Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2008 > October
October 2008
10/31: WABE-FM raises more than $1 million in tough economic times
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In what is arguably the most difficult economics times in a generation, 90.1/WABE-FM decided not to announce a fundraising goal this fall, instead encouraging listeners to contribute any dollar amount they could spare.
This unusual strategy worked. The non-commercial station, which airs a blend of talk programming such as “Morning Edition” and classical music, actually raised more money than last year: $1,077,000 in pledges, up $24,000 from fall 2007. In addition, the station received pledges from 10,500 people, 20 percent more than any previous pledge campaign.
“We’re so grateful for the Atlanta community to come through like this,“ WABE General Manager John Weatherford said. “We’re almost without words.”
Individual contributions feed more than half of the $11.5 million budget for Public Broadcasting Atlanta, which also includes the PBA 30 TV station. And while those individuals have stepped up, corporate underwriting (the bulk of the rest of the budget) has dropped by more than 10 percent.
Nonetheless, the station was a popular destination for listeners over the summer, reaching more Atlantans than ever in its history. For the first time, WABE broached 400,000 listeners in a given week, according to Arbitron figures. This would place them 11th in the market in total listeners.
Next week, we’ll learn how they are doing under the new measurement system using meters instead of paper diaries.
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10/31: Hot 107.9’s Mizz Shyneka feels targeted by mall
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Night jock Mizz Shyneka (real name: Shyneka Richardson) at Hot 107.9 is peeved by security at a Douglas County mall that detained her and her boyfriend, accusing him of stealing a shirt.
Here’s [an account from WSB-TV.]:
Richardson, who is considering filing suit, said she and her boyfriend, David Smith, were held for hours by security officers at Arbor Place Mall after Smith was accused of stealing a shirt.
Her boyfriend David Smith said he purchased a couple of Polo shirts, but security accused him of stealing the shirt he was wearing. They feel he was targeted because he’s young and black.
Arbor Place Mall declined to comment to WSB-TV.
On her radio station page,, she dubs herself the ‘queen of controversy.” She had been the afternoon jock with E4Real until recent cutbacks forced her into nights (with Emperor Searcy back in afternoons.)
I left a message with her at work and her MySpace page awaiting a response.
-A reader had this question: “Who is [WSB-TV meteorologist] Karen Minton’s hair stylist? Is there any way to find out? I love her new do…”
The answer: Hairstylist Jack Morton at Indulgence off E. Andrews Drive in Buckhead does Karen’s hair. Ashley Black does the coloring, also at Indulgence. “They’re both great,” she told me. “I’ve been going to Jack for 18 years.” She has been at WSB-TV for 23 years.
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10/29: “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” ratings continue to rock
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spent the day trying to find out if WABE-FM actually reached its fall fundraising goals in a very difficult environment but general manager John Weatherford was nowhere to be found. WABE missed its spring 2007 goal but has reached goals in the fall 2007 and spring of this year.
I’ll report it tomorrow, assuming he gets back to me.
Otherwise, it’s a quiet day so here’s a miscellaneous mix of news:
-“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” is a hit for Bravo. In its fourth outing this past Tuesday, the show drew 1.27 million viewers, virtually the same as the week before and about double its opening numbers. Among the coveted 18 to 49 demo, it’s drawing a sold 1 million viewers. And here’s the advance plotline for next week’s episode, which airs at 9 p.m. on Election Night.
Shereé and Lisa let loose at a pole dancing class. Lisa, DeShawn, NeNe and their husbands spend a luxurious evening together at a vineyard to celebrate DeShawn’s 34th birthday. The dinner takes a turn for the worse after NeNe starts to gossip about Shereé and makes up a nasty song about Kim’s music career. Kim and Shereé have a Botox date during which Kim finds out about the song NeNe sang about her, the two bond over mistrust for NeNe. When Kim ignores NeNe during an afternoon of lingerie shopping, the tensions mount and things get ugly. Kim’s plans for stardom are at stake as Grammy Award-winning producer Dallas Austin sends her to celebrity music coach, Miss Jan. Meanwhile, inspired by DeShawn, NeNe starts her own foundation for battered women, Twisted Hearts. She throws a “Big Hats” fundraising brunch and opens up about her past turmoil to a moved audience. After futile efforts to get NeNe and Kim to talk, DeShawn joins NeNe for a girls’ night where they focus on surrounding themselves with positive people and true friends.
-“The BET Hip Hop Awards,” which aired last Thursday and taped at the Atlanta Civic Center, did relatively well for the network, pulling in 3.06 million viewers. Locally, 242,000 Atlantans caught the show, making it the 12th most popular show of the week among primetime shows. Nationally, the show ranked 133rd behind a Saturday repeat of “The Office” on NBC. Ratings, though, are down from 2007 (3.28 million) and 2006 (3.68 million)
- About 33.6 million people saw the Barack Obama ad. Locally, Atlanta only ranked 43rd out of 56 major markets, with about 600,000 people catching it on various networks. ABC’s “Pushing Daisies” did slightly better than usual this season with 6.6 million viewers but that’s hardly a rousing figure relatively speaking. The whimsical show is definitely in ratings trouble.
-CBS’s “Ex List” has been yanked off the schedule on Fridays. The show wasn’t very good and the ratings were dropping to boot. Fox has also pulled “Til Death” from its November sweeps. And USA has delayed the debut of “Law & Order: CI” until the first quarter so it can air 16 episodes in a row.
-Former Atlantan and “SNL” cast member FInesse Mitchell is not impressed with SNL’s Fred Armison and his take on Barack Obama:
“I love Fred,” he told Jam in Canada.. “He’s one of my favourite cast members and he knows that. But the overall review of it is that African-Americans wish they had chosen an African-American. I like it, he just needs to loosen up a bit and be a little more soulful.”*
-North Springs High School grad and “Dukes of Hazzard” star John Schneider will do three episodes of ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money,” playing a Congressman who screws over Simon. Info courtesy of ew.com.
-And NBC is having a rough time this fall with hit shows losing steam (see “Heroes,” “Law & Order: SVU”) and none of its new shows doing particularly well (see “Knight Rider,” “Kath & Kym”). Only “Saturday Night Live” is getting any buzz. In Atlanta, the network didn’t have a single show land in the top 32 last week. ABC and Fox had 10 each, followed by CBS with nine.
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10/29: Sandra Golden leaving the Zone, Chuck Oliver interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sandra Golden’s last day is Thursday after four years with “Mayhem in the A.M.”
She is starting her own athlete/PR/imaging company Golden Media Inc. with www.goldentvimage.com upcoming as a Web site. “Waking up every day that early was getting tough for her,” said the Zone’s Steak Shapiro.
“Me and Nick may do the updates for now. But we’ll do an open search,” he added.
He noted that they had 11 full-time on-air staff and with Chuck Oliver out, that’s still 10 full timers.
“It’s going to be a great adventure for me,” she said. “I want to coach athletes off the field about media and image consulting.” She’s done some test runs with some athletes already confidentially. She has her own in-home studio.
“It was a lot of fun. I know this will sound corny, but I’ll be now laughing in the car instead on the air,” Golden said. “I miss MIke Bell. I’ve told them all that. They are very talented crew. We were a nice mix.”
She said she’s planning to bring in champagne on ice on her last day and requested coffee cake pancakes from IHOP. “This is celebration mode,” she said. “I wanted to set the tempo.” Expect the on-air farewell to start in earnest after 9 a.m.
By the way, she will stay on with CSS’s “Sports Night.”
-Chuck Oliver, who just left 790/The Zone after eight years, said he will be at the Fan but isn’t sure what he will do specifically. “I did have a contract with a noncompete but when it got within the 30-day window of that contract expiring, 790 offered multiple contract offers. I didn’t like the terms of any of them.”
He ended up working without a contract since Sept. 14 and without a contract, the non-compete clause lapsed. “We were both trying to come up with a deal” since Sept. 14, “but we couldn’t reach an agreement.” He was talking as recently as last Friday with the Zone but got a call from his agent Jamie Bendall that the Fan was interested.
He signed with 680 Monday. He went to the Zone that day and told Steak, “I’ll stay here as long as you want. I don’t want to leave with any bad taste.” Steak said, “As management, from point of view as an on-air guy. I don’t blame you a bit. You’ll be able to take that next step. I hate this. I wish we had been able to get a chance to match. We would have done it.”
Oliver said he felt the 680 deal was too good to pass up. “There were aspects of the contract the Zone could not match. Not just signal strength but 790 have almost no history of giving someone their own show. I would like my own show. There’s no promise of that happening at 680. But it could not happen at 790. 680 also has a stronger signal.”
Oliver, a college-football expert, said he loved his time at the Zone. “I do want to say specifically that Steak Shapiro as an on-air guy or management, he was nothing but great to me,” he said. “Some see him as abrasive. But he was awesome. Working at the Zone was a blast.”
“It’s better if this were Crips and Bloods,” he added. “The story is I worked with Chevy and got an offer from Ford.”
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10/29: Real Housewives of Atlanta episode recap 4
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: NeNe and DeShawn promote DeShawn’s fundraiser on “Good Day Atlanta” featuring host Mark Hayes.
I almost want to feel bad for DeShawn Snow because this episode revolves around her “Night Under a Thousand Stars” benefit for her self-named foundation.
Almost.
Instead, it’s easier to define why this benefit was doomed from the start. First of all, she wanted to raise one million dollars. (Yes, just like Dr. Evil!) That’s a difficult task even for seasoned charities that have been around for years. Second of all, the charity has sort of a vague mission of helping inner-city teen-age girls raise their self esteem. That isn’t exactly the same as raising money for muscular dystrophy or the March of Dimes.
Third, she decided not to charge any money but expect people to show up ready to shell out cash on Jimmy Choos or pricey jewelry or better yet, donate $20,000 to have lunch with LeBron James or some other live silent auction item. (Her husband Eric Snow is captain of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which helped. We didn’t get to see all the live auction items. Was BIshop Eddie Long’s lunch part of this?)
On the night of the event, it appears a lot of people show up to her home, though it’s unclear if this is the type of crowd that has tens of thousands (or even thousands) to give. Kim appears to spend $12,000-plus on jewelry (in which a portion goes to DeShawn’s charity.). But when Mark Hayes of “Good Day Atlanta” and NeNe start the live auction, disaster strikes: nobody bids on much of anything. The LeBron James auction item starts at $7,500 and we watch as Mark and NeNe haplessly try to get somebody, anybody, to bid. Nope. In fact, some folks aren’t even paying attention. DeShawn looks embarrassed as auction items go down in flames.
The result: she spent $30,000 for a soiree that raised $10,000. In other words, she actually lost $20,000. Her poor husband, who is straining to look supportive during the show about her fundraiser, appears even more chagrined by the end of the episode as he tries to make DeShawn feel better (even as he may be internally seething about seeing $20K disappear into the ether.)
Sheree and Kim both criticize the fundraiser on camera but not in front of DeShawn. As usual, Lisa is sweet as pie and is the most sympathetic character on the show.
