“The TV Junkie” by Penny Landau **** It’s all about the ratings, according to the guy in the White House. Nothing else matters to him – not climate change, not DACA, not Puerto Rico, not students being shot in our schools – only ratings. Let me make that clear, not just ratings, but HIS ratings. How many people watched his inauguration, how many people follow him to his properties, how many people watch his every move, all on TV and all for ratings.
Next week is another chance for this egomaniacal, narcissistic bully to make a grab at, you guessed it, ratings. So I say, let’s not give him what he wants. Let’s boycott his State of the Union on January 30. We all know what he’s going to say; “I’ve passed more bills than anyone. There’s no collusion. They love me in in those “shithole’ countries. There’s no collusion. Hillary lost the election that I won in a landslide, more than any other candidate. There’s no collusion. Obama wasn’t born in Hawaii.” Blah, blah, blah and did I mention, “There’s no collusion.”
So next Tuesday night, choose somethings else. Me, I’d rather watch Mr. Anti-Semite, Mel Gibson in Braveheart! Hey, the original 1933 version of King Kong is on TCM at the same time! Wait, is “Love It or List It” on? Peace out.
My 2018 Daytime Rant…
I have always maintained that if you have never watched a soap opera in your life, you still know three things – Erica Kane, Luke and Laura. “All My Children” is gone and with it, the glorious Susan Lucci as Erica. Tony Geary retired, taking Lucas Lorenzo Spencer with him. Genie Francis, as Laura Webber, married Luke on November 17, 1981, in a “General Hospital” episode that, to this day, remains the highest rated soap opera episode in American daytime television history, has become the matriarch of the show. Well, apparently, not anymore. The PTB at “GH” decided to take her off contract and limit her to twelve episodes per year, in effect, not renewing her contract. Just when Laura was about to run for Mayor of Port Charles, a position that would have been perfect for her character, producer Frank Valentini, who I’ve always respected and admired, fired her. Say what?
The outcry has been deafening and the fans are storming the gates, threatening to boycott the show unless she is back in Port Chuck and I don’t blame them. This insulting and unconscionable move by ABC Daytime is totally unacceptable. What the fuck were they thinking? If “GH” loses Genie Francis to “Days of Our Lives,” where she is also revered and where former “GH” scribe Ron Carlivati, also fired by Valentini, now works, they better look for another producer to repair the damage at ABC’s last surviving daytime drama, if that’s possible after this gaffe.
In addition, it appears that daytime’s #1 writer, Michael Logan, has been let go from TV Guide. Logan is respected by almost everyone on daytime and by his fellow writers. I’ve known him for 30 years and he’s covered all my clients from BarBara Luna (“One Life to Live” and “Star Trek”) to Geri Jewell (“Facts of Life” and “Deadwood”) and put up with my crushes on my future ex-wife Nancy Lee Grahn and her predecessor, the late, divine Tony Award-winning Patricia Elliott. I repeat, “What the fuck were they thinking?”
Last but not least…
I just discovered that my birthday is World Television Day. Whatever.
Until next time…
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