Category Archives: Television

January 23, 2011 · 11:16 pm

Jack LaLanne Dead: Fitness Guru Dies At 96

A man who was ahead of his time…

Until the times finally caught up with him…

He had a fascinating life.  Click the link at the bottom of this excerpt for the full story.

LOS ANGELES — Jack LaLanne, the fitness guru who inspired television viewers to trim down, eat well and pump iron for decades before diet and exercise became a national obsession, died Sunday. He was 96.

LaLanne died of respiratory failure due to pneumonia Sunday afternoon at his home in Morro Bay on California’s central coast, his longtime agent Rick Hersh said.

Lalanne ate healthy and exercised every day of his life up until the end, Hersh said.

“I have not only lost my husband and a great American icon, but the best friend and most loving partner anyone could ever hope for,” Elaine LaLanne, Lalanne’s wife of 51 years and a frequent partner in his television appearances, said in a written statement.

Just before he had heart valve surgery in 2009 at age 95, Jack Lalanne told his family that dying would wreck his image, his publicist Ariel Hankin said at the time.

“He was amazing,” said 87-year-old former “Price is Right” host Bob Barker, who credited LaLanne’s encouragement with helping him to start exercising often.

“He never lost enthusiasm for life and physical fitness,” Barker told The Associated Press on Sunday. “I saw him in about 2007 and he still looked remarkably good. He still looked like the same enthusiastic guy that he always was.”

LaLanne (pronounced lah-LAYN’) credited a sudden interest in fitness with transforming his life as a teen, and he worked tirelessly over the next eight decades to transform others’ lives, too.

“The only way you can hurt the body is not use it,” LaLanne said. “Inactivity is the killer and, remember, it’s never too late.”

MORE:   Jack LaLanne Dead: Fitness Guru Dies At 96.

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January 23, 2011 · 9:06 pm

Soloflex, Jerry Lee Wilson: A pilot, a shirtless spokesmodel, and a transformational home-fitness device.

Interesting article from “Slate” about Soloflex and how it changed TV Marketing.

I had forgotten about this thing, but now I remember the commercials very well.

Not that they ever inspired me to buy one, but anyway…

If late-night television commercials are to be believed, America’s soft-bodied sofa dwellers dream primarily of three things: owning a knife that can cut through a penny; obtaining cash for gold; and building their muscles with a minimum of time, money, and effort. Of these three dreams, the last appears to be the most pressing. Today, gullible endomorphs can choose from dozens of fitness miracles: the Total Gym, which is endorsed by Chuck Norris; the Ab Flyer, an expensive swing that tones your midsection; the Thigh Glider, which turns leg-spreading into an exciting workout; and the Flex Belt, which uses electronic stimulation to shock your abdomen into six-pack shape.

Twenty-five years ago, though, a single home-fitness product ruled the airwaves: Soloflex. The first comprehensive home-exercise device marketed to a mass audience, Soloflex broke ground with its unique design, which promised users a safe way to build their bodies at home; its magazine ads, featuring close-up photographs of chiseled torsos and abdomens; and its infomercials, which brought those torsos and abdomens to life. Although Soloflex no longer paces the home exercise market, it paved the way for all the Ab Flyers and Thigh Gliders to come and changed the way we think about building our bodies.

via Soloflex, Jerry Lee Wilson: A pilot, a shirtless spokesmodel, and a transformational home-fitness device. – By Justin Peters – Slate Magazine.

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Filed under Gay, Media, Social Commentary, Television

January 23, 2011 · 7:58 pm

Gay “Jersey Shore”: Reality show focuses on Atlantic City gay community

Oh, god….

Doesn’t the Gay Community have enough negative press without this?  This is just what we do NOT need.  A gay version of all those trashy “Jersey Shore” people…

Well, at least it’s not set in the South…they usually come to us to abuse stereotypes…Glad to see some other regions are getting their chance.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (NBC) – “Jersey Shore” fans wishing there was a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender “Situation” going on are about to get their wish.

Under the Boardwalk Productions is holding an open casting call for the GLBT community for a new reality show pilot described as at “GLBT” Jersey Shore.

A source from the production company says the new show will be similar to the Jersey Shore but with a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender cast.

The pilot for Under the Boardwalk (the show’s title for now) will be shot this spring and if the show is picked up then cast members will live in a beach house in Atlantic City, Ventnor or Margate for the summer.

“I think it will be fascinating,” said producer Kim Friedman.

The tryout requires no line reading. The only thing the casting directors need is a videotaped interview to figure out whether you’re the next Snooki, Paulie D or Situation.

via Reality show focuses on Atlantic City gay community – Live, Local, Late Breaking news, weather, and sports.

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January 22, 2011 · 11:39 pm

Did Keith Olbermann Bolt MSNBC to Create Media Empire? | TheWrap.com

Interesting…

There has to be more here than we know so far.  Could this be it?

