'TVparty is hands down the best site on the Web for classic TV.'
- Discovery Channel

Past TV Blog Entries: RESCUE KITTY GOES NUTS! /Filthy Rich / Police Squad / Christmas Blog / Lost Christmas Specials of the 50s & 60s / 1970 TV Shows / Strother Martin / Joya Sherrill / Super Circus / 1950's The Big Show / Saturday Morning TV Memories / Hilarious Outtakes / The Smothers Brothers Revisited/Thanksgiving TV Shows / Thanksgiving Day Parade TV History / Thanksgiving TV Cartoon Specials of the 1970s /

Christmas
Specials on DVD

Movies on DVD Reviews

Is TV a reflection of society or is society a reflection of TV?
Right wingers just know the mainstream media is hostile to their way of life.
The mainstream media tells them so every day!
by Billy Ingram

As a person who spent a long lifetime on the front lines of the entertainment industry marketing maw, I'm a big fan of PR campaign successes and failures. The recent Komen implosion was textbook fail. Public Relations and marketing majors take note of a clear lesson.

The entire top management involved in the decision-making at Komen should be making plans to step down right now, by February 17th at the latest. Chances are it's already too late to right that ship, they pissed off both sides of the debate. That's what happens when an organization reacts to a genuine crisis of their own making with soulless corporate think and blind dismissal.

Karen Handel, the new hire that caused the Komen kerfluffle (despite her denials), walked away with righteous indignation in tow. She's headed for a huge payday and lots of carefully chosen media attention. She was in it for herself all along, her actions and words proved that. At this point she just has to play the injured innocent all the way to martyr status, a job that pays much better than the one she just left. Win-Win for her but she leaves a gaping hole in the vessel behind her.

Handel is a prime example of the huge disconnect hardcore right wingers have with reality these days; a robust alternative POV propaganda network disguised as legitimate news backed by corrupt-to-the-core think tanks supported by billions of dollars makes sure of that.

The misguided souls watching at home think their television is reflecting real life when, in fact, it's a 24 hour long Bizarro World episode of Leave it to Beaver with Sean Hannity as Ward Cleaver, Ann Coulter as June Cleaver and Jonah Goldberg as The Beaver.

Want to start a web presence that bashes liberals and questions climate change? There's loads of money in that. On the liberal side? Don't quit your day job. Remarkably dumb people are making a literal fortune pumping out ridiculously fatuous 'news' stories and commentary. They know it's BS but a job's a job, right?

Americans used to understand that you can't necessarily believe something just because you read it in print and you certainly can't trust what you see on TV. No, G.I. Joe can't really take that hill and your Chatty Kathy doll won't be your talkative new best friend. Most of us learned this at a very young age.

In an effort to buy into an alternate universe, a large number of good folks will believe anything they're told, if it fits what they think *should* be. Especially if it comes from the television. It's just too irresistible, apparently, the juxtaposition of Hagen Dazs commercials and bubble headed blondes surrounded on all sides by waving American flag graphics.

So what's next for the cancer charity? Komen could become a much smaller endeavor and refocus on their core mission with renewed vigor and complete transparency - that's what should happen. Or they could pick one side or the other, become a conservative charity or a liberal leaning one.

Instead my prediction is that only the president, Nancy Binker, will resign and Komen will change their name but not their business philosphy. I'm a cynic.

Compare & contrast with J. C. Penney who obviously did their demographic homework before they came under attack last week from right wing anti-gay fanatics. The retailer didn't buckle and the whole thing will pass like a breeze. In fact, this will be a boon for their business short term. Penney's new spokesperson Ellen DeGeneres (I'm not a fan) handled her side of the whole affair the way you're supposed to - with restraint, wit, and a message that resonated from the heart. She obviously has great writers. Again, Win-Win but with different results. If Penney's had capitulated they would be in the same soup Komen is in.

The main thing to remember if you find yourself knee deep in Komen-like karmah? Be consistent, be firm, and stick to your plan because that's the boat you're in now, whether you like it or not. You can't throw both oars in the water and whine about the choppy seas.

