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Serf’s Down…Sniff!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sigh. Now I know how the cast of “Yes, Dear” must’ve felt.
Cancelled. Just when we were closing in on creative perfection.
This is the last episode … er, entry, of the Channel Serf blog. Greater minds than mine have decided to make some upgrades here. The result is that the Serf is being transferred to a new and exciting writing assignment in a different part of the dungeon here. Unfortunately, that will put TV largely outside my area of responsibility. Even more unfortunately, it will not put me somewhere outside the continued maniacal reach of the Evil Overlord (aka my editor). Ah well, It’s hard out here for a Serf …
Don’t despair. The AJC still will run some national television stories and reviews from other sources. And as always, ajc.com will be your source for important TV news and gossip (and, hopefully, for unimportant TV news and gossip). Meanwhile, my inestimable colleague, Rodney Ho, will provide topnotch coverage of local TV, along with his usual radio and “American Idol” gigs.
So you all will be fine. Whoopee. A fat lot of good that does me. Leaving aside the fact that my dream of being a professional TV-watcher for life has been crushed like Phil Leotardo’s head under that SUV wheel in the “Sopranos” finale, what I’ll really miss is the ongoing two-way conversation we’ve been able to have here about all things boob-tubish. Frequently enlightening, occasionally insulting (Yes, as a matter of fact, I DO know what a complete idiot I am. But thanks for asking), the results never failed to entertain yours truly. Anytime things got a bit dull here in Serf-dom, all I had to do was send up a Rosie O’Donnell, Oprah or “Lost” flare and suddenly, I had more attention from you, my opinionated friends, than I knew what to do with.
Nearly two weeks after that controversial “Sopranos” ending, in fact, I’m still receiving e-mails from people passionately arguing its pros and cons, analyzing the series’ significance in the American cultural landscape or simply calling me a butthead for having liked it. What that tells me (beyond the fact that “butthead” loses its sting after the first 30 or 40 times) is that television has become our shared language. In an era when it seems everything is fragmented or specialized, television and taxes are about the only things we have in common anymore. You ignore both at your own peril.
So, whatever you do, don’t think of this as goodbye. Think of it as the onion rings being delivered to the table, a Journey song playing on the jukebox and the way it all ends is —
— The screen goes black.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Boob Chested
June 21, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this
We won’t have Jill “Butthead” Venjoska to kick around anymore, and that makes me kinda sad, You were my favorite TV writer of them all.
By Darkntwisty
June 22, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this
We love you Jill and we’ll miss you.
By Belinda
June 22, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
aww man! I loved your wit and snarky writing. Best wishes.
By Dan
June 22, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
“Don’t despair. The AJC still will run some national television stories and reviews from other sources.”
Why not just get it over with and reprint nothing but wire service stories? That will eliminate the need for reporters and editors.
The AJC is in a death spiral as cutbacks will lead to more readership & circulation drops which will lead to more cutbacks.
By who cares
June 22, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this
Had to expect cutbacks-the AJC’s ad revenue is drying up-people are tired of the one sided reporting and the Monica Pearson Fan club-aka-Cynthia Tucker and her entourage only reporting on MLK and other Uncivil rights people. WMLK-all king talk all the time. And now, from the bank-it’s coretta Cha Ching! BORING. Sports Dept-only knows Baseball and Football-other sports-kicked to the back-but who cares about tennis, golf , basketball-the 3 major cures of insomnia. And the article on Steve and Ickie? what a waste of space. But they have to fill up the page anyway.
By jct
June 22, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this
Oh dear! I like to consider myself a semi-professional TV watcher. However, this TV season the network executives killed TV shows (kinda like you are being killed) without as much of an announcement for the regular folks. I loved how you always responded to those type of questions. Who’s gonna answer our TV related questions?
Okay, I am going to stop typing now before I go into full hysteria….(as the tears roll down my face…)
By jct
June 22, 2007 1:28 PM | Link to this
…atleast we got Jericho back….
By Deirdre
June 24, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this
The sad fact is that the daily newspaper is a dying media source. ajc.com will be the main source of info in our brave new world. Reporters will still exist but will not be local friends and family. Reading the paper while drinking our morning coffee will be something to tell our grandchildren about. “Yes, wee Deirdre, I actually got my news from rolled up pieces of paper that were thrown in my driveway” Trouble is, Jill should still be able to write her blog…shouldn’t she?
By jeffrey hyman
June 29, 2007 6:40 PM | Link to this
Sorry you are getting a raw deal, Jill.
A good alternative for a dedicated TV blog can be found at tvguymacon.blogspot.com
By jeffrey hyman
June 29, 2007 6:41 PM | Link to this
Sorry you are getting a raw deal, Jill.
A good alternative for a dedicated TV blog can be found at tvguymacon.blogspot.com