Prison for Everyone

No reader should think I that I support Martha Stewart going to jail. There are bigger fishes to fry in the corporate world than Martha. The media frenzy over her sentencing is out of control and shows how souless it is as an institution. But I do get a kick that Martha likens herself to Nelson Mandela.
 
If the media were doing its job, they would talk about Donald Rumsfeld and why he isn't in jail yet. Or they could talk about Kenneth Lay, former head of Enron, and how long it has taken prosecutors to just indict him--let alone for him to be sentenced. There are big differences between Kenny Boy (George W's personal nickname for him) and Martha, you say? The case is much more complicated in Enron. Is it? 
 
Andrew Fastow, the former top finance guy of Enron, is fully cooperating with the Fed now. He received a 10 year sentence. His wife, one year. To get Martha, all the Fed had was her broker's assistant. And she was not found guilty of insider trading. She was found guilty of misleading federal investigators. So in some way, you're right that there's a difference between Martha and Kenny Boy. It's the magnitude of harm done to our society. There is a huge difference there and Kenny Boy did much, much worse.
 
I feel obligated to talk about a scientific study in the news about children and TV. Given I am a Hollywood guy and once was in public health, there's an irrational sense of personal responsibility I have to say something about it. And I will write something, but later. Golf's on. 

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. 

Ditka's Out, how about BIG BROTHER?

Popular state Senator Barack Obama, who has no major opponent for the US Senate race in Illinois after kinky millionaire Jack Ryan dropped out, breathed a huge sigh of relief on the news that Mike Ditka will not enter the race. Ditka, the well-known and foul-mouthed former Chicago Bears coach, was courted by state Republican officials after internet grassroots campaign DraftDitka generated a significant base of supporters.

Certainly being foul-mouthed is not a disqualifier for public office. Let's not forget Vice President Dick Cheney on the Senate floor last month who told Senator Patrick Leahy to fuck himself.

Nevertheless, Mike Ditka would have still faced a tough test running against Barack Obama, who is incredibly popular himself. In the end, skeletons in Mike's closet and the invasive and sometimes critical media probably scared him out of the race. Lucky for the Democrats. Now that Ditka's out, what about BIG BROTHER 5?

CBS' utterly affected and boring reality show on Tuesday (and other) nights is painful to watch. I feel myself getting dummer with each passing moment. Watching these self-important half-naked bimbo boys and girls with their lame tasks like ring toss make my eyes bleed. Time will tell how low American standards for TV has become. The premiere of BIG BROTHER 5 feted 4.8 million viewers in the key demo. Episode 2 had less viewers due to the All Star Game on FOX. Tonight may tell us how popular BB5 will be. However, let's not fool ourselves. BB5 is not getting canceled. It's cheap to produce and gets high niels: CBS' crystal meth.

But not all CBS reality is uninteresting. AMAZING RACE 5 premiered the same night as BB5. AR5 built on the strong lead-in an earned a whopping 5.5. This show is great; we all liked scavenger hunts as kids. This world scavenger hunt with regular adult contestants whom we can relate to in some way--combined with conflict each of us has faced in one form or another (running late, reading a map wrong, picking the right Tango dancer)--makes great network TV.

Speaking of great TV, if Emmy nominations are any guide, you don't find it on the broadcast networks but on HBO. Sign up.

Chasing Money

Hollywood writers and studios associated with FRIENDS (us Hollywoodies use all capital letters when writing out the names of shows) have been sued for harassment by a former writers' assistant. Some pretty ugly things have been submitted in court papers, which you can read for yourself at The Smoking Gun. In all likelihood, this matter will be settled out of court. The plaintiff, Amaani Lyle, has certainly damaged personal relationships and has surely eliminated "sitcom writer" from her list of future career choices. Amaani earned her position through a program to promote minority writers in the industry. Hopefully, her lawsuit doesn't stain that program.

The Power of One

Inspired by Michael Rogers and his colleague John Aravosis who started a grassroots awareness campaign against congressional members and staff supporting the Federal Marriage Amendment, I created this blog. I was beginning to lose faith in the Power of One (or two). No more.