Hit Shows of the Seventies: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy / Gene Roddenberry in the 1970s / 1977-1978 Superhero & Science Fiction TV Shows / Funniest SNL Skit Ever! / Remembering Suzanne Somers / Prisoner: Cell Block H / Why John Amos Left Good Times / Reviving Match Game / How Betty White's 'Happy Homemaker' Came About / Remembering Cindy Williams / Creating The Rockford Files / TV Dads Talk Sex & Fatherhood / TV Shows We Watched 50 Years Ago / How Maude Came About / The Hagers Rediscovered! / Rare Audio of Bette Davis' Broadway Bound Flop 'Miss Moffat' / Interview With Director John Erman / Orson Welles' Last Interview / Remembering Ed Asner / When PBS Got Naked: Steambath / Bruce Vilanch on Writing for Donny & Marie / Writing For Fernwood 2 Night / 3 Girls 3 / Kris Kristofferson vs Barbra Streisand on A Star Is Born? Kinda... / Remembering Gavin MacLeod / When Sammy Davis Jr Kissed Archie Bunker / 20 Funniest SNL Skits of All Time / Cher Reviews Her Iconic Outfits Since 1965 / Best Columbo Episodes / Star Maidens Sci-Fi Series / Sonny Bono's Last Show 1974 / Interview with Cindy Williams (Lavern & Shirley) / One of the Most Controversial Episodes of All In The Family / Outside Chance / Remembering Carol Wayne / The Night Johnny Carson Broke Down / Real People / That's Incredible! / Gavin MacLeod on His MTM Castmates / Norman Mailer & Muhammad Ali / Peggy Lee & Anthony Newley's Weird Pre-Show Rituals / Peggy Lee & Anthony Newley's Weird Pre-Show Rituals / Peggy Lee & Anthony Newley's Weird Pre-Show Rituals / Charles Nelson Reilly Flops on Broadway / Chuck Norris vs Eva Gabor / Dear Detective / Dirty Sally / Peggy Lee & Anthony Newley's Weird Pre-Show Rituals / The Protectors / Henry Fonda's 4 Favorite Films / Chevy Chase Talks Hollywood Cocaine Parties / 1977 Season Show Openings / Love Boat's Oscar Winning Guest Stars / Henry Fonda's 4 Favorite Films / Tom Snyder Interviews Star Trek Cast & Harlan Ellison / The Corner Bar / Tim Conway's 'The Dentist' Sketch / Roy Radin Revue: Drunken Ronnie Spector / Henry Winkler on His Happy Days Audition / Patrick Duffy of Dallas Interview / Time Express / Wonder Woman Leaves Paradise Island / 1972-73 TV Season / George Burns on the Carson Tonight Show in 1989 / Best Season of Dallas Ever? / Cloris Leachman Remembered / Ken Berry Interview / Why Barney Miller Ended / Vivian Vance Almost Joined the Cast of Rhoda / Marilu Henner Talks About Andy Kaufman / Cher on Mike Douglas 1979 / TV Show Book Tie-Ins / 1972 Jackie Robinson Interview / Dr. Strange 1978 TV Movie / Kathy Garver Interview / Space: 1999 / Paint Along with Nancy Kominsky / Mary Kay Place Albums of the 1970s / The Supremes - Mary Wilson vs Diana Ross / When Bruce Dern Killed John Wayne / 1974 Tom Snyder Our Gang Special / Remembering Ken Berry / Bruce / Caitllyn Jenner? / Billy Crash Craddock Interview / Melissa McCarthy Almost Quit Acting Days Before Landing Gilmore Girls / Bar Rescue's Wildest Customers! / How The Golden Girls and Elvis Got Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs Made / Charlie Brown Voice Actor Released From Prison / New Year's Eve on TV / Sir Laurence Olivier on the 'Genius' of Marlon Brando / 1967 Futurists Predict The 21st Century / Remembering Diahann Carroll / 50 Funniest Niles Crane Insults / TV HITS - By the Numbers / How Tom Hanks Played Mr. Rogers / Colin Farrell as The Penguin? / Alex Baldwin On His TV and Film Roles / Ray Charles' BIG Problem With TV / Malcolm Gladwell on TV Crime Dramas / Why Dolly Parton Would Not Let Elvis Record 'I Will Always Love You' / Top Ten Sitcoms of the 1970s / Danny McBride Rebooting Hogan's Heroes? / Fashion on TV / Alive & Well / James Cameron Made No Money for Titanic / Whatever Happened To Miss Cleo? / Lucy Blows Off Burt Reynolds / Dave Navarro Meets His Mother's Killer / The Real Mindhunters Killers / John Goodman Breaks Down His Iconic Roles / Growing Up In The Playboy Mansion / Ed McMahon Drunk on the Air! / Lucy Interviewed by Barbara Walters / Valerie Harper Cancer / Jeff Bridges Breaks Down His Iconic Roles / Dog Fight! The KCNC Scandal / Buckley vs Hefner / Laurence Olivier vs Marilyn Monroe / Dallas vs Eight is Enough / 1974 MAD Magazine TV Special - Never Aired! / Iconic M*A*S*H Restaurant Coming To Kroger? / Matt Damon, Bill Murray, and Graham Norton - Big Laughs! / When Lucy Got Fired / Partridge Family and Brady Bunch at Kings