Also, seeds of dissension between NeNe and Kim are sown as Kim cozies up to Sheree. Kim has a spa day in which she tries to bring the two together but NeNe refuses to show up because Sheree is there. We see previews showing the relationship between these two once buds get even worse.
DeShawn, in her blog on the Bravo site, admitted she should have charged tickets but naturally kept it positive and she gives props to her poor hubby:
Well as you can see I did not reach my goal at the diamond gala! As I mentioned in my last blog, I always reach for the stars. And if I fall, Eric is always there to catch me. As you witnessed, I have a very strong support system. My husband is AMAZING, and I am blessed to have him.
I recognize that it is more important to try and fail and to learn, then it is to not try at all.
What did you think of the episode? Did DeShawn deserve what she got or do you feel sorry for her?
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10/29: Bob Carr (AKA Willis the Guard) has died
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: Gary McKee, Yetta Levitt and Bob Carr.
Bob Carr was never a household name in Atlanta radio. But back in the 1970s and ’80s, everyone in the city knew his radio character Willis the Guard.
Mr. Carr created the redneck good ol’ boyin 1973 at WQXI-AM and became part of Atlanta’s biggest morning team from the mid-1970s through late 1980s, mostly at sister station 94Q (now Star 94).ing.
The Alabama native who graduated high school in Columbus died Monday of lung disease at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He was 66.
His funeral services are at H.M. Patterson & Son at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
You can hear a sampling of Willis working with McKee here.
Bob Carr with Gary “Red Neckerson” Corry.
“I would have just been another morning jock if it hadn’t been for him,” said Gary McKee, who led the morning show. “He was Larry the Cable Guy before there was cable. He was able to walk the thin line between self parody and lifestyle parody. Everyone has a little bit of redneck in them.”
Mr. Carr’s real voice was resonant and absent any Southern accent at all. “He actually had a real soothing radio voice when he wasn’t doing Willis,” said his wife of 39 years Judy, who met him while he was in the Air Force in Biloxi, Miss.
In fact, Mr. Carr’s low-key persona was nothing like the higher-pitched drawlin’ Willis the Guard, who brought an exuberant blue-collar touch to the show. “Some days I had to sit down after the show, I was laughing so hard,” Mr. McKee said.
And even when 94Q added a female sidekick to the show, Carr never expressed any jealousy or threat.
“He never sensed I was usurpiing his role,” said Yetta Levitt, who joined the show in 1978. “We did spar a bit. I represented the liberal female. Willis was conservative. That was part of the schtick.”
The show itself was sometimes likened to a local radio version of “The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson,” not too raunchy or edgy but always fun.
Mr. Carr would never break out of character on the air and in public radio appearances, donning a big beard and cowboy hat and boots to complete the image.
“Appearances would be so crowded, I’d have to go on the air and say, ‘Don’t come now. There are too many too people here!’ “
Mr. Carr’s son David Carr said he got to feed of his dad’s fame growing up, taking special pride when Bob showed up to David’s fourth-grade career day. “I remember the first thing he said to the students was, “Don’t ask me how much money I make!’ Naturally, that was the first thing they asked.”
“Looking back,” David added, “I appreciate his desire to look at things through a comedic lens. He could be sarcastic and cynical but that’s where good comedy comes from.”
When the Gary McKee show disbanded in 1988, Mr. Carr never returned to the airwaves and retired Willis the Guard. “It was a big blow to him when they let him go.” said David, who is the drummer for popular Atlanta Christian rock band Third Day. “I never heard him do Willis ever again.”
Mr. Carr was a lifelong movie buff with a special love for the Western “How the West Was Won,” “He loved the technical side of projection and the rawness of film,” David said. Even while working at 94Q, Mr. Carr would do projection work at the now defunct Columbia Theatre downtown.
ABOVE: A newspaper story about Gary McKee and Willis the Guard. This is probably too small to read, though.
After radio, Carr spent the next 17 years as a projectionist at the Midtown Cinemas (now called the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema) before lung disease forced him into early retirement.
Carr is survived by his mother Cleo; his wife Judy; his son David; his daughters Ryan Gausman and Ashley Walter; and two grandchildren.
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10/28: Chuck Oliver leaving the Zone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chuck Oliver is jumping ship, moving from the Zone to the Fan. More details to come. (The Zone’s Neal Maziar thinks that Oliver will be helming a 1 to 3 p.m. show on the Fan but I have yet to get a confirmation from the Fan’s management. Fan boss David Dickey said he has no comment about Oliver.)
Over at the Zone, the “Afternoon Saloon” has been re-named “The Pollack and Bell Show” from 4 to 7 p.m. with David Pollack and Mike Bell.
The Zone did not have Oliver under contract. Zone Program Director Neal Maziar said, “He simply has expedited our plans of what was ultimately going to be the Pollack & Bell show,” he said. David Pollack, he said, “after six weeks has exemplified real natural talent for sports radio.” He said he on point and does not ramble, allowing Bell to provide the humor.
Maziar noted that the Fan has a knack for picking up the Zone’s talent, including John Kincade, Matt Chernoff and now, Oliver.
The Fan’s David Dickey in the past has mocked the constant changes being made to the Zone’s lineup.
Oliver is an expert in college football. Here’s his old bio from the Zone’s site (since taken down but available in cache form on google right now):
Chuck has taken his love for the college gridiron and turned it into his own cottage industry. He appears regularly on television hosting In the Huddle and the CSS Game of the Week on Comcast and on CBS 46 in Atlanta hosting the SEC Game of the Week Post-game Show and Sunday Night Sports Special.
Chuck will be the first to admit that he is “living the dream.” A former high school English teacher and football coach, Chuck won an open air audition on The Zone and has officially paid his dues in the broadcasting industry. His passion for sports and the fervor in which he approaches radio was recognized in 2003, when he was named Sports Radio 790 The Zone’s Employee of the Year.
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10/28: Bye Bye Dave FM morning show again: Zakk Tyler & Jane out after 10 months
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Shocking nobody at all, Dave FM appears to have dumped its latest morning show featuring Zakk Tyler and Jane Monzures after just 10 months on the air and ratings that didn’t appear to show any traction.
The team is no longer on the Web site, which pretty much says it all. Tim Orff, who had been part of the temporary morning show in 2007 with Holly Firfer, is off nights and back in mornings. It will be a more music-focused morning show to contrast with, say, the Regular Guys on Rock 100.5 or any other morning show that focuses on personalities.
To virtually anybody listening to Dave FM in the mornings this year, it was fairly evident Zakk was never cut out for this type of job from day one. Nice guy but simply not a morning personality. He wasn’t a music expert and only seemed to perk up when talking about football. (He had helped do pre and post-game coverage for the Falcons games). I’ll have to call Mike Wheeler, the program director, Tuesday to find out what compelled him to hire Tyler in the first place. You have to feel bad for sweet Jane because Tyler convinced her to move from Chicago.
Ratings a year ago were no great shakes under Holly & Orff but they really didn’t improve under Zakk & Jane either. In fact, the summer numbers among 25 to 54 year olds were the worst Dave FM has seen in its four-year history with the rock station ranked just 18th behind the likes of Imus on 106.7/True Oldies, the now defunct A Team on Hot 107.9 and even the Morning Mess over at Star 94.
92.9 has been cursed worse than virtually any other signal in Atlanta when it comes to trying to find a successful, long-term morning show along the lines of Frank & Wanda, Steve & Vikki and the Bert Show. Since it became a rock station in 1989, the station has funnelled through more than a dozen morning show incarnations, none of which lasted longer than three years.
The new morning show is “music focused,” which means Orff won’t be doing much talking. No prank calls, no call ins, minimal gab. More music is a smart alternative for any station seeking a low-cost, low-risk way to get ratings, especially since good personalities are difficult to find and cultivate and require a level of patience many radio companies in this tight economy may lack.
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10/27: D.L. Hughley debuts comedy show on CNN, photo of Robin Meade & Regular Guys
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
D.L. Hughley is attempting to inject humor into the normally staid and serious CNN mold with his show “Breaking the News,” which debuted Saturday. Naturally, the opener was a mixed bag, lacking the timing and precision of Jon Stewart, the smoothness of Leno, the archness of Letterman. Then again, Hughley is new at this and it will take time for him to find his place. (CNN has committed to a year’s worth of shows.)
Hughley opened with a monologue, riffing off the news. His first stab was not nearly as good as his better peers but then again, this was his first stab. One note: he has a bad habit of laughing at his own jokes, even if the small audience didn’t.
Typical joke: “Barack Obama has raised $710 million. Wow! A brother with that type of money and he doesn’t even have a shoe deal!”
Hughley was supplemented by various CNN on-air personalities. Josh Levs, part of the “truth squad,” pretended to take Hughley’s jokes seriously. At one point, when Hughley says a joke was a joke, Levs said, “Here at CNN Center in Atlanta, we call that lying.” “Wait a minute, I’m a comedian!” “Liar,” Levs said.
Other moments: a guy dressed as a pimp pretending to be “Freddie Mac,” which is not actually a person but the federal home loan operation that has been bailed out for problem mortgages. “The politicians are the pimps and the voters are their ho’s,” “Freedie Mack” said, which got a rise out of the small audience.
He also interviewed Ali Velshi, the CNN business correspondent, and Maryline Blackburn, who beat Sarah Palin in the MIss Alaska pageant in 1984. “Black person in Alaska. Were you in the witness protection program?” Hughley said. She’s an Obama supporter but said she recalls Palin as a tough cookie who speaks well, but criticized her for lack of substance.
He shows a review of black presidents through the years in film including “President Sammy Davis Jr.” from a film decades ago. He includes Morgan Freeman presiding over the destruction of the U.S. thanks to a comet (“Deep Impact”) Hughley segued this by talking to Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium, who says an asteroid might be on its way to Earth in 2029. Hughley did like to make black jokes a lot. The Hayden Planetarium guy says black folks won’t suffer as much when a supernova fries everybody. “Black skin protects you from a nova,” Hughley cracks. “Black skin does not protect you from the police!”
He also got Scott McClellan, former Bush spokesman, to say he’s endorsing Barack Obama. “If I only get 60 million more people,” Hughley said.
And he took advantage of the reach of CNN by talking to correspondents in Russia, China and India. The Indian correspondent, when asked about our presidential race, said, “90 percent of Indians polled said they don’t care. We have too much going on here.”
- And here’s a shot I took of a couple of Regular Guys (Eric Von Haessler and “Southside” Steve Rickman) and CNN morning host Robin Meade before the NASCAR race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday. My observation: Dagmar Midcap — you have competition!
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10/24: “The Closer” fans gather in Atlanta, get a surprise call
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It wasn’t quite like a “Star Trek” convention, but 11 devoted fans of TNT’s “The Closer” have gathered in Atlanta this weekend to celebrate basic cable’s most successful show ever. Why Atlanta? Not only is this TNT’s hometown but it’s lead character Brenda’s hometown, too.
TNT hosted a luncheon at Turner headquarters on their behalf, replete with fried chicken, green beans and pecan pie. The marketing folks also gave the fans a surprise phone call from the show creator James Duff. (Unfortunately, he nor any of the actors could be there in person because the show is still in production.)
