By now, you've seen this commercial in heavy rotation, one of at least three for DirecTV.
Over the last couple of weeks, WWE and its broadcast partners have finalized plans for the company's three primetime programs.
Monday Night Raw will finish its 2nd tour of duty on USA Network in December, not September, as the deal with Netflix doesn't kick in until January, which would've left the flagship of WWE-TV in limbo for three months. Realizing this, NBC-Universal-Comcast, USA's parent company, and TKO Holdings, WWE's parent, agreed to leave Raw where it is until the end of the year, meaning the earliest it'll debut on Netflix would be January 6.
NXT will leave USA following the September 24 episode---we think---to transition to the CW. CW President Mark Schwartz, who had Smackdown on his roster from 2006-10, said the bookend shows would have taken the network over budget. Since NXT originates from one venue only, in suburban Orlando, it saves money for both WWE & the CW. Remember, too, that CW is now owned by Nexstar Media, which owns some stations, including WTEN in the 518, and has a lower operating budget than Paramount or Warner Bros. Discovery, the previous co-owners of the network.
Smackdown shifts back to USA, where it aired on Tuesdays from 2016-9, on September 13, and will stay on Friday nights. Fox will fill the void on Fridays with college football, giving them back-to-back nights of NCAA action, and, the shift from Fox to USA also means Smackdown will no longer have to be bumped to a cable channel when the World Series or a college bowl game takes place.
Moving Raw to Netflix was the riskiest part of this deal, but as long as WWE wants to try to revisit the Attitude Era (1998-2002), this would be the best place to make the flagship more adult in content. However, I would suspect that if there are fans who don't have access to Netflix, WWE would be wise to angle for repurposing rights with either Peacock or another streamer......!
Besides, Raw traditionally gets killed in the ratings in the final 3-4 months of the year due to Monday Night Football and other factors, so that's eliminated with the move to Netflix.
To clear room for NXT, the CW is moving Superman & Lois, entering its 4th & final season, to Thursdays for a 10 episode run (October-December---we think). Well, at least I'll have two reasons to watch CW.....
The Daily Gazette, the #2 daily newspaper in the 518, is in the process of changing ownership.
Founded by the Hume-Lind family in 1894, the Schenectady daily is set to be sold to publisher John DeAugustine, ending an effort dating back to 2012 by the family to find a buyer for the paper. DeAugustine has been with the Gazette for 11 years. Under his leadership, the Gazette added the Nippertown website, founded by the late Blotto frontman, Greg "Sarge Blotto" Haymes and his wife, singer-songwriter Sara Ayers, and the Amsterdam Recorder, with both sites accessible on the Gazette's webpage.
The Hume-Lind family had previously announced last month they were planning on selling their Schenectady headquarters, with CDTA a potential buyer. The building is still up for sale, but we'll see where that leads.
As Donald Trump is on trial for falsifying campaign records to cover a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, a number of prominent GOPers, and Trump's dimwitted eldest sons, Dumb Donald II & Stupid-E, have shown up at trial proceedings in New York, and have spoken on behalf of the defendant, railing against the fact that ol' Orange Narcissus is being "persecuted", when he clearly is not.
So far, the GOPers who've made the trip have included:
Senators Rick Scott (Florida), Tommy Tuberville (Alabama), & JD Vance (Ohio).
House Speaker Mike Johnson (Louisiana).
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgam.
Burgam aside, these lawmakers are playing hooky from their responsibilities to their constituents in order to support the former president, and, on his behalf, trashing Judge Juan Merchan and his daughter, as well as DA Alvin Bragg, and Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, who was on the witness stand the last two days.
So where do the real-life Beavis & Butt-Head (Don, Jr. & Eric) fit into the picture?
Stupid-E, for one, violated court protocols by whipping out his cell phone on Monday to trash Cohen, and Dumb Donald II went whining to Fox No News. In effect, circumventing the gag order Merchan issued against their father.
As Farron Cousins explains, that could put the Archduke of Affluenza even further in trouble.
Maniac Mansion, based on a 1987 video game developed by LucasArts, was adapted for television three years later, airing in Canada on YTV, and here in the US on the Family Channel (now Freeform). The series ran for 3 seasons, usually airing on a weeknight with a rerun on Saturday mornings.
The series also had a decided Second City bent to it, with members of the troupe's Toronto branch making up much of the cast, led by Joe Flaherty. Eugene Levy not only was an executive producer and writer, but was credited with composing some of the music as well.
The satirical premise was what if a man named Edison had invented weirder things than Thomas Edison had. Two experiments led to Fred Edison (Flaherty) giving his toddler son an adult body, but with the child's mind intact, and tramsmuted Harry, giving him the body of a fly, poking fun at a movie franchise that had been revived four years earlier. In fact, Harry, the fly (John Hemphill, a later member of Second City), is the focus of an episode. Here's a sample clip.