It was Keith Olbermann’s decision to leave his high-profile perch at MSNBC, TheWrap has learned. The outspoken host abruptly announced his departure on Friday evening, sending shock waves through the cable news world.

But the sudden departure has a history, and the timing does not rule out a preemptive MSNBC move. The gadfly commentator first told the network last April that he wanted to leave and began negotiating his exit then, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation.

Olbermann abandoned the notion of leaving at that time but revived his plans in recent weeks with new representation from the talent agency ICM.

With two years left on his $7 million a year contract, Olbermann was seeking a full exit package but he really has his eye on creating his own media empire in the style of Huffington Post, according to the individual. That way, Olbermann would control his own brand and, in his view, potentially earn far more as an owner.

via Did Keith Olbermann Bolt MSNBC to Create Media Empire? | TheWrap.com.

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January 22, 2011 · 10:30 pm

Trust in Fox News plummets: poll | Raw Story

Could people actually be getting wise to this?

In the space of one year, Fox News has lost its perch as the most trusted TV news network in the US and is now average at best, a new survey has found.

A poll gauging public trust in TV news has found that PBS is the most trusted name in news, while trust in Fox News has dropped significantly.

According to a survey from Public Policy Polling, “a year ago a plurality of Americans said they trusted Fox News. Now a plurality of them don’t.”

In a survey taken a year ago, PPP found that Fox was the most trusted news network, with 49 percent saying they trusted the network, and 37 percent saying they did not. In the new poll, 42 percent said they trusted the network while 46 percent disagreed.

The new reigning champion is PBS, which was not included in last year’s inaugural poll. The public broadcaster was found to be trusted by 50 percent of respondents, and distrusted by 30 percent — the closest any news network has come to gaining the trust of a majority of Americans.

 

Fox News has found itself in roughly the same place, trust-wise, as NBC and CNN, but still above ABC and CBS, who were trusted by 35 and 36 percent, respectively, in the latest poll.

PPP notes that trust in the network declined only marginally among conservatives, from 75 percent to 72 percent. “But moderates and liberals have both had a strong increase in their level of distrust for the network — a 12-point gain from 48 percent to 60 percent for moderates and a 16-point gain from 66 percent to 82 percent for liberals,” the institute reported.

via Trust in Fox News plummets: poll | Raw Story.

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January 14, 2011 · 10:20 pm

Jewish Group Wants Glenn Beck Dropped From Fox News

I keep waiting for Beck to have his Joe McCarthy moment…

Someone needs to finally say, as Welch said to McCarthy:  “You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”

In Beck’s case, I think we know the answer…

From AOL News:

Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), a charity that campaigns for social change, delivered a petition with 10,000 signatures to Fox News Thursday demanding that talk show host Glenn Beck get the pink slip.

The petition drive began in November after Fox News aired a three-part Beck special on businessman and philanthropist George Soros called “Puppet Master.” The television show was deemed anti-Semitic by many in the media and Jewish groups.

Beck once said that his election coverage goal was to “make George Soros cry,” which is “hard to do,” as Soros “saw people into gas chambers.”

Beck’s Thursday night show highlighted nine people of the 20th century who contributed to “the era of the big lie.” All nine of these “shadowy figures,” as Beck called them, were Jewish, including psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and columnist Walter Lippman. Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania also was cited.

Mik Moore, chief strategy officer for JFSJ, told Politics Daily that the group met with Fox News Channel president Roger Ailes last summer to raise concerns about Beck’s use of Holocaust references. Moore said the group received some commitments from the network that it would watch for anti-Semitic language. But that didn’t happen, according to Moore.

On Thursday, the group unveiled Beck’s 10 worst quotes of 2010, which included “Women are psychos” and “Charles Darwin is the father of the Holocaust.”

via Jewish Group Wants Glenn Beck Dropped From Fox News.

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January 12, 2011 · 5:48 pm

‘All in the Family’: 12 Memorable Moments

This was a great show…

Would ‘All in the Family’ make it today?

Today, Jan. 12, marks the 40th anniversary of the CBS show’s debut, and it’s hard to say if the comedy would’ve been as influential in today’s television landscape.

While there are plenty of shows that feature sex and violence — and even cartoons like ‘South Park’ handle some political/cultural issues — there aren’t many that deal with politics, race and sex the way this show did. It was controversial then, but with today’s 24-hour news, cable pundits, the Internet and political correctness, it would get a lot of heat (if it made it on the air at all).

So in honor of ‘All in the Family’s’ anniversary, here’s our list of 12 great moments from the show. It’s hard to pick just a dozen, but these are all classic.

More:   ‘All in the Family’: 12 Memorable Moments.