Duff, recovering from a root canal from his home, gave the fans some teasers on the five new episodes early next year which conclude season four:
— The cat named Kitty is ill but shows up in two episodes. Kitty is a hot topic on the forums. “To some people,” Duff joked, “the Kitty’s well being is more important than the outcome of the election!”
— Each season has a theme. Next year will be about change. “Brenda doesn’t like change but that’s the only constant in life,” he said.
— Fritz’s sister shows up, played by Amy Sedaris, and she’s a ditz. “She claims to be a psychic and volunteers her services to help with a crime,” he notes.
— Brenda’s parents will be in three of the five episodes, which implies a wedding might be near for Brenda and Fritz.
— He also promises a resolution to whether the couple get hitched — or not. The tone of his voice was ominous, implying they break up, but he might simply have been trying to throw the fans off the scent.
The crew (mostly female) came from Boston, Austin, Raleigh, Chicago and points in between. They first met via Abbey Leden’s www.thecloserforum.com fan Web site. At the Omni hotel downtown, the fans plan to watch past episodes and hold a trivia contest.
“The show’s unique,” Leden (right) said. “It’s drama and comedy. Brenda is uniquely flawed. I see bits of her in me.”
“As an ensemble,” added North Carolina college professor Monika Fleming, “they really click.”
TNT, as a parting gift, gave each person a version of Brenda’s signature oversized black vinyl purse.
Here’s the group that showed up Friday at Turner Studios:
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10/23: Frank Ski Foundation tries to lift Clayton students, WSB-TV cutback rumors
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Frank Ski Foundation is hosting a “Local Legend” luncheon Nov. 2 to help Clayton County students, highlighting six who have transcended the problems the school system has been facing and given $500 each.
T-Boz from TLC (currently taping “The Celebrity Apprentice”) and Judge Penny Reynolds Brown (“Family Court With Judge Penny”) are both scheduled to be guests of honor..
Here are the six students:
Meghan Jackson, Senior, Morrow High School
Songsarae Harley, Senior, Forest Park High
Kelita Almond, Senior, Riverdale High
Jamesha Foote, Senior, Riverdale High
Tyler Jones, Senior, Mount Zion High
Maritza Morales, Senior, Mount Zion High
-Cox Radio, including folks from WSB-AM, 97.1/The River and Kiss 104.1, suffered cutbacks earlier this week. I hear from inside that building that WSB-TV will have to let go a few folks as well, with an announcement coming today or tomorrow. Who and how big I will try to glean as soon as I hear anything.
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10/23: Real Housewives of Atlanta ratings double over two weeks, former Atlantan Alyson Hannigan is pregnant
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” is becoming a hot commodity for Bravo.
Tuesday night’s episode drew 1.32 million and more than 1 million of them were in the key 18 to 49 year old demographic. That is up from 1.184 million last week and 656,000 in its debut. In other words, the show has seen its ratings double in two weeks!
Compared to anything on broadcast TV, 1.32 million is modest. But last week, from October 13 to October 19, the show aired 16 times and nearly 7.2 million people saw the show. That’s not half bad.
The show so far is doing better than “Real Housewives of New York,” which averaged 864K viewers through three episodes vs. 1.05 million for “Atlanta.” Season three of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” averaged 1.3 million viewer, concluding with 2.018 million in January.
The top overall show nationally was “CSI,” with 19.3 million. (The show ranked 14th locally with 278,000 viewers.)
In other ratings, the top cable show last week was the thrilling game 7 Sunday between the Red Sox and the Rays (who won.) The TBS telecast drew more than 13.35 million viewers. Locally, the game drew 209,000 viewers in Atlanta, ranking 28th for the week.
In Atlanta, the top show was the presidential debate, with 415,000 catching it on CNN and 297,000 more watching it on Fox News. WSB-TV had the most viewers among the broadcast networks with 287,000 viewers.
-Former Atlantan and “How I Met Your Mother” star Alyson Hannigan is pregnant.
She’s married to “Buffy” alum Alexis Denisof.
TV Guide speculates whether the show will incorporate her pregnancy into her character’s story.
Asked to comment on Hannigan’s news and what it might mean for the Eriksens, series cocreator Carter Bays tells TVGuide.com, “We are thrilled for Alyson and Alexis, and we know that they are going to be amazing parents. It’s too early to say how this will impact the show going forward, although we may have to push the ‘Lily wins a gold medal in gymnastics’ storyline to next season.”
-Another former Atlantan David Hasselhoff is on a videogame in which people can “hassle The Hoff.” More details here.
In the irreverently comedic game, a player can take a virtual Hasselhoff - replete with a Knight Rider jump suit emblazoned with “The Hoff” on the back - though a series of collisions and pratfalls and score points for how much pain they can make the onetime German pop star endure.
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10/23: Cutbacks at WSB-AM, Kiss 104.1 and 97.1/The River
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cox Radio, just a few days after coming out with relatively strong summer ratings numbers, is suffering revenue dropoffs like virtually every media outlet. The result: targeted cutbacks today in staff.
Among the on-air people who are gone. (The announcements were made to the respective staffs at 1:30 p.m. today.)
— Marjorie Coley(right) News director and morning news reader for Kiss 104.1 since 2000. Veronica Waters from WSB will do the morning news during the Tom Joyner show.
— Jeff Dantre, a veteran news reporter for WSB-AM
— Kerry Browning, an assistant news director for WSB-AM who has been at the station for 30 years and has been heard on air for a bulk of that time.
— Stacy D. Night-time jock at Kiss 104.1. Program director Jay Dixon is set to take over.
— Chris Miller Program director and mid-day host for 97.1/The River
Cox Radio is part of Cox Enterprises, which also owns the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
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10/22: Update on Judge Glenda Hatchett, Bill O’Reilly gets an extension
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta native Judge Glenda Hatchett stopped taping her successful show last year after eight years. But the syndicator is giving the show a bit more life by running “best of” episodes this season despite the fact there are 12 other judge shows on the air, including fellow Atlantan Judge Penny Reynolds Brown.
The “Best of Judge Hatchett” now airs on CW69 at 2 and 2:30 p.m. It’s broken down into 52 unique theme weeks, such as “Celebrity Interventions,” “Out-of-control Youth,” “Family Feuds,” “DNA Dramas,” and “Sue Thy Neighbor.”
Ratingswise, the show was never at the top (where Judge Judy resides) but never near the bottom either. She taped a whopping 1,130 episodes.
“It has been the most amazing journey for me these past eight years,” Hatchett said. She said she wanted to work more in production behind the scenes creating her own shows. Her company name: Great Day Productions. “People ask me, ‘How could you walk away?’ I see it as evolving to the next stage.”
She’s proud of how she has helped many individuals turn their lives around. She took a promiscuous young girl to a rural village in South Africa to live with orphans. She took a chronic runaway to Louisiana to work on a Habitat for Humanity house. She took an alcoholic with a DUI record to spend time with mothers whose kids were killed in DUIs. She said not everybody comes clean but she felt she has made a difference in many cases.
She split time between New York and Atlanta for eight years. Hatchett said when she shot the show for Sony, she’d live in New York during the week for the show, coming back to Atlanta by Friday. Her mom would watch the kids while she was up north. “It was a challenge,” she said, “but I loved it. It’s like anything else. When it’s important to you, you make the logistics work. I never missed a varsity football game or track meet.” Occasionally, if she had to shoot in NY on weekends, she’d bring her kids up and bring them on set.
Amusingly, she said most people, even close friends, call her “Judge.” “It’s hysterical,” Hatchett said. “My sister in law calls me ‘Sister Judge.’ It’s like I don’t have a first name!”
Hatchett is staying busy, not only with TV production and books but a series of parenting conferences.
Tonight she’s hosting a free parenting skills workshop at the Georgia International Convention Center from 6 to 8 p.m.. The address is 2000 Convention Center Concourse, College Park.
“It’s very practical,” she said, revolving around the three C’s: commitment, consistency and cheering. “It’s to empower them. I want to inspire them to think about ways to be a better parent.”
-Bill O’Reilly gets another four years at Fox News. Hollywood Reporter says he is making about $10 million a year..
“Bill O’Reilly is the most prominent and influential name in all of cable news, and his contribution to the network’s success cannot be overstated,” FNC chairman and CEO Roger Ailes said. “After 12 years, ‘The O’Reilly Factor’ maintains remarkable and consistent viewership growth, and his firmly established itself as the top destination for newsmakers to reach a wide, diverse audience.”
The former ABC correspondent has found unprecedented success at Fox, where he joined in 1996. It has been the top-rated cable news program for 94 months, with an average viewership of 4 million a night. He outdraws his competitors at CNN and MSNBC combined.
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10/22: Real Housewives of Atlanta, episode three recap
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Okay, I’m blatantly pandering by writing these highlight recaps of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” But, hey, the antics of these five women are indeed great watercooler fodder. And this is from a guy who writes about “American Idol” every day, even off season.
ABOVE: NeNe reads the letter claiming her daddy isn’t her daddy!
So here we go:
The focus of this episode is split fairly evenly among three of the housewives, but the most compelling story for once did not revolve around some party. Kim Zolciak went to her psychic Rose (with the skeptical fellow housewives in tow) and while most of them bowed out, NeNe Leakes decided to get a reading. The psychic, who looks like Your Average Sweet Lookin’ Grandma, said NeNe will get an important letter and something related to her dad would occur.
Indeed, a letter from a relative claims the man she thinks is her dad (Curtis) is… not! It’s someone else! NeNe is shaken, understandably. She visits the aunt who raised her in Athens, who said it doesn’t matter. But NeNe wants to know and at the end of the episode, she calls Curtis, who she hadn’t spoken to in two years.
Sadly, he doesn’t even recognize her voice. Then when she asked if he had doubts about whether he was really her father. “I had doubts,” he said, “even before you were born. But I just let it go.” Sounds like a winner of a dad!
“It’s just amazing to me that you would let these many years go by and not say a damn word,” NeNe says.
“I consider you my daughter,” he says.
“Don’t you want to know the truth?” NeNe asks.
“It don’t make no difference,” he says.
But NeNe insists they prove it with a DNA test. Curtis is a little taken aback but doesn’t battle her and petulantly says fine.
She is numb. “I thought I’d be real emotional,” she said. “Now that he’s all defensive, ** him.”
Good stuff!
Plotline No. 2: Kim’s attempt to go into country singing.
She says: “I want to be known for my voice, not blonde hair and big boobs per se.”
(Viewers giggle.)
We only heard bits of her singing on the show, not enough to gauge whether she can really sing. Ed, her daughters’ music teacher, gives her some country songs to sample. NeNe is hilarious as she mocks them, then actually gets a kick with his “Tardy for the Party.” Dallas Austin, wearing sunglasses indoors, stops by Kim’s house and tells the cameras away from Kim that she may not realize how much work it’s going to be to be a real singer. He isn’t thrilled by Ed’s songs and though he has no country background, has some ideas and will get her before a big-time vocal coach who has worked with the likes of Usher.