You know summer's around the corner when the City of Albany announces the annual Alive at 5 concert series, set to launch June 6. 8 shows over a 9 weeks period (no show on July 4 since the action will be at the Empire State Plaza).
This year's lineup:
June 6: Pride night, headlined by Let's Sing Taylor, a Taylor Swift party band making their 2nd appearance in the 518 already this year. They were at the Troy Music Hall in March.
June 13: Classic Rock night with Dokken & special guest Hark.
June 20: Latin night with Tito Puente, Jr. & special guest Bronte Roman.
June 27: Pop night with Vanessa Carlton & special guest Canella.
July 18: Reggae night with Third World & special guest Upstate Reggae Posse.
July 25: Rock night with The Record Company and local favorites Sirsy.
August 1: Funk night with Galactic, featuring Jelly Joseph with Hilltop.
The Three Stooges are back in the plumbing business, however reluctantly, in 1949's "Vagabond Loafers", a remake of the classic "A Plumbing We Will Go". Dudley Dickerson appeared in both films, and would make this his last film, although stock footage would be used in subsequent shorts.
The Shirelles' 3 biggest hits of the 60's----"Soldier Boy", "Dedicated to The One I Love", & "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?"----are in regular rotation on oldies channels. One here in the 518 also plays the Mamas & The Papas' cover of "Dedicated" on a consistent basis, too.
But, the original "Tomorrow", with Shirley Alston Reeves on vocals, is an all-time classic.
CBS programmers seemed to have velcro walls for their schedule in 1990. They couldn't find a suitable lead-in to Dallas, for example, on Fridays, after 2 comedy-dramas had bombed in the first three months of the year.
Wednesdays weren't much better.
2nd generation rocker Dweezil Zappa, who'd seen his brother, Ahmet, bomb with a Saturday afternoon show a year and a half earlier (2 Hip 4 TV), teamed with producers Brad Grey & Bernie Brillstein to develop a series based on his life, and that of his family.
Normal Life got 13 weeks, and Zappa, who also composed the show's theme music, fronted an ensemble cast that included his sister, 1-hit wonder Moon Unit, and veterans Cindy Williams (ex-Laverne & Shirley), Jim Staahl (ex-Mork & Mindy, Laugh Trax), and Max Gail (ex-Barney Miller, Whiz Kids). One must assume Gail was meant to be an analogue for Frank Zappa.
Dweezil looks like a natural here. In this sampler, his band is hoping for its big break, and auditions to open for Van Halen. College, it seems, has to wait......
My brother tipped me to this next item.
Movie legend Gary Cooper made his first guest appearance on television on The Jack Benny Program in September 1958, and, right off the bat, Cooper shocks everyone when he announces he wants to sing.
Jack calls for the Sportsmen, his vocal quartet, who bring a guitar, leading to a hilarious cover of the Everly Brothers' "Bird Dog". Something to behold. Cooper was promoting his film, "Man of The West", so, of course, the main event was a Western skit.
Scope!
40 years ago, American audiences were introduced to the Transformers, as Hasbro acquired the rights to produce the fabled toys here after they were originally introduced in Japan.
Today, Hasbro & Image Comics are developing a shared universe that also includes G. I. Joe and Robert Kirkman's latest, Void Rivals.
Transformers leads off the Energon Universe 2024 Special, written by Daniel Warren Johnson & illustrated by Ryan Ottley. Unlike the average, creator owned Image title, there's no coarse language, largely because Hasbro won't allow it, since it's being marketed not just to teenagers, but pre-teens as well. Older fans can probably picture Optimus Prime still with the voice of actor Peter Cullen, who's still going strong 40 years after that first Transformers cartoon here in the US.
Your actual mileage may vary.
Void Rivals gets just a measly 6 pages by comparison, and this is the new kid on the block, by comparison. I don't have high hopes for the Energon line to survive, but Kirkman's books do tend to have a long shelf life (i.e.The Walking Dead, Invincible), so this could outlive its initial directives.
Over in G. I. Joe, one of Cobra's long time lieutenants, the Baroness, is being recruited to join the Joes. Joshua Williamson's excerpt gets 8 pages. I think I know how this is going to go. Can you say, "Trojan horse"?
Overall rating: B-.
Hellboy is back, but a story written, but not drawn, by series creator Mike Mignola, hits different. Mark Laszlo's cleaner style aspires to have a Silver Age vibe, but falls short. I'm not a fan of Stranger Things, which acts as the backup feature here. I haven't seen Jonathan Case's work (related to Richard Case,perhaps?), but it, too, tries for that Silver Age vibe.
