot more than I ever deserved on the upside. So if I got some things I didn't deserve on the downside, I can't and won't complain about it.''

Good for Dan. Brilliant. Cancelled. Back on the air.