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January 5, 2011 · 8:46 pm

Glenn Beck Dropped From New York Radio Station WOR

Well, there is some good news today…

Of course, it’s harder to fool New Yorkers than most other folks…

Still, maybe people are finally getting tired of his traveling Medicine Show…

Glenn Beck has been dropped by New York radio station WOR due to poor ratings, the New York Daily News reports. Beck’s radio show is due to go off the air on Jan. 17, and he is being replaced by Mike Gallagher, another nationally syndicated conservative talk show host.

Although Beck’s radio show is the third-biggest in the country, WOR program director Scott Wakefield told the Daily News, “Somewhat to our surprise, the show wasn’t getting what we wanted.”

WOR is one of New York’s two biggest talk radio stations, and the Daily News said it is unclear which local station Beck will be able to move his show to.

Meanwhile, Politico notes that Beck’s television ratings took a slight tumble in 2010. He was down 6.5% in total viewers compared to 2009, and 2.5% in the coveted A25-54 demo.

via Glenn Beck Dropped From New York Radio Station WOR.

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December 18, 2010 · 11:10 am

Here’s Why Eliot Spitzer Would Make a Good President

Good article from David Fagan at AOL News….

We really need to stop worrying about our politicians sex lives and worry about their effectiveness.  Eliot Spitzer was effective.  That’s why he was targeted…

Who cares if he’s also an arrogant hypocrite?  When you get right down to it, aren’t all politicians?

At least he had guts…I welcome him back to the fight.

Whatever you say about Eliot Spitzer, one thing is for certain: The man has chutzpah.

As New York’s attorney general, he went after the centuries-old boys’ club that said the banks and insurance companies were above the law. The club that said the little guy was always the loser and the big guy was good for early retirement at 35. The club that, just months after the governor’s scandal, collapsed for exactly the same reasons Spitzer was investigating them for. He went after the banks, corrupt insurance companies, mutual fund managers, record companies practicing payola and many others looking to cheat the system.

No one else in the history of New York state politics had the guts to go after these “masters of the universe” in such a direct and “in yer face” kind of way. And, as we’ve seen from Barack Obama’s ineffectiveness trying to play “BFF’s” with them, that’s the only way you can get their attention.

In the two and half years since the sex scandal that cost him the governor’s mansion, Spitzer has reappeared with a vengeance. He started small, with guest appearances on shows such as “Real Time With Bill Maher” and landing a gig on his own political talk show on CNN.

Some may never forgive Spitzer for what he did, but as far as I’m concerned, he paid a hefty price for his actions, both in public and in private, and, like all of us, he deserves a second chance. Especially if you consider the good he did to the bad that drove him from office.

He didn’t steal from the cookie jar. He didn’t molest little boys. He wasn’t on “the take.” In fact, just the opposite. He was so insistent on righteousness and virtue — strange concepts for a politician — that people took special umbrage when he violated them.

Was Spitzer a hypocrite? Of course. But, as we all know, “hypocrite” is just another word for “politician.” Show me a politician who isn’t two-faced and I’ll show you a private investigator who’ll change your mind with 8×10 glossies in a matter of days.

via Opinion: Here’s Why Eliot Spitzer Would Make a Good President.

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December 16, 2010 · 5:24 pm

Blake Edwards Obituary

Blake Edwards, the director of many fine films including on of my favorites, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” died today.  He was also Julie Andrews’ husband of 42 years and directed her in several films…

More:

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Blake Edwards, the director and writer known for clever dialogue, poignance and occasional belly-laugh sight gags in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “10” and the “Pink Panther” farces, is dead at age 88.

Edwards died from complications of pneumonia late Wednesday at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, said publicist Gene Schwam. Blake’s wife, Julie Andrews, and other family members were at his side. He had been hospitalized for about two weeks.

“He was the most unique man I have ever known-and he was my mate,” Andrews said in a statement Thursday. “He will be missed beyond words, and will forever be in my heart.”

Edwards had knee problems, had undergone unsuccessful procedures and was “pretty much confined to a wheelchair for the last year-and-a-half or two,” Schwam said. That may have contributed to his condition, he added.

At the time of his death, Edwards was working on two Broadway musicals, one based on the “Pink Panther” movies. The other, “Big Rosemary,” was to be an original comedy set during Prohibition, Schwam said.

“His heart was as big as his talent. He was an Academy Award winner in all respects,” said Schwam, who knew him for 40 years.

A third-generation filmmaker, Edwards was praised for evoking classic performances from Jack Lemmon, Audrey Hepburn, Peter Sellers, Dudley Moore, Lee Remick and Andrews, his wife of 42 years.

Actor Robert Wagner credits Edwards with giving him some of the greatest opportunities of his career.

“There won’t be anybody passing by like him again. He was a genius,” Wagner said Thursday. “Personally, we were so very close friends and he was so kind to me throughout my entire life.”

via Blake Edwards Obituary: View Blake Edwards’s Obituary by Danville and Rockingham County.

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