ABOVE: DeShawn Snow convinces Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church to auction a lunch with him and his wife for her foundation fundraiser.
Plotline No. 3: DeShawn Snow wants to ramp up her self-named foundation, which has the squishy notion to build self esteem among inner-city teen-age girls. We see her reading some sort of decree with some random girls. Her goal: raise $1 million in her opening fundraiser. Everyone expresses skepticism, at least off camera. Odds that she’s going to raise $1 million? About the same as the odds that I am Kim’s “Big Poppa”! There’s also a minor “drama” where DeShawn considers having a live auction. She ponders auctioning a date with Sheree Whitfield, who is recently single, but that doesn’t work out, partly because she didn’t ask Sheree directly before Sheree found out. Or whatever. Very high school!
By the way, Sheree claims with her usual certainty there is only one available man in Atlanta for every 20 women. I guess it depends what type of “available” man she’s talking about, meaning a man with enough money and good looks to satisfy her. Perhaps, we’d change the ratio to 100,000 to 1 then?
Teasers show that Kim and NeNe have tensions over Sheree’s burgeoning friendship with Kim. And the DeShawn fundraiser appears to not raise $1 million.
So with three episodes down, are there any housewives you’re liking more — or less — as time goes on?
“Top Chef” finalist and Atlanta chef Richard Blais writes a hilarious blog about the show if you want more laughs.
-Also, former Atlantan Toni Braxton was booted from “Dancing With the Stars.” It wasn’t a surprise at this stage of the competition. Her problem seemed to be multifold. Sure, she’s a solid dancer. But she wasn’t improving or connecting with the audience the way the others were. Her personality and back story wasn’t as compelling as, say, that of Warren Sapp, Lance Bass, Cloris Leachman and Susan Lucci. That’s all.
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10/20: Frank Caliendo’s “Frank TV” is back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last year, Frank Caliendo and his various impressions were promoted endlessly during TBS’s baseball post season games for his new show “Frank TV.” But because of the writers’ strike, only five episodes aired.
With the writers back and decent ratings in tow, Atlanta-based TBS gave the comic a second season with 10 episodes. The half-hour comedy sketch show debuts Tuesday night at 11 p.m. It’s a bit tighter now, packed with more skits and a bigger cast of comics for Caliendo to play off of.
“The sketches are the meat and potatoes of the show,” Caliendo said in an interview. “But I needed more help. I do 50 impressions. That could take up four shows. This enables me to spread out repeats of characters.” Among the characters that pop up: his signature John Madden (in a “Bachelor” takeoff), David Letterman, James Gandolfini and John McCain.
The show was taped months ago, so timely commentary about, say, Sarah Palin wasn’t possible. But he said it’s just as well, given “Saturday Night Live’s” ubiquitous parodying of her. “At this point, the only person people care less about is Joe Biden,” he joked.
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10/19: Summer ratings - True Oldies, Jazz, Praise, Kiss, River, Steve & Vikki up; Rock 100.5, country, Q100, Viva down
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The summer radio ratings book had more strange fluctuations than usual. But then again, the summer book isn’t as important as spring or fall. Plus, this is the final quarterly book using paper diaries, a technology dating back decades. So I doubt radio station execs will sweat these numbers too much, especially those who had relatively poor results.
Right now, Atlanta is being measured by a new “people meter” technology, the first results coming November 5. About 1,350 metro Atlantans are being used at any one time vs. 400 weekly diaries. And the panel won’t change much over time so in the future, ratings won’t fluctuate as much, a good thing for everybody involved. Results will also come out more quickly in monthly doses instead of quarterly. Radio stations will know if new shows or format shifts are working much quicker. And that’s a good thing, assuming radio station management doesn’t over-react or micromanage with more information flooding in.
Good news:
- Steve & Vikki had a great debut, opening in fourth place among 25 to 54 year olds. A year ago, Steve & Vikki on Star 94 ranked 6th in that demo.
-True Oldies 106.7 had an enormous summer book. I don’t think its predecessor Eagle had such a great book for years. I don’t think Cool 105.7 had such numbers during its life and Fox 97.1 didn’t do nearly as well in its final years either. Fluke? Who knows. The growth mostly came in time spent listening, the more volatile measure. The station ranked 12th overall vs. 20th in the spring.
-Mayhem in the A.M. The Mike Bell-less morning show had one of its best ratings books ever, ranked 4th among men 25-54, beating 680’s The Rude Awakening.
-Two stations that have had relatively week ratings books in the past 18 months, Smooth Jazz and Fish did better than they have in ages. Kiss 104.1 also bounced back while Grown Folks 102.5 retreated. (Tom Joyner beat Steve Harvey among 25 to 54 year olds after losing for the first time ever in the spring.) Praise also found its footing with its best ratings in at least a couple of years.
Not-so-good-news:
-The Bert Show took a hit, falling from 5th to 8th among 25 to 54 year olds, with “time spent listening” falling sharply among 18 to 34 year olds, though the show remained at No. 2 there.
-The Regular Guys also lost momentum after a promising opening. Ratings among 18 to 34 year olds dropped in half, from 2nd to 9th. Among 25 to 54 year olds, the station fell from 6th to 11th.
-Giant Brian slipped back among older listeners, going from 9th to 17th among 25 to 54 year olds but held up just fine in its target 18 to 34 year olds, ranking 10th, just behind the Regular Guys.
-Country had a tough summer as both major metro country stations sang the blues. Kicks 101.5 slipped out of the top 10 for the first time in recent memory while 94.9/The Bull had the lowest ratings of any of the local 100,000 watt FM stations, ranking just 19th with a very low amount of time spent listening.
-VIva 105.7 had its worst performance ever overall. Once a top 5 station among 18 to 34 year olds when it first aired a few years, it has slipped off big time, especially since sister station El Patron began a couple years back. It’s ranked 10th, a slight improvement over the past two quarters among 18 to 34 year olds but dropped from 15th to 21st among to 25 to 54 year olds.
Here are the top 5 stations in terms of total listeners (dubbed “cume” in the industry):
1- V-103: 847,100 (vs. 824K a year ago)
2-WSB-AM: 732,500 (vs. 752,700 a year ago)
3- 95.5/The Beat 602,800 (vs. 552,900 a yr ago)
4- 97.1/The River 567,300 (vs. 551,200 a yr ago)
5- Kiss 104.1: 559,100 (vs. 454,800 a yr ago)
Here are the top 5 stations in terms of “time spent listening,” which tends to be more volatile in measurement terms than cume. It also tends to favor formats that are relatively ‘exclusive’ (like Hispanic stations or oldies) though V-103 proves the power of arguably the most powerful brand in town.
1- La Raza 102.3: 11 hours 30 minutes (though only 31,800 cumulative listeners)
2- True Oldies 106.7: 8 hours 30 minutes (up from 5 hours 45 minutes in the spring)
2 (tie) - V-103: 8 hours 30 minutes (vs. 7:45 in spring and 8:15 a year ago)
4- El Patron: 8 hours, 15 minutes (though the station has lost half its listeners in a year and 20 percent of listening among those who stuck around)
5- 96.7/The Legend: 8 hours (this is the only country station in the metro area to show signs of life though its signal is very limited)
The top 10 morning shows among 25 to 54 year olds: rank, show, station, format (spring rank)
1- Frank & Wanda, V-103, R&B/hip-hop (1)
2- Tom Joyner, Kiss 104.1, R&B (4)
3- Scott Slade, WSB-AM, news/talk (2)
4- Steve & Vikki, B98.5, soft rock (7, as Kelly & Alpha)
5- Steve Harvey, Grown Folks 102.5, R&B/talk (3)
6- Yolanda Adams, Praise 97.5, gospel (9)
7- The River (no regular morning show host in summer, now Kaedy Kiely), rock (11)
8 (tie) - Kelly & Taylor, 104.7/The Fish, Christian pop (12)
8 (tie) - The Bert Show, Q100, top 40 (5)
10 - Cadillac & Dallas, Kicks 101.5, country (8)
Among 18 to 34 year olds
1- Frank & Wanda, V-103, R&B/hip-hop (1)
2- The Bert Show, Q100, Top 40 (2)
3- The “A” Team (now gone, replaced by Rickey Smiley), Hot 107.9, hip-hop (4)
4- Yolanda Adams, Praise 97.5, gospel (12)
5- Steve Harvey, Grown Folks 102.5, R&B/talk (6)
6 (tie) - Steve & Vikki, B98.5, soft rock (9-tie when it was Kelly & Alpha)
6 (tie) - C.J. & Murph Dawg, 95.5/The Beat, R&B/hip-hop (5)
8 - Patrones de la Manana, 105.3/El Patron, Spanish pop (9-tie)
9- Regular Guys, Rock 100.5, rock (2)
10- Giant Brian & Shaffee, Project 9-6-1, rock (11)
SOURCE: Arbitron, covering summer, June 26 to Sept. 17, 2008
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10/17: Glenn Beck jumps to Fox News Channel, Steve & Vikki raise 420K for breast cancer research
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Glenn Beck, the conservative talker heard on WGST-AM locally, is jumping TV homes from CNN Headline News to Fox News Channel.
He will join Fox in the first quarter of 2009, according to Mediaweek.com. He will air at 5 p.m.
He was CNN Headline News’ second biggest draw behind Nancy Grace. He averaged 376K in the third quarter at 7 p.m., 487K at 9 p.m.
Obviously, given Beck’s take on issues, he’ll be right at home at Fox News.
-Steve & Vikki today hosted a “Breakfast for Champions” with 98 breast-cancer survivors at WSB, raising nearly $420,000 for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Atlanta Affiliate. B98.5 FM will continue to accept donations today at 404-897-2222.
The morning hosts interviewed Maya Angelou, Dr. Phil, Suzanne Somers, Monica Pearson and Barbara Dooley.
-On Monday or over the weekened, I will post more complete Arbitron ratings numbers for the final summer book in Atlanta using paper diaries. (Atlanta is now being measured via the people meter, a more accurate way to gauge actual listening, as opposed to reported listening. The first monthly numbers come out November 5 and expect some major shifts.)
Steve & Vikki opened at B98.5 at No. 4, improving significantly upon predecessor Kelly & Alpha although the station’s overall performance did not follow.
And here’s the overall top 10 for 25-54 year olds:
1- V-103 (up slightly)
2- Kiss 104.1 ((up significantly)
3- WSB-AM (down a smidge)
4- River (up solidly)
5- Praise (up a huge amount)
6 (tie) - B98.5 (down quite a bit) and Grown Folks (down)
8- Smooth Jazz (up a monstrous amt)
9- Fish (up big)
10- Kicks 101.5 (down a bit)
Q100 took a big dip and so did 94.9/The Bull. 790/The Zone had a strong book as well.
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10/16: Ludacris on the final MTV “Total Request Live,” update on Jim Gossett from Kimmer show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta’s Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (photo credit: Getty Images) will be on the final MTV “Total Request Live” November 16 at 8 p.m. with Beyonce.