Island theme park 1972-73 / Awkward Talk Show Moments / Allan Blye Interview / Jack Benny's Last Tonight Show 1974 / Patricia Heaton's Audition for Everybody Loves Raymond / Luke Perry's Last Role / Johnny Cash's Last Interview / Judy Garland's Last Film / Who Was Bob Gordon? / Richard Dreyfuss vs Bill Murray / Jeff Ross vs Everybody / Tennessee Williams 1972 Interview / Ed Asner Interview / Norm Macdonald vs OJ Simpson / Tony Kornheiser Interview / Freddy's Nightmares TV Series / Awful 1990s TV Shows / The Funniest Comebacks in Talk Show History / Was Sonny Bono Murdered? / Robin Williams' Mrs. Doubtfire Screen Tests / Robert Downey Jr Asks for Forgiveness for Mel Gibson / Russell Brand / Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave / Judy Garland vs Liz Taylor / Emmy Award Multiple Winners / Nathaniel Taylor aka Rollo Lawson / Mary Kay Place Albums of the 1970s / That Girl & TV's Single Working Women / Can You Identify These Stars? / Betty White vs Joan Rivers / Paul Lynde's Greatest Hollywood Squares Zingers / Sonny Comedy Revue / Star Trek Animated / Dark Shadows / Hal Linden Interview / Dark Shadows Movies / Dark Shadows Novels / The Night Stalker / One of the Funniest Carol Burnett Show Skits Ever / Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson / Johnny Carson interviews Lucille Ball / Dawn Wells / Betty White : An Appreciation / Bette Davis' 2 Best Interviews 1971 / Barbara Eden Interview / Gavin McLeod / Spider-Man 77 / The Next Step Beyond / Barbara Eden Interview / The Music Dark Shadows / 1970 TV Shows / Mike Connors Remembered / Mike Wallace, Virginia Graham & Jim Longworth / Dick Clark / Woody Allen Hosts Tonight Show 1971 / Carson Tonight Show / Alan Alda Interview / Jackie Gleason Show / 1973 TV Shows / Thriller / Post Modern Sitcoms / Elvis in Greensboro / Remembering Dick Van Patten / TV Dating Shows / The Jacksons TV Show / Fall Previews of the 70s / Lance Link, Secret Chimp / Star Wars Holiday Special / Alias Smith and Jones / 1977 Year in Review / Top Ten 1970-76 / The Rockford Files / All in the Family / Sam Hall (Dark Shadows) Interview / Actor Ed Nelson / Death of Archie / Battlestar Galactica / Wonder Woman / Network Jingles / Class of '74 / Happy Days / Good Times / Mr. Bill / Dinah! / Maude / Doris Day Show / Pamelyn Ferdin Interview / The Bicentennial Minute / Jingles & Catch Phrases of the 1970s / Early Cable TV 1970s / TV commercials for Women / TV Moms / Red Skelton / George Lindsay / Country Music TV Shows of the 1960s & 1970s / Betty White Show / / Tom Bosley / Rodney Dangerfield / How Sanford & Son Ended / Sanford & Son Spin-Off Grady / Great Memoirs / Virginia Graham Show / The "N" Word on TV / 10 Classic Comedy Routines You Have To Laugh At Before You Die / Hollywood Squares / 1970's Teen Idols & The Hudson Brothers / TV Stars with 3 Hit Shows / The Rookies / Unsold Pilots / Jackie Cooper / The Good Guys / Match Game / Make Room For Granddaddy / Mannix & Gail Fisher / Bette Midler in the 1970s / Bonus 1970's Stuff: Silent Star Marion Mack / Biff Burger / 1970s Fast Food Chains / Latin Casino / Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire / 1970's Daytime Talk Shows / The Fess Parker Show / Brady Bunch Sex Dungeon? / Love, Loss & What I Watched

It is what it is!

THE KOMEN SCANDAL
FROM A PR POINT OF VIEW

Ghost Rider creator Gary Friedrich is being curb stomped by the media giant and there's a growing groundswell around the idea that corporations, who are people after all, should show their gratitude for those millions of dollars that flow to them for work done in years past.

Occupy Ghost Rider?

The new Ghost Rider movie (wasn't the first one bad enough?!?) is coming soon and, if this grass roots effort is successful, the bad publicity will rain down on Marvel just as they are gearing up for their big summer blockbuster Avengers motion picture.

More about the Marvel Ghost Rider Scandal.

Facebook page for Gary Friedrich

 TV on DVD/ /Holiday Specials on DVD
TV Commercials on DVD / / TV Shows on BLU-RAY

New book Now on Sale! Beyond Our Wildest Dreams - FacebookPage RAT PACK GOLDDIGGERS WEB SITE

Lost Kid Shows / Movie Stars on TV / Saturday Morning Shows / Video Vault / TV Goodbyes / Fabulous Fifties / Unseen Scenes / Game Shows / Requested Forgotten TV Shows / The Super Sixties / More Modern TV Shows / The New * * Shows / 1980's Wrestling / TV Blog

Classic TV on the Internet!