Big Momma Martha Stewart

Ten months in jail. Actually, it's just five in jail and five in one of her pastel decorated homes. Martha Stewart got off easy.
 
Forbes Magazine writes,  "She asked the court 'to consider all the intense suffering' she had endured and told the judge that her 'heart goes out to you and everyone in the room. Thank you and peace be with you.'" In previous interviews, she has said she doesn't understand why people don't like her.
 
In TV, 3.6 million Americans (18-49 years old) watched BB5 last night. It easily won the time slot against repeats of WILL & GRACE. CBS executives in Hollywood must be soiling themselves with glee. They surely know how poor a show it is since they run it during the summer against such weak competition; Fox's NORTH SHORE has less viewers than UPN's wrestling franchise SMACKDOWN.
 
Nevertheless, Fox's programming is original, insists Gail Berman, Fox's entertainment head. I know Gail and she can spin with the best of them. Another example of how Hollywood and politics live in the same neighborhood. She does have a point about a competitive marketplace producing similar competitive goods. Everyone tried to copy ER when it first came out. More recently, have you seen the AMERICAN IDOL knock offs? The irony is that NBC's Jeff Zucker casts the first stone when now much of their line-up is based on British TV. Oh where are the days of original programming and bold leadership. Where are the Grant Tinker's and Warren Littlefield's of yesterday?  
  
Warren who? Sit down, and let me link you a story about my dear friend Warren Littlefield, former head of entertainment at NBC from the 1990-98, who some credit with the "Must See TV" slogan and then was later fired for one season of low ratings. However, not Everyone Loves Warren. Certainly not Bob Wright of General Electric/NBC Corporate. Bob, after all, fired Warren and probably--if Bob's honest with himself--regrets it every day.
 
Speaking of firings, Secretary of Torture Don Rumsfeld is getting more heat for the prison scandal, and deservedly so. I imagine his departure will come by the end of this beautiful summer. And that day will be especially more pleasant.