*”It’s messed up, ‘cause I heard that ‘TRL’ is gonna be over,” Luda said on Wednesday’s “TRL.” “That’s bad news, but I’m coming for the finale. I’ll shut it down. I’ll be here to celebrate!”
He’s got a new album and new film to promote so expect to see a lot of Luda everywhere the next month.
“TRL” is shutting down, far less influential than it was 10 years ago when Carson Daly would parade the likes of Britney, ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys to Times Square and mobs of squealing teen-age girls.
Ludacris made his first appearance on “TRL” back in 2001, clad in an outfit that then-host Carson Daly described as “drunken hobo” — but seven years later, Luda still stands by his outfit. “It was the Southern style to wear the thermal underwear underneath your clothes,” he said.
-Jim Gossett, who did celebrity impersonations for the Kimmer’s Newsmaker line for years on WGST-AM, has landed a gig at True Oldies 106.7, helping out Spiff and Fred in the afternoons. He started doing bits about three weeks ago.
Gossett makes most of his money nowadays doing corporate gigs with the likes of AFLAC, Chevron and IBM. He does one pre-produced bit and one live phoner to True Oldies every day. He also has a friend Mimi Gentry call in on occasion to do Sarah Palin.
“He’s really good,” Spiff said. “His voice impressions are pretty amazing. He’s got the sense of timing down pat.”
You can also catch him live with Jerry Farber at the Punchline during Thanksgiving weekend.
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Project Runway: This one’s for the girls
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The high: The finale is always its own high!
The low: Not seeing all six runway shows (the missing three being Joe, Suede and Jerell)
I’m going to hit the ground complaining. Tonight was the least exciting win I’ve ever seen.
Congratulations to “Project Runway’s” Season 5 winner, Leanne. While she staged a lovely collection (more on this in a moment), I found the ending strangely anti-climactic and totally lacking in a sense of triumph. There was no whoop of excitement, no real celebration among friends. Just Leanne gamboling off the stage into a new Saturn. It felt kind of empty.
It was more emotional to watch Korto and Kenley seek consolation in the arms of their loved ones.
I disagreed with the judges’ comments, too. Some thoughts:
Kenley: Kenley’s ’80s redux was a nightmare. Except for a couple of her trademark pretty dresses, I thought the color explosion was too loud; the collection lacked unity; and the hand-painted flowers overwhelmed the personality of the dresses. Plus, those little feather headpieces were annoying. On an interpersonal level, she seems to have atoned for her sins — but stubbornly won’t admit to the importance of learning fashion history. Know your craft, Kenley.
Korto: A beautiful, understated collection — I was surprised to hear the judges call it overworked. I thought her details were small and refined, such as the neckpieces. The palette was well-edited. I would have given Korto the win based on her innovative shapes, effective but not overwhelming ethnic touches, and strong point of view. However, the model in the white dress could not walk; and the green mini-mini dress seemed way too … mini!
Right: Leanne Marshall (left) with a model. (AP)
Leanne: I was wishy-washy on Leanne’s collection. While I didn’t dislike it, it didn’t excite me either: Elegant, tightly tailored pieces gave way to other pieces that looked exactly like the first ones. We were hit over the head by Leanne’s love of pleating. She used pretty colors, but not enough of them; overall I found the collection one-dimensional, though it represented the strongest point of view of the three designers.
Check out the final collections of all six designers here: at “Project Runway’s” Web site. It DOES contain the three shows you didn’t see on TV Wednesday night: Joe, Jerell and Suede.
The next “Runway” drama you see may well be in court, where Lifetime and Bravo will both vie for the rights to Season 6. But till then, your thoughts? Let’s weigh in on tonight’s events and the winner.
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10/15: CNN goes for comedy with D.L. Hughley
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Comedian and actor D.L. Hughley is going to do a Saturday night comedy show skewering the news of the week on CNN. This sounds like an echo of what he did on the failed NBC scripted show “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
It also sounds like CNN is trying to jump on the bandwagon (however belatedly) built up by “Daily Show With Jon Stewart” and “Saturday Night Live.” The show starts October 25 at 10 p.m. right before the election. Like Stewart and his companion show on Comedy Central “The Colbert Report,” Hughley will also do interviews with newsmakers but Hughley said the show will be more in the “Leno/Letterman” mode.
Hughley, who had his own sitcom a few years back and was part of the “Kings of Comedy” tour, in his standup comedy addresses current events and politics on regular basis so this is not a stretch for him.
“D.L. is a very thoughtful, well-informed guy with unpredictable views, and I’ve always admired his comedy,” said CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein to Variety., which broke the story. “The basic premise of the show is, what if a guy like him was let loose in the CNN building for a weekend after the lights went off?”
Hughley said he was drawn to CNN by its deep resources (as well as his deep respect for Wolf Blitzer, who caught his eye during the first Gulf War.)
He admits to leaning left, having come from the tough streets of Compton, but is cynical of all politicians.
Hughley said he knows half the country will be ecstatic November 5, half devastated. He’d love to get George W. Bush as a guest, especially if Barack Obama wins. “I’d love to say to him, ‘You’ve been a horrible president. Your legacy is you were so bad, people said, ‘We’ll going to try the black guy next!’ “
Though Hughley won’t get a band or sidekick, he will have a live audience. “Maybe one of the people in the audience will have an iPod we can use,” Hughley cracked.
CNN Headline News, for a few months, has had a comedy show, which recycles old clips and gets comics and others to say witty things called “Not Just Another Cable News Show.”
Fox News tried a satire show (“The 1/2 Hour News Hour”) last year but it didn’t last.
Hughley will be taping the show out of New York, not Atlanta. He is scheduled to do live comedy at Uptown Comedy Corner November 17 and 18. (It’s a favor to the owner Gary Abdo, since Hughley could easily sell out the much larger Tabernacle.) “He’s a consummate professional,” Abdo said. “He’s very easy to work with. He’s as sharpwitted as he comes across on TV.”
I just spoke with Jon Klein. He said Hughley caught his eye when he saw him do Glenn Beck’s CNN Headline News show a year ago. “He defied easy labeling. Yet he is very well informed and his opinions based on deep knowledge of the news and the world. I think he’s funny no matter your political leanings or race.”
After Klein saw him again in CNN’s recent special “Black in America,” he courted Hughley and found out several networks were chasing him. He wishes CNN had gotten the deal done a bit earlier but thinks the world’s problems will keep Hughley busy for quite some time.
- Were Project 9-6-1’s Giant Brian and Shaffee suspended last week or was it a pre-planned vacation, as their boss Clay Hunnicutt said? Curiously, Giant Brian and Shaffee have not returned my messages. I even tried to reach out to Shaffee for comments about getting his Thrashers in-game announcing job and he didn’t respond. The substance of why they were (perhaps) suspended are not clear either though people inside the building said it may have to do with an advertising client. What made this curious is the fact morning shows do not normally take pre-planned vacations during the spring and fall because those are considered crucial measurement times for advertisers. And with a new measurement system in place (people meters), management would want its team in place. So you can draw your own conclusions.
-And how about the Regular Guys? Gary Lewis, their boss, said they were off today because Larry Wachs is sick. Eric Von Haessler picked some choice best of bits to fill the gap. Sadly, the “Asian Invasion” stripper visit had to be nixed. Larry must really be sick for that to happen.
-If you’re bored at work, this blogger compiled his 21 favorite Japanese TV ads featuring American celebrities.. Before YouTube, these were quick paydays for big celebs who didn’t want to be seen stooping to such idiocy in the United States. Now we can see them, too! Think “Lost In Translation” and you’ve got it. Among the celebs include Nicolas Cage, John Travolta and Natalie Portman.
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10/15: “Real Housewives of Atlanta” episode two recap
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nothing superdramatic happened in episode two although the producers tried to amp up a potential showdown between Sheree (right) and NeNe after NeNe’s name was (inadvertently?) left off the guest list of Sheree’s party.
The focal point of the night was Kim’s daughter Brielle’s 11th birthday bash. And no, this was not a slumber party at a friends’ house with a cake from Publix. No way. Kim spent $18,000, including $5,000 on a party planner. In all honestly, Brielle doesn’t seem overtly spoiled though Kim seems to try hard, giving her a $1,610 Louis Vuitton handbag. She also arranges a slumber party for Brielle and her friends at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead. The kids hold a fashion show at Blue Genes Kids and have dessert and cake at Chocolate Pink Café in Midtown..
Favorite Kim moment is when she complains that her daughter doesn’t look happy enough during the party. It’s kind of sweet she wants Brielle to be happy but telling her to be happy isn’t going to make her happy! “I tend to give to my kids because my parents made me work so hard,” Kim said. “I may go overboard as far as being so laid back with them but I want my kids to be my friends.” Is this good parenting advice?
Kim also joins her friend Cori down at the bar at the InterContinental at one point, leaving the kids unsupervised in the hotel room. It’s unclear how long the break is but I’m sure bloggers will have a field day over that.
Anyway, back to the main plotline: Kim doesn’t want to invite Sheree because she is loyal to NeNe. “I can’t have the drama,” Kim frets (and she frets a lot!). “I can’t have it!” But Sheree works it out with NeNe by phone beforehand although NeNe isn’t 100% pleased. “She said I apologize,” NeNe told the show cameras. “She didn’t say I’m sorry.” Umm… NeNe. That’s the same thing!
During the cake portion, Sheree shows up first and Kim frets since NeNe isn’t there. But alas, NeNe makes a fashionably late appearance. We wonder: will NeNe take down Sheree? Nope. NeNe hugs Sheree and compliments her on her hair. No drama after all. And we viewers are saddened.
The other two housewives get some airtime in bits and pieces but nothing jawdropping occurs.
We learn that Lisa’s real estate business rocks, that her NFL hubby Ed Hartwell helps her out, that she was able to sell a 20,000 square foot mansion to music producer Jazzy Pha and that Ed is a far better hubby than her first one, R&B star Keith Sweat (who remains nameless on the show.) “He wasn’t really supportive,” she said of Sweat. But Ed is cool. “I am totally with a man I needed to be with from the beginning. You can appreciate a good man who comes around when you were with one who wasn’t so great.”
For DeShawn, it’s a perpetual search for an estate manager and a personal assistant. She also introduces us to the fact she has her own makeup artist and stylist. Lucky her! Her best quote: “I’m very particular,” she said. “I want what I want. I don’t like excuses. I don’t have a lot of patience for incompetence.”
So what did you think? Fun? Or gagworthy?
Don’t have enough yet of Real Housewives? Take our poll and vote on who is the most catty?
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10/14: Star’s Jingle Jam lineup includes David Archuleta, Gavin DeGraw
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Star 94’s 2008 edition of the Jingle Jam features yet another “American Idol” finalist (David Archuleta), plus a couple of recycled acts from past Jingle Jams (Colbie Caillat, Gavin DeGraw-right).
The show is December 17 at Gwinnett Arena. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at Ticketmaster. In recent years, it has sold out. Tix range from $27 to $57.