Overall rating: B.
Disney Junior is no longer available on Spectrum Cable, and you'd have to have Disney+ just to access any of their shows. That said, the 2nd annual Spidey & His Amazing Friends entry presents a seemingly reformed Rhino as a supporting character. A character change waaaaaaaaaaaay overdue, in this writer's opinion. Seeing Rhino & Hulk play home run derby is one of the highlights.
Rating: A.
I don't recommend Plants vs. Zombies, though.
Overall rating: B--.
Speaking of Star Wars, Marvel's core title continues the company's tradition, dating back to the original series in the 70's & 80's, with the franchise, and the ads are inviting new readers to check out as much of the line as their hearts & wallets desire.
Rating: B.
To close this edition, John Patrick Green's InvestiGators are back with a preview of Class Action, a graphic novel due from First Second Press in September. Delightful fun for the kiddo's. I'm just surprised no one's tried to adapt this into a cartoon for streaming. Yeah, Netflix, I'm looking at you.
Rating: A.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is safe for the moment.
The GOP representative from Louisiana survived a motion to vacate brought against him by Georgia Misrepresentative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Wednesday, and, in the words of Keith Olbermann, Greene's motion was beaten like a rented goalie, as Democrats & Republicans united to vote down the measure.
While the measure could be brought back at a later date, there's no point. Greene's upset that Johnson worked with Democrats on funding for Ukraine, among other things, and, depending on what media sources you read, her #1 patron, a certain defendant in New York, appears to have soured on her as well, perhaps jealous that her need for the spotlight has become just as addictive as his own.
We sought to get a statement from Empty-G's press secretary, and got this:
The message being sent to Greene and other "extreme" members of the GOP is that the time for posturing for the cameras is over, and the real work in the House needs to be done, preferably yesterday. Johnson, in his defense, is trying to steer the GOP back toward traditional governing, if only he could convince the nuttier members of his party to stop trying to win points with the oldest bloviator in the country.......!
Kellogg's doesn't make concord grape flavored Pop Tarts anymore, contrary to the following ad, but when the product was introduced 60 years ago, there was more of a market for grape flavored items, such as soft drinks, than there is today.
Character actor Olan Soule (The Andy Griffith Show) is the narrator.
Before John Cena entered the WWE in 2002, he made his television debut on a short-lived reality series for UPN, Manhunt, which lasted just a month on the air before being cancelled.
Almost unrecognizable with bleached blond hair, which he had in Ohio Valley Wrestling around that time, Cena is "Big Tim", the "host" of the show. Check out this sample clip.
In the 70's, Canada Dry experimented with expanding its line of soft drinks beyond ginger ale.
Sport, with actor-comedian Wally Cox doing commercials, disappeared around the time of Cox's passing in 1973. However, there was more, a full line of flavored sodas, as demonstrated in this 1972 spot with Jackie Earle Haley, two years before he began a brief career in cartoons, and four years before the original "Bad News Bears".
Before Win, Lose, or Draw was even an idea, before Pictionary could be adapted for television even the first time, WNEW (now WNYW) tried to syndicate a game show built around simple drawings for adults.
Fast Draw, however, lasted just 1 season, and never made it to the 518 that I know of.
Veteran announcer Johnny Gilbert (no relation to ye scribe), who'd emceed the occasional show in the 50's & early 60's, was given the MC's job here. Johnny's still going strong well into his 90's, as the announcer of the Jeopardy! family of series for ABC and in syndication.
This sample episode features Anita Gillette & Robert Alda.
Everyone knows that the Yankees vs. the Red Sox is one of baseball's oldest rivalries. The Patriots vs. either the Giants or Jests doesn't even come close, despite all three teams now struggling to achieve relevancy on a consistent basis.
But what about the Knicks vs. the Celtics? Or the Rangers vs. the Bruins?
All four of those teams are on course to meet in their respective leagues' Eastern Conference finals, contingent on advancing past the division semi-finals.
Tonight, the Knicks, the #2 seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference, open a series vs. old nemesis Indiana.
Dolan also owns the Rangers, and has never been one to meddle in the team's affairs unlike with the Knicks. It has been 30 years since the Rangers last won the Stanley Cup, with Mark Messier and company hoisting the Cup and ascending into NYC sports lore.
On Sunday, the Rangers began their 2nd round series by beating Carolina, 4-3. Momentum is on their side. The Boston Bruins open with Toronto tonight. If they knock the Maple Leafs out, and New York dismisses Carolina, they're going to go bananas in New York & Boston for sure.
