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On Television |
From left, director Peter Bogdanovich; Former Heavyweight Boxing Champ George Foreman in his new show; comic Margaret Cho acting naughty. |
Cable networks have lots coming our way
of TheColumnists.com
Beverly Hills, CA
When I attended my first "summer press tour," way back in the early 1980s, to preview upcoming new TV shows, a veteran TV critic warned me the cable part of the big network event was "the long march."
As I recall, he said, "If you can
survive cable, you can survive anything.”
I soon found out what he meant. Cable is a long march.
Sessions start at 9 a.m., sometimes earlier if there is a breakfast
presentation, and go on until very late in the afternoon, or
sometimes early evening. Then there’s usually an evening
event that it’s wise to attend because the talent from programs
are often in attendance and it’s a good opportunity to get
a question answered privately or get a great quote that didn’t
come from the group sessions earlier that day.
And yet, in spite of the long hours, I've always loved the cable part of the promotional event because so many channels present so many different types of programs in contrast to the presentations usually put on by the commercial networks.
Let's take this year for instance. The event, scheduled by the Television Critics Assn. (TCA), the professional organization that represents most TV columnists, critics and reporters, ends this week after occupying most of the first three weeks of July. The site is the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the commercial and cable networks and PBS trot out stars, producers and experts in various fields to plug upcoming shows before an audience of writers from print and broadcast media and the Internet.
This year the talent presented by cable
channels ran the gamut from famed director/actor Peter Bogdanovich
("The Last Picture Show," "Paper Moon"),
astronaut Buzz Aldrin, former heavyweight boxing champ George
Foreman, comedian Margaret Cho, a group of sandhogs (guys that
build tunnels underground), adventurer/explorer Josh Bernstein,
filmmaker
Spike Lee and Motley Crue rocker Tommy Lee, to name just a few.
So what shows brought these celebs--and sandhogs--to see critics?
• Bogdanovich was one member of an
HDNet panel touting the channel’s
“Sneak Preview” series, which allows cable subscribers
to access movies before their theatrical premieres. Bogdanovich
is one of the stars of “Humboldt County,” one of the
films on the pre-theatrical list.
• Buzz Aldrin was part of a National
Geographic Channel panel for its
November “Expedition Week” series. In “Live From
the Moon,” viewers will see HD video from the moon’s
surface courtesy of the Japanese lunar orbiter Kaguya. Astronauts,
including Aldrin, comment as they watch the images. I have seen
a clip of the show and the views are just awesome. Mark your
calendars now to watch this visual treat on Nov. 17.
• George Foreman brought along two
of his sons, also named George, to
talk about his new TV Land series, “Family Foreman.”
The show, which premiered July 16, takes viewers inside the home
life of the former boxing champ, grill pitchman, and minister.
• Margaret Cho, the actress and comedian,
is back with her own reality
show aptly titled “The Cho Show.” The often eccentric
Margaret brought
along her mom and dad, and her personal assistant/friend, to
plug the
VH1 show that delves into Margaret’s real life with some
imaginative and comical situations, including the complicated
and awkward moments with her traditional Korean parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Cho. The show debuts Aug. 11.
• ”Sandhogs” are America’s
urban miners. Their story is told in The History Channel’s
“American Originals” series premiering in September.
The channel brought three real sandhogs out to Beverly Hills
to tell their story about toiling under the streets of New York
City to build water and sewage tunnels, subway systems and bridge
footings. It’s dirty, cold and often dangerous work--and
I will think of and thank these guys every time I am in New York
City and run the tap for a bath or a glass of water, or ride
a subway.
• Josh Bernstein, whom many of you
will remember from The History
Channel series “Digging for The Truth,” has moved over
to The Discovery Channel to continue his adventures around the
globe. “Into the Unknown With Josh Bernstein” debuts
Aug. 18. In this series Bernstein observes a mummification process
as performed by a tribe in New Guinea; looks for answers as to
why elephants have been attacking and killing humans in Africa;
delves into the history of Roman gladiators, and treks to Peru
to try to find out why the fierce, mountain-dwelling Chachapoya
tribe suddenly vanished.
• Spike Lee is one of several filmmakers who will be making documentaries for ESPN Films for fall and winter 2009 airing. Lee’s film “Game Day with Kobe,” follows L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant on a typical game day.
• Tommy Lee, the rocker, teams up with hip-hop star Ludacris (Chris Bridges) on “Battleground Earth.” In the 10 episode series, debuting Aug. 2 on Planet Green, the duo do battle against toxic forces threatening Earth. Their goal is not about winning, but rather raising awareness about the environment. One of the highlights is when their tour buses that run on bio-diesel, are running on empty in the Texas panhandle. The guys hit a fast food restaurant and look for grease to turn into eco-friendly fuel.
But there’s more! I would be remiss
not to mention Hallmark Channel
and its stable of TV stars of the past, near past, and present,
now
doing quite well, thank you, most of them working in the channel’s
stable of family-friendly made-for-TV films.
The talent Hallmark brought to the TCA session this year included
Jane Seymour (“Dear Prudence,” Aug. 23), Mark Consuelos
(“For the Love of Grace,” Aug. 30), Florence Henderson
and Donna Mills (“Ladies of the House,” Oct. 18), Ed
Asner (“Generation Gap,” Oct. 25), Daphne Zuniga (“Mail
order Bride,” Nov. 8), Chandra Wilson and Ben Vereen (“Accidental
Friendship,” Nov. 15), Tom Arnold and Candace Cameron (“Moonlight
& Mistletoe”, Nov. 29), Cheech Marin (“Expecting
a Miracle,” Jan. 3), Cicely Tyson, Eriq LaSalle, Michael
Michele and Michael Beach (“Relative Stranger,” January
2009), Lesley Ann Warren and Meredith Baxter (“Bound by
a Secret,” January 2009).
©2008 by Donna J. Plesh. The photos of George Foreman and Margaret Cho are courtesy of their personal websites. The photo of Peter Bogdanovich is from Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. This column first posted July 21, 2008.
TO ACCESS DONNA J. PLESH'S ARCHIVE OF COLUMNS ON THIS SITE, CLICK HERE: PLESH ARCHIVE
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