I can’t say this is their strongest lineup yet by any stretch of the imagination. Last year had the buzz of the Jonas Brothers. Archuleta might be able to jimmy up at least some of that enthusiasm.
Based on the order of the acts listed in the press release, the first up will be We the Kings, a pop group from Florida with one minor hit “Check Yes Juliet.” Next will be Archuleta (right), the “Idol” runner up who has a top 15 hit with “Crush.” Then it’s Flyleaf, a rock band from Texas whose song “I’m So Sick” is on Rock Band but would hardly be called a huge hit. Colbie Caillat appeared a year ago and has a couple of hits (“Bubbly,” “Realize”) but is hardly defined as a breakout star. So that leaves Gavin DeGraw (“I Don’t Want To Be,” “In Love With a Girl”) as the headliner. He too has had a couple of decent-sized hits but isn’t nearly as big as Avril Lavigne (last year’s headliner) or Goo Goo Dolls (2006’s headliner.)
My favorite lineup was 2003, which included Maroon 5, Sarah McLachlan, Jessica Simpson and Barenaked Ladies.
2004: Duran Duran
2004: Jason Mraz, Switchfoot, Gavin DeGraw,Howie Day and James Blunt.
2006: Hinder, the Fray, K.T. Tunstall, Goo Goo Dolls
2007: Elliott Yamin, Colbie Caillat, Jonas Brothers, Avril Lavigne
So what do you think of the 2008 edition? Are you excited?
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10/13: WAGA’s “Road Warrior” Mark Hyman going back to regular reporting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Hyman, daily “Road Warrior” for “Good Day Atlanta” on WAGA-TV, is moving back to regular general assignment reporting after just over a year in the spot.
His boss Gene McHugh confirmed the move today, though I haven’t heard from Hyman himself yet. I’ll update this when I get something from Hyman.
“I think he’s a terrific writer and a great storyteller,” McHugh said. “We feel he is better served in the afternoons with the big stories.”
He said the news director Budd McEntee is pondering whether to place the job in rotation rather than have one person on location live every morning to do something goofy or promote an upcoming event. For instance, today, here’s a bit he did with the Young Chefs Academy in Sandy Springs where they were making omelettes.
Until McEntee makes a decision, Hyman will stay on morning “Warrior” duty for the time being. Here’s Hyman’s official WAGA-TV bio.
Hyman replaced long-time “warrior,” Brett Martin, who left under odd, never fully clarified, circumstances. Brett has been doing some freelance work for WGCL’s “Better Mornings.” Here’s his bio there.. As if often the case, his bio does not reference WAGA at all.
-Congratulations to Shaffee Abraham on the Giant Show for grabbing the Thrashers in-game announcer gig that Steve Craig (formerly of 99X) used to do. Here are his comments from his Myspace page:
I’ve played hockey since I was a little kid, which isn’t very unusual when you grow up in “Hockeytown”, Detroit, Michigan. Seems like 4 out of every 5 kids I went to school with played the sport as well. Of course, at one time or another we all had dreams of making it to the NHL. While it turned out that I wasn’t talented enough to make it as a player, I believe the next best thing is to be involved in any other way. I’m happy that I’ve found a way to be associated with the NHL and a terrific organization like the Atlanta Thrashers.
While it’s true I have no prior experience as a PA announcer for hockey, I do love and respect the game very much and will do my absolute best to conduct myself in a professional manner at all times.
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10/12: “America’s Got Talent” winner Terry Fator at Cobb Energy Centre
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Most people who watched Terry Fator win “America’s Got Talent” on NBC last year saw him in three-minute snippets. But he proved at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Saturday night he could sustain a nearly two-hour show, mixing humor, song and a cavalcade of puppets.
Emma does an impeccable version of “At Last” by Etta James. Yes, Fator as a guy can do great women’s voices, too. And he does both Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole in “Unforgettable.” PHOTO CREDITS: Rodney Ho/ajc.com
Fator, who has an incredible $100 million, five-year contract with the Mirage in Vegas starting in February, gave a couple of nods to Georgia artists, courtesy of his puppet Julius, who sang an impressive version of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and a snippet of James Brown’s “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” (Cee-lo — you try singing that without moving your lips!) Julius looked a bit like Atlanta native and “SNL” cast member Kenan Thompson.
Winston, above, is one of his most beloved puppets. With Winston, Fator does one my favorite impressions he does: Roy Orbison’s “Crying.”
And the most warped moment of the night: Fator dressed up as Michael Jackson to duet the country classic “Hey Good Lookin’ “ with his puppet Walter T. Airedale. (ABOVE)
He also happily gave the audience permission to take pictures (even with flash) and joked after one guy came up to play Cher to Fator’s Sonny Bono, “If you want to see yourself afterwards, someone will upload it on YouTube!”
I didn’t take video of that but did do so of his finale song with his turtle puppet Winston, “What a Wonderful World,” a reprise of what he did on “America’s Got Talent.” Fator sings Louis Armstrong while Winston does his best Kermit the Frog.
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10/10: Interviews with Georgia Radio Hall of Fame winners Scott Slade & Herb Emory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Scott Slade (left) and Capt. Herb Emory (right) are not the Regular Guys or the Bert Show. They aren’t flashy. They’re newsmen, traditional that way. And they have been doing news and traffic for WSB-AM in the mornings since 1991 with at least a half-million listeners any typical morning.
So they both were inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame this past Saturday. I missed the ceremony but spoke to both of them earlier this week.
“It’s a huge honor,” Slade said. He said he grew up listening to a lot of the existing inductees. “To be able to se them and be admitted into their company, that’s amazing. I remember Gary McKee’s first day on Quixie. I was in Griffin. We all talked about him. We thought he had potential. He became a legend.”
“I wondered if there needed to be a recount,” cracked Emory. “There are a lot of names who should have been put in before me. God pointed me to some good teachers.” Emory has worked with a host of legends, both past and present.
Slade’s been with WSB since 1984. He started doing traffic, competing against Capt. Herb. “We fought like cats and dogs,” Emory said. But when he arrived at WSB-AM, “Scott stuck his hand out. You can tell by looking at him, he’s sincere. We both gave each other compliments. Scott was a great traffic reporter.”
Slade started doing news in January 1991 the day after the Kuwait/Iraq war started. He remembers it had snowed in Atlanta the night before, too.
He said he also thinks he did WSB-AM’s final music shft before the station went all news/talk. “I remember playing a lot of Carpenters and Neil Diamond.”
In the 1990s, apparently, he said he’d do an occasional fill in shift on B98.5 under an assumed name. He hasn’t done it in awhile but would love to try that out on the River. (95.5/The Beat? Not so much.)
Slade said he’s always playing air traffic controller in the mornings with so much news, traffic and weather to squeeze in, especially with the recent spate of bad news.
“A lot of mornings, we’re kind of worn out,” he said. “We’re not only fighting the clock, we don’t want to let the listeners down. We want them to know what’s important. Our news director Chris Camp never wears that hat casually.”
Emory said he enjoys doing the helicopter rides. “I got the best office in town,” he said. “I get to see beautiful sunrises,” he said. “I get to witness big moments in Atlanta. I even got to see the launching of the Space Shuttle.” Worst moment: the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. Although the copter could be a grind sometimes, “it sure beats looking at the same four walls of a cubicle every day.”
-Someone called wondering why Chris Williams was doing mornings this week instead of Giant Brian & Shaffee. Morning shows typically aren’t allowed to take planned vacations during the crucial spring and fall time periods (which radio stations consider more important to advertisers than summer and winter). But their boss Clay Hunnicutt told me this was preplanned despite rumors otherwise. So they should be back Monday. And their pages are still up on Project 9-6-1 (although Giant Brian hasn’t updated his radio station blog in three months.)
-Best new show of the years is ABC’s “Life on Mars.” It’s an Americanized version of a BBC hit in which a cop in 2008 finds himself in 1973. He’s not sure if this is a hallucination after he gets into a car accident or some weird alternative reality. (Kind of like James Gandolfini in “The Sopranos” that one time.) It’s beautifully shot, feels like a gritty “Kojak” episode and paces wonderfully. The lead actor Jason O’Mara (right) brings a wonderful mixture of self awareness, smarts and humor to a role that could easily become silly and stupid. Harvey Keitel is a gas as his 1973 boss and the music of the era sure beats the mustaches! Check it out if you haven’t already because it sure beats any new show NBC is peddling. (Avoid “Knight Rider” and “Kim and Kath.” Please.)
-Weekly Marcus Lehman checkup. Yes, the studmuffin doctor who attended Emory Med School had a very good week on “Survivor: Gabon.” He not only was ranked No. 1 among his peers (which made him worried he might become a target) but he was key in helping his newly reconfigured team win a game which involved a volleyball, water, oars and rafts. His fitness and coordination worked in his favor.
-Sean Hannity has signed a deal with Fox News to guarantee he’ll be around at least through 2012. Given his ratings, that’s not a surprise at all. He spent four years in Atlanta at WGST-AM in the early 1990s and is now heard in syndicated form on WSB-AM from 4 to 7 p.m.
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10/9: “Real Housewives of Atlanta” ratings modest
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We know what priorities are in the United States right now with the stock market tanking, the credit markets frozen and the Presidential campaign a month away. More than 63 million people saw the second presidential debate on various networks.
At the same time, Bravo debuted “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” to 656,000 viewers. That’s about 1 percent of the number of people who checked out the debate. (Of course, the show will get repeated numerous times so the number of people who ultimately see it will be significantly higher.)
For Bravo, that’s not a big number compared to its biggest shows such as “Project Runway” and “Top Chef” but comparable to the likes of “Kathy Griffin: Life on the D List” and “Flipping Out.” It’s also better than the opening frames for “The Real Housewives of the O.C.” (430,000 on March 21, 2006) and “The Real Housewives of New York City” (351,000 on March 31, 2008).
I don’t yet have local numbers but the “Housewives” probably drew fewer than 50,000 viewers.
The vice presidential debate last Thursday drew 70 million viewers. But the second debate drew more than the first presidential debate by about 10 million viewers. ABC this past Tuesday had the biggest audience with 13 million viewers, followed by NBC at 10.8 million and CBS at 9.4 million. CNN drew 9.2 million followed by Fox News at 8.8 million. Fox TV brought in 5.3 million, then MSNBC at 3.8 million.
The comedic shows are benefiting, too. “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” had its best month ever in September, averaging 2.2 million viewers. “The Colbert Report” also hit record numbers of 1.7 million viewers a night. And “Saturday Night Live” is seeing 50 percent increases on Saturday nights with 10 million people checking it out this past Saturday. Three primetime specials are scheduled the next three weeks, starting tonight after “The Office.” (Speaking of “The Office,” check out tonight’s “ethics” episode. It’s definitely one of the funnier ones they’ve done in some time — and it’s only 30 minutes long, not one of the stretched-out hour-long jobs.)
In other ratings news with Atlanta ramifications, Cartoon Network’s “Star Wars: Clone Wars” opened big last Friday night, drawing 4 million viewers, doubling the network’s usual performance at that time.
