O-)+> Your Tuesday Toss-Up Question, in light of recent discussions:
Favorite lesser Prince song?
By "lesser", I mean this -- take 1999 and Purple Rain off the board in their entireties. Take off everything released as a single, even the criminally-underappreciated-by-the-masses "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" and "Thieves In The Temple". Take your favorites out of what's left. No, you can't even name "Pop Life", because that was a single, too.
I'll nominate three: "Starfish and Coffee" off So'tT, just a great schoolyard pop song; "Still Would Stand All Time" from Graffiti Bridge, the best Prince ballad no one's ever heard; and "Jack U Off", because it's just so damn fun.
Yours?
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
OKAY, BUT ONLY IF HE HIRES SAM TO CHECK OUT THE 90TH FLOOR IN THE MIDDLE OF CONSTRUCTION ON A WINDY DAY: This one, we should've seen coming: NBC is considering a spinoff to The Apprentice where we'd follow around Bill Rancic every week to see if he can build that skyscraper in Chicago.
Monday, April 19, 2004
IT'S ALL ABOUT WENDELL SUCKOW: Thank goodness there's still time left for you to vote on the greatest moment in American luge history.
Via the Philadelphia Daily News.
Via the Philadelphia Daily News.
PETE MITCHELL'S WEBLOG: C'mon, people, you're supposed to tell me things like the fact that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has a weblog.
It's nice that internet technology not only gives voice to the humble and voiceless like me, Isaac and Phil; but also allows a billionaire the free speech to rant about why he's cooler than Donald Trump and how the NBA refs screwed his team.
Lord knows how he'd get his message out otherwise.
It's nice that internet technology not only gives voice to the humble and voiceless like me, Isaac and Phil; but also allows a billionaire the free speech to rant about why he's cooler than Donald Trump and how the NBA refs screwed his team.
Lord knows how he'd get his message out otherwise.
REALER THAN REAL: Writes the NYT's Bill Carter today: " In the current television season, 12 of the top 20 shows are reality shows, and many of the others are either about to close down for good, like 'Friends,' or are part of multipart crime franchises, like NBC's 'Law and Order' and CBS's 'C.S.I.' "
What's the answer for scripted television? Realize what it is that reality tv does well -- it's the sense of unpredictability and authenticity you get from not using actors, but it's also that there is a clear structure in place: beginning, rich creamy middle and ending. People like knowing that you're going somewhere, and their interest is heightened by the hopes for a dramatically satisfying conclusion.
That's what you get at the end of every reality tv season, good or bad: an ending. Whether it's wrapped up to your satisfaction (The Apprentice) or not (every season of Average Joe), it's over, and you can be disappointed, but you also knew it was going to end in a few months (at most) and decided it was worth waiting for, worth following the road until the destination. And so you watched, and let's remember, the Nielsens and advertisers care about levels of viewership, not levels of happiness.
It's also what you get at the end of every Law & Order episode. After an hour, it's over. No loose threads. You know who did it, and by and large, justice was served. There's something to be said for having that whole arc contained within every episode.
It's a bad time to be writing for television -- unless, of course, you've got an in with Dick Wolf, and you think he's going to put you on staff real soon, because his right-hand man really likes your stuff . . .
What's the answer for scripted television? Realize what it is that reality tv does well -- it's the sense of unpredictability and authenticity you get from not using actors, but it's also that there is a clear structure in place: beginning, rich creamy middle and ending. People like knowing that you're going somewhere, and their interest is heightened by the hopes for a dramatically satisfying conclusion.
That's what you get at the end of every reality tv season, good or bad: an ending. Whether it's wrapped up to your satisfaction (The Apprentice) or not (every season of Average Joe), it's over, and you can be disappointed, but you also knew it was going to end in a few months (at most) and decided it was worth waiting for, worth following the road until the destination. And so you watched, and let's remember, the Nielsens and advertisers care about levels of viewership, not levels of happiness.
It's also what you get at the end of every Law & Order episode. After an hour, it's over. No loose threads. You know who did it, and by and large, justice was served. There's something to be said for having that whole arc contained within every episode.
It's a bad time to be writing for television -- unless, of course, you've got an in with Dick Wolf, and you think he's going to put you on staff real soon, because his right-hand man really likes your stuff . . .
I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE: The first chapter of Jennifer Weiner's next novel, Little Earthquakes (in stores this September), is now online. Enjoy.
Sunday, April 18, 2004
APROPOS OF NOTHING: Answer me this, because I've gone both ways on the subject.
When you've got a phone with Caller ID, do you pick up the phone and acknowledge who's calling you before that person introduces him/herself, or do you act like you don't know? And does it matter whether you're doing this from a work phone or your personal phone?
Just wondering. Is all.
When you've got a phone with Caller ID, do you pick up the phone and acknowledge who's calling you before that person introduces him/herself, or do you act like you don't know? And does it matter whether you're doing this from a work phone or your personal phone?
Just wondering. Is all.
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