Back to the Knicks. Indiana won 2 of 3 during the regular season. New York can change that with a win at home tonight, to set the tempo. Boston begins their 2nd round series with Cleveland tomorrow night. The same scenario is there. Knicks-Celtics and Rangers-Bruins in the post-season? MSG & TD Garden will be sold out for the conference finals if it happens.
If it happens that this is TNT's final NBA season, with rumors that NBC wants back in, they couldn't ask for a better scenario. I'm not sure if they'll have a share of the NHL conference finals, but it'd be a bonus.
The real winners, though, will be the fans in New York and Boston and their respective states. Twin playoff series in May could blow Yankees-Red Sox out of the water. Be prepared.
To paraphrase Lionel Richie & The Commodores, Jim "Fibber" Jordan is once, twice, three times a fool.
After having been told to pound sand for trying to interfere with investigations into Donald Trump in New York & Atlanta, Jordan, attempting a hat trick of futility, is trying again, this time targeting prosecutor Matthew Coangelo, one of the lead prosecutors in the current hush money trial in New York. The result is going to be the same.
Farron Cousins explains:
Let's start with some new releases over the last few weeks.
Marvel has revived its MAX imprint, now known as MAX Comics, with the release of Get Fury, a miniseries that is focused more on a pre-Punisher Frank Castle, who is finally depicted as a Marine.
Set in Vietnam in the 60's, Nick Fury has been captured by the Viet Cong, and Castle and his unit have been sent to not so much extract him, but kill him if he is forced to give up important secrets. The MAX line allows Marvel to go R-rated (listed as explicit content), which is right in the wheelhouse for writer Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher, etc.). Artist Jacen Burrows uses a mix of styles, somewhere between Darick Robertson and the late Darwyn Cooke, and paints a clean picture for the reader.
Get past the F-bombs being used on virtually every page, and you'll be fine.
Cover artist Dave Johnson paid homage to Castle's 1st ever cover as Punisher (Amazing Spider-Man back in the 70's) with the 1st issue cover.
Rating: A-.
It is said that Dick Tracy creator Chester Gould meant for his hero to be a satire of standard crime drama conventions, but readers ate it up just the same.
Former Archie Comics writer/editor Alex Segura saw an opportunity to bring some realism to Tracy. Paired with co-author Michael Moreci, Segura accomplished his mission with Tracy making his Mad Cave Studios debut that explores just how Tracy built himself into legend status, and, as well, his infamous rogues gallery, set in an unnamed city circa 1947. I can't say enough about artist Geraldo Borges, really, that would do him justice.
Segura was in town yesterday for Free Comic Book Day, and I was kicking myself for not bringing my copy of the 1st issue for an autograph. I did give him a tip on a certain shop across the river that I frequent.....!
Anyway, whatever your reservations, this is a good read, since the Tracy strip is no longer available locally in the newspapers, and can be found online. (MSN.com would be a good start).
Rating: A.
Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast, the flagship of [adult swim] in its early years, turns 30 this year. Space Ghost as a franchise turns 60 in 2 years. 20 years after DC had Joe Kelly & Yanick Paquette create an origin for the Phantom of The Spaceways, Dynamite, the current license holder, had David Pepose & Jonathan Lau create a more definitive origin, specifically how Space Ghost met his young wards, Jan & Jace.
In any case, this is the Space Ghost most of us grew up with via reruns in the 70's (I was but a toddler when the series first aired in 1966). Local artist John Hebert contributed what is touted as a retailer exclusive that he's likely showcasing at the Philadelphia Comic-Con this weekend. An excerpt of this issue can be found in a Dynamite entry for Free Comic Book Day, which we'll talk about shortly.
Pepsi had Michael Jackson & Madonna, but they never did a commercial together.
Diet Coke did them one better, and paired up Paula Abdul and Elton John.
We've long established that NY Misrepresentative Elise Stefanik of Schuylerville boarded the Trump Train to advance her career. Rumors are that she is in the running to be the GOP VP candidate, running alongside the Archduke of Affluenza come this summer's convention.
Well, she is at it again, trying to save the Orange Brat from prosecution, although, technically, the horse left the barn long ago, as Farron Cousins explains.
The American Cancer Society, in collaboration with Paramount Television, produced this half hour PSA about smoking, Let's Call it Quits. Partially filmed on the set of The Brady Bunch, which had ended production, Quits is headlined by Tom Bosley & Marion Ross (Happy Days), joined by Vic Perrin (ex-The Outer Limits), Tracy Reed (ex-Barefoot in The Park, Love, American Style), Normann Burton (later of Wonder Woman), Brad Savage (ex-Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice), & "Cousin Oliver" himself, Robbie Rist.
50 years later, the message is still relevant.
No rating. Just a public service.