TNT’s “Raising the Bar” keeps slipping below the ratings bar. After opening at 7.7 million with “The Closer” as an opener, the show has slipped to 2.17 million on Sept. 26 in its fifth outing. Of course, it no longer has “The Closer” to fuel numbers but that’s still an alarming 72 percent falloff in ratings. And that’s down 10 percent from its fourth outing, the first one without “The Closer” to as its lead in. Yet the drama was given a green light for a second season after three episodes.
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Project Runway: Shotgun wedding dress
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The high: Definitely Baby Jerell!
The low: There’s no reunion show this season. Jerell was my fan favorite.
Oh, the drama! This was possibly my WORST episode of “Project Runway” ever, because of all the tears and the fact that someone super-nice would go home while someone super-annoying would be selected for Bryant Park. I hated the suspense!
Right: Who says having an orchid on your head is overwrought? (Photo: BravoTV.com)
Jerell (the loser): Thought the bride’s dress was interesting and pretty. Bridesmaid dress — I wasn’t offended by the color (Michael Kors, how many times have you been a bridesmaid? I would have gladly chosen Jerell over Watters and Watters.) Would have given him the win, for a more bridal look.
Kenley: Thought the bride’s dress was brilliant, innovative and wearable, but thought the bridesmaid dress looked like any boring ‘tween dance dress. Besides, no connnection between the two.
Korto: Bride’s dress looked better on the mannequin; did Korto alter it significantly? Bridesmaid dress, with its plunging neckline and miniskirt, was a bit risque for a wedding, and probably unflattering for most women.
Leanne: Thought they missed the mark on this industrial bride’s dress, which had a pocket effect, and I can’t think of anything sillier on a formal gown than pockets. Didn’t find it so chic at all. The bridesmaid dress — eh! — no great shakes here.
Meantime, the designers paid a visit to “Regis and Kelly” this week: See even more tears and watch the healing begin at this Gawker.com link.
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10/8: Real Housewives of Atlanta premiere party, feedback
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I know, I know. You’re probably already sick of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” but I skipped the Presidential debate to attend the premiere party at the W Hotel near Perimeter Mall. It was a swank affair in a crowded room showing the first episode on not just one, but TWO screens. Hundreds of people were there, including Evander Holyfield (his daughter works for one of the housewives), former Falcon Chuck Smith, Mark Hayes of “Good Day Atlanta” and Rashan Ali of Hot 107.9.
After the show was over, the five ladies posed for photos endlessly. I was there at least an hour after it was over and the cameras were still snapping! I only took a couple of shots:
NeNe Leakes with DeShawn Snow at the W.
Hot 107.9’s Rashan Ali talks with Justin Jones.
Former Falcon Chuck Smith, who knows four of the ladies (including NeNe from his hometown) joins real estate developer Chris Davenport.
I spoke with Gregg, the real estate developer married to NeNe, who was being handed a gift box from the W given to his wife to hold on to. It was a “wish” box so he said, “I wish for success, happiness and wealth!” When I noted to him that he looked a bit uncomfortable on the show, he said, “I’m more of a behind the scenes guy.” He did enjoy the show, though: “Nene is always going to be real and that’s what I love about her.”
ABOVE: Nyssa Green, who owns a makeup/wardrobe agency called the Green Room, with “Good Day Atlanta” co-host Mark Hayes.
Reaction to the show in the blogosphere hasn’t exactly been kind. The contrast between the show and the economy going to hell is a bit surreal. The roughest one I saw is from jezebel.com
The Real Housewives of Atlanta — made up mostly of women who are wives of athletes — are the shallowest, bitchiest, and most materialistic we’ve seen in this Bravo series. All of them act like the girls you see on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 — demanding designer labels, extravagant birthday cakes, and fully loaded Escalades — but perhaps the most disgusting is Shereé, who talks about how much “class” she has, which is a sure sign she doesn’t have any.
Zap2it gave it a lukewarm review.
All in all, there are no real surprises in this third version of the franchise. There’s still an orgy of excessive spending, jockeying for recognition and questionable taste. It’s all a bit too familiar, and maybe, just maybe, audiences have finally gotten their fill of watching people richer than they are enjoy life more. While we’re strategizing on when to fill up on gas, how to stay gainfully employed and how to balance grocery shopping with eating out, it’s asking a lot for us to really care about those who write $68,000 checks for a car in one go, never wear the same outfit twice or have a bowling alley in their basement.
And here’s film.com’s take.:
Apparently, The Real Housewives of Atlanta didn’t get the memo about the economy, or else they’re single-handedly trying to revive it.
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10/7: Real Housewives of Atlanta debuting tonight, “Poprah” out on Diddy show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hey, check out my article on the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” here.
The show debuts tonight at 9 p.m. on Bravo. If you enjoyed the first two incarnations and got a kick watching rich women shop, dine and be catty, well, Atlanta won’t disappoint. Watch especially for power buddies NeNe and Kim, two Type A personalities who define the word “sassy.” The tension between NeNe and Sheree (former wife of NFL player Bob Whitfield) is also palpable and delightfully entertaining.
Atlanta’s own Kim “Poprah” Kearney was fired by P. Diddy last week but they left it as a cliffhanger. Could “Poprah” talk her way back into his good graces?
Well, tonight, VH1 showed the aftermath of her showing ‘tude toward Diddy when she couldn’t come up with a VIP list for him in a timely fashion. Her ‘tude was mild to me, at least relative to her usual attitude, but it didn’t sit well with Diddy and his assistants weren’t going to overturn his decision. Poprah argued awhile (again, in a relatively low-key way) but gave up. To the cameras, she figured she was overqualified anyway (which in a way, she is) and maybe one day he might work for her. Hah!
But that wasn’t really the best part of the show. The best one was poor, naive Stefanie, the youngest of the lot. She had to provide three “gifts” to Diddy to show who they are. Stefanie’s third item was a Jack-in-the-Box, to show she can surprise him. Her problem: the puppet that leapt out of the box was “Sambo,” a “shuckin’ and jivin’ … blackface” monkey, as Diddy tried to explain. Stefanie had no idea what he was talking about. She really did surprise him. “What is a sambo?” she said. “I’m kinda confused.” Diddy laughed afterwards. Funny-funny-funny!
Stefanie was ousted soon after. Suzanne Siegel ended up winning (with Mike getting hired, too). She was actually a regular fixture on Q100’s the Bert Show, known as Around the World Suzie. Back in the 2005-06 time period, she travelled the world for a year, checking in with the show from time to time. The Bert Show mused today that she has put on much more of a hip-hop vibe now that she’s working with Diddy.
Here’s the interview Suzie did before the finale.
Her take on Poprah: “It’s not an act. It’s really her!” Then she added,”She’s a poisonous, poisonous person. It’d be like letting a snake into your house!”
Bert said: “She’s a cancer for any team you’d ever put together. I can’t see how he could possibly choose her tonight.”
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10/6: Rickey Smiley debuts on Hot 107.9
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Comic Rickey Smiley debuted this morning on Hot 107.9, with his support team named Deez Nuts. He replaces the “A Team,” which lasted nearly four years with Rashan Ali moved to mid days and Emperor Searcy in afternoons.
With the success of Kiss 104.1’s Tom Joyner and Grown Folks’ Steve Harvey, syndicated morning hosts have taken urban radio stations by storm. This leaves Frank Ski and Wanda Smith as the only major R&B/hip-hop local morning show left in Atlanta (and even they attempted syndication a few years back but are now a purely local show.)
Smiley’s Web site immodestly describes it as the “funniest, most entertaining morning show in the country!” Here’s the selling point:
The surrounding cast of “Deez Nuts” all play their roles with perfect timing, knowing just when to jump into and out of the conversations that revolve around the hottest hip-hop and R&B on the air today. With established features such as “Paternity Test Tuesday”, “Wake Up Wednesday” (political talk), “Gary’s Tea”, “News You Can’t Use”, “Joke of the Day”, and others, the RSMS is a blend of laughter, serious discussion of social issues, political awareness, and community outreach.
Smiley has a fairly large support team. Here are the site’s descriptions of his buds:
Co-Host - Ebony Steele -Rickey’s friend from way back in Birmingham, Ebony is sexy, sassy, opinionated, and always willing to go toe-to-toe with Rickey on any topic of discussion. She can be counted on to be quick to jump in or get back with Rickey, callers, and the other “Nuts” at any time. Oh, yeah, and Ebony also gives the best advice on relationships, because Lord knows she has enough of them behind her…..” Can somebody PLEASE FIND ME A MAN!!”
HeadKrack - “Yo, What Up B!!” This native New Yorker, is fast-talking, aggressive, and the true “hip-hop head” of the RSMS. He not only runs the board for the show, but is always up on the latest in hip-hop happenings. Krack also is a rapper with a sick freestyle flow and the ability to rock the mic with no fear and no hesitation. Don’t challenge that boy…he’s nice wit it, “FOR REAL, SON!!”
Sista Sondra - The true Neo-Soul child of the show, Sis Sondra is the afrocentric, conscious sister that would probably be just as comfortable rocking a wrap dress on a Jamaican beach sipping on a nice island cocktail as she is hanging in the studio with rappers, singers, and other entertainment types. Don’t get it twisted, though. Sis Sondra loves doing what she does and can be counted on to jump into the mix with quick wit and hilariously dry sense of humor. BTW, her fellow “Nuts” dare not mispronounce a word with Sondra on the mic. She’ll be sure to correct you. On the air. And laugh about it……
Gary with the “Tea” - Just one listen to “Gary with the Tea” and you are HOOKED. Funny, Fabulous, Flamboyant, and Charismatic. Gary is everyone’s favorite diva, dishing the gossip on everybody who’s anybody in the world of entertainment, and always sending you off with a “Colour” of the day. Unlike R. Kelly, there is absolutely nothing “Trapped in the Closet” when it comes to “Gary with the Tea”…… (Hmmm…. Miss Sophia at V-103 has some competition now, eh?)
Rock T - The Sports Guy - Rock T played pro baseball and is the man with the info on all your sports stories every day. Rock is also a well-known DJ who is known for rocking parties as well as being a recently engaged father of two beautiful daughters….he’s still in pretty good shape from his playing days, so be careful who comes calling on Daddy’s girls!! And by the way, that uncontrollable, often inappropriate laughter you hear in the background on the air is usually Rock, as he thinks every d**n thing is FUNNY!!
Anyway, here’s a sample hour. I started listening at about 6:50 a.m. with Unk’s “Walk It Out.”
Ebony’s bit today at 6:55 a.m. was called “Why ain’t nobody sayin’ nothing?”
Ebony: “Why do we buy hotdogs in 10 and buns come in packages of 8? why is abbreviated such a long word? Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor. But dishwasher liquid made with real lemons? Why is time of the day with the slowest traffic called rush hour? How is Popeye a spinach expert. What does he know about chicken?”
“What have you been smoking to come up with this?” said Rickey, who doesn’t really add anything of value to her comments.
At 6:57 a.m., Paula Phillips does the news.
Then ads from Le Cordon Bleu culinary program, a movie called “Express,” Safe Auto, Club H20 and Lasik Plus Vision Center.
At 7:02 a.m., Dr. Phil does an early morning music mix, kind of like V-103 called the “monkey bath mix.”
At 7:11 a.m., Ebony says new poll shows Obama leads 61 to 32 under age of 30. McCain leads him with people over age 65. There’s a 30 point swing between youngest and oldest voters. So they encourage the listeners to register.
HeadKrack then gives some entertainment/hip-hop news. he says Hoopz won “I Love Money.” Then Rock T hits the sports.
“Bad week for black folks,” Rock T says, after noting O.J. being guilty, Kimbo Slice getting knocked out in 14 seconds and the Lions losing again.
At 7:15 a.m., Wal-Mart ad, followed quickly by traffic from Paula Phillips. Then it’s ajn ad for Velvet Room (Diddy at a party), McDonald’s, Battle of the bands, another ad for Velvet Room.
At 7:22 a.m. The Game “My Life.”
At 7:26 a.m., it’s gossip with Gary. Oprah cried, he led, at the Tyler Perry studio opening. He mentions Howard Stern got married. Then Janet Jackson begin sick, perhaps pregnant?
At 7:31 a.m., more ads: Evercleanse weight loss, sandwiched by traffic, that Velvet Room ad again, Kit Kat, Lasik Plus, Ten Pan Alley, MyNetwork TV, a promo for Rickey Smiley live on stage at Rialto Theater at October 17.
7:38 a.m.: A call from someone congratulating Smiley for making it to Atlanta, then into Bun B’s “Damn I’m Cold.”
7:43 a.m. Some ghetto character named Kiki who complains that two dudes are sharing an umbrella and calls them “scrangers” for “strangers.”
7:45 a.m. Geico, the another ad. Paula does traffic (sponsored by Scana and Havelin). Le Cordon Bleu, Club H20, Safe Auto, McDonald’s into 7:50 a.m
One thing’s for sure. Rickey runs a lot of ads.
That was about 22 minutes of ads over one hour, even if you block out Paula’s traffic. I need to inventory some other morning shows to see if that’s unusually high for a morning show but it seems to be awfully high. That seems to be along the lines of what news/talk stations would air.
Any early impressions?
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10/5: Georgia Radio Hall of Fame inductees, Class of 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Georgia Radio Hall of Fame inducted its second class of radio pros on Saturday night. Congratulations to all of you.
The Braves announcing team of Skip Caray (right), Ernie Johnson and Pete Van Wieren. Technically, this award is only given to living personalities but Caray was nominated before his death. After he died, the non-profit organization announced their entry into the hall of fame early. (The names were supposed to be all announced on October 4.)
Gary Corry. He was program director for WQXI in the 1970s and helped host the “Quixie Ramblin’ Raft Race” and head writer for the Gary McKee Morning Show and he created the Red Neckerson character. He also worked as a writer and character voice for Rhubarb Jones on WYAY.
Capt. Herb Emory. He has some history in Atlanta, working with “Skinny” Bobby Harper, “Big” Hugh Baby, Gary McKee the Steve & Vikki Show and most recently, on WSB_AM. He is easily the best known traffic reporter in town.
Red Jones He has worked as a program director at WQXI-AM and WFOM in Marietta. He now is the morning man on WKNG in Tallapoosa.
- Scott Slade(right) Griffin native, he joined WSB-AM in 1984 and has been host of the morning show since 1991. He is a two-time winner of personality of the year from the National Association of Broadcasters and a national Edward R. Murrow Award. He also helped start WSB-AM’s Care-a-thon for the AFLAC Cancer Center in 2000 that has raised more than $7 million. His show is regularly ranked No. 1 or 2 in key demos.
-Tony Taylor He’s a voice-over expert, who worked at WGST-AM and became commercial spokesman for Home Depot. He had a boutique ad agency until he retired in 2006.
-Del Ward She was the only person without Atlanta ties to get in this year (and the only woman). She was a Macon institution with 51 years at WMAZ-TV and radio.
A few folks were nominated but didn’t get inducted this year including Steve McCoy and Kelly McCoy at B98.5 (no relation!)
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10/3: T-Boz rumored to be on “Celebrity Apprentice”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With “The Apprentice” series on its last legs, Donald Trump gave it one last lifeline last season with something called “Celebrity Apprentice,” ultimately won by Piers Morgan over Trace Adkins. It wasn’t half bad watching Gene Simmons spout “wisdom” and Piers pointlessly battling with Omarosa.
Although NBC has not officially announced the cast for early next year, TMZ has a rumored list which includes Atlanta’s own Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins of TLC.
Watkins has done reality before, a UPN show in 2005 called “R U the Girl” which had women compete to be the “temporary” third member of TLC. The show did not do particularly well and was not renewed.
Here are some of the others, who would compete for charity, not to actually be Trump’s apprentice:
-R&B singer Brian McKnight
-actor and bizarro comic Tom Green
-Kim Kardashian’s sis Khloe
-wacky former NBA star Dennis Rodman. (I can’t imagine him and Tom Green working together without something awful happening!)
-plastic surgery victim Melissa Rivers and her mom Joan Rivers, who are known to have rather tart tongues.
-so-called comic Andrew Dice Clay (yes, the man who charged $100 a ticket a few months back at the Punchline) Watch the fireworks fly with him around!
-NFL player Herschel Walker (sorry, I accidentally typed in NBA earlier)
-Ice skating star Scott Hamilton
-Country legend Clint Black
-Playboy Playmate and “Baywatch” vet Brande Roderick
-“Monster Garage” host Jesse James, who is married to Sandra Bullock
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Project Runway: One of these things does not like the others
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The high: The designers revolt against the dastardly Kenley!
The low: All the tears on the runway. It was heartbreaking to watch them crack under the stress.
Last week I couldn’t take aim at Kenley, whose b**iness I suspected was at least partially an act for the cameras. Or at least partially engendered through the Magic of Editing.
But no, I think she’s really just an unpleasant young woman, and regardless of what happens in the finale, Bravo will probably give her a TV show called “Kenley’s Runway Takeover” or something like that.
Right: Pretty but rough around the edges. (Photo courtesy BravoTV.com.)
Anyway, you could pretty much tell that no one was going home tonight. Ever since Season 3 — when the producers realized that four designers vying for the title is better than three — and since Season 4 — when they decided that it’s not cruel to pull the “We can’t decide on a loser” stunt — we’ve known that Finale Part I calls for a quartet. Hey, the more, the merrier.
Jerell’s dress was lovely, as was Korto’s. I didn’t care for Kenley’s at all (mock turtlenck and a leather belt on an evening dress?) but thought the judges would love Leanne’s dress far more than they did. Yes, that little blue blip in the back looked like an afterthought, but a forgivable one. At any rate, the judges seemed harsher in their overall criticism tonight, like Jerell’s problem with finishing on time. Have they mentioned that before? I don’t recall … ?
By the way, guest judge Georgina Chapman of the Marchesa line answers to “Mrs. Harvey Weinstein.” Yes, she’s married to the producer.
The winner: Jerell. I can’t get over Jerell. I figured him for a goner in the first episodes; then he flew under the radar for a while; finally he starts producing beautiful, wearable designs. Can Jerell win?
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10/2: Parents Television Council files complaint with “Survivor” for Marcus Lehman’s accidental nudity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A couple of days ago, I wrote that I thought the Parents Television Council, which spearheads most protests against curse words and nudity on broadcast TV, wouldn’t get all hot and bothered by CBS’s accidental exposure of Emory Med School grad Marcus Lehman’s privates during the first episode of “Survivor” last Thursday.
I was wrong. Here is the lead from a story in Broadcasting & Television.
The Parents Television Council filed an indecency complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against an episode of Survivor: Gabon that featured a brief glimpse of a contestant’s penis.
The FCC’s crackdown on fleeting nudity and swearing is in limbo at the moment due to court cases challenging both, but it was PTC complaints about the Super Bowl and other programming that helped to fuel the FCC’s stepped-up enforcement.
CBS has argued it was fleeting and inadvertent. It’s during an immunity challenge. Lehman is wearing loose fitting boxers.
I’m not going to link to any video of it since it might be a wee bit over the line for ajc.com, but it isn’t hard to find on the Web. (CBS has taken it off its site.) One site even adds music and sets it up in slow mo. True, it fleeting and inadvertent but it’s obvious once you know what to look for.
Interestingly, “Survivor” usually errs on the side of caution when it comes to nudity, blurring out anything that even could be problematic. My favorite was Amanda’s butt area during “Survivor: China,” which was blurred excessively. Here’s what Amanda told Reality TV World about that back in 2007:
Reality TV World: What was up with the constant editing blur the show’s editors seemed to have on you? You were blurred more than Richard Hatch — the guy who regularly walked around completely naked during Season 1. Were you aware of your apparent shorts problem while you were out there?
Amanda: No! Nothing was the problem! My parents call me “fuzz butt.” (laughing) I have no idea what was wrong. Even James said, “I looked at your butt all along, and I didn’t know what was wrong.” They made it seem like I had some huge ugly tattoo on my butt or something.
I have the slightest idea of what was going on. I think it was because the whole [CBS’ Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show with] Janet Jackson [when her boob was exposed]. They really have to be careful about what they show on TV.
-Nudge, who was at Star 94 for four years as the night guy until the end of 2007, has stated a syndicated top 40 night show through Dial Global, set to launch in mid October. He said he’ll be able to do more of his schtick, schtick that Star often reined in the last year he was there. (You know—“Hot Mom Check In, wot wot!” and the like).
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10/1: Huge ratings for the Dawgs/Alabama game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While scripted TV came back with a vengeance last week, the big Nielsen ratings numbers in Atlanta came courtesy of the Presidential debate, the Falcons game and the Bulldogs.
University of Georgia’s painful loss to Alabama Saturday drew a higher-than-average 845,000 viewers on ESPN, by far the biggest performer of the week. That’s not quite Super Bowl level but it’s equal to one-fifth of the entire Atlanta population and 37 percent of TVs that were on.
And regionality certainly came into play: 6.68 million viewers caught the game nationwidr/ Atlanta represented a whopping 13% of that figure, about 10 times greater than the typical show.
In comparison, the Atlanta Falcons loss to the Carolina Panthers Sunday brought in a still potent 555,000 fans on WAGA-TV.
The top scripted show was the season premiere ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” Sunday evening, with about 453,000 viewers (18.7 million nationally). That’s down about 10 percent from last year. The top reality show was the first night of “Dancing With the Stars” on ABC Sept. 22 with 472,000 viewers (21.3 million nationally). That’s on part with a year ago. The top new show is CBS’s “The Mentalist” with 390,000 viewers Sept. 23 (15.6 million nationally) and it held nearly its entire audience last night, a good sign.
On Friday night, when all the major news and broadcast networks aired the Presidential debate, WSB-TV came in on top with about 380,000 viewers, followed by Fox News and CNN, both in the 220,000 range. Collectively, about 1.4 million Atlantans (and 52 million Americans nationwide) caught the debate.
