Reflections from snowy Kansas City

Goodness, have we ever had a combination of cold and snow like that currently being experienced by Kansas Citians and those in the surrounding region? The temperatures today are around zero or slightly above and, with the howling wind, the wind chills are in danger territory. The combination of new snow yesterday combined with high winds early this morning made my sixth (or was it seventh) time shoveling the driveway a pretty pointless exercise.

Rumor had it, it was so cold that penguins escaped from the Kansas City Zoo because they were feeling frisky, what with the weather, and wanted to check out the broader "hood."

Here are some musings from the frozen tundra of Leawood:

- Tiger Woods may have been taking 'roids!? That's the latest rumor/speculation given the gangsta photo which is appearing on Vanity Fair's cover. Tiger-gate keeps getting wackier and wackier.

- Why is it that a local television network, when they have a sister station dedicated to weather, insists on pre-empting national network programming in order to have a full-on report about the local weather? (You know we're talking to you KMBC-ABC...)

- Longtime local television broadcaster, Wendall Anschutz, has died from a long bout with lung cancer. Anschutz was one of the more admired Kansas City broadcasters, anchoring the early and late evening news from the local CBS affiliate. My conversation with Anschutz, a few years ago, was illuminating given his obvious irritation at how television broadcasting had evolved to so much of the sensational. And, he was most distressed that his former station, KCTV-CBS, was leading that charge locally.

- The Consumer Electronics Show, a hedonistic display of every toy that we men (and many women) want, is underway in Las Vegas. An associate who's attending the show has already sent me a photo of a 152 inch "TV" with 4k resolution, insisting that I need it for my "man cave" basement. ("Honey, guess what 'we' just bought...!'")

- The contestant on The Bachelor who allegedly was having an "inappropriate relationship" on the show was ultimately fired as a contestant. Without giving away too much, her statement about being fired gives us our quote-of-the-week. She said, "the network's definition of 'inappropriate relationship' differs from the outside world's definition of 'inappropriate relationship.'" Hmm...

- And finally, Tiger Woods has a partner-in-crime in the celebs-in-trouble-who've-been-dumped-by-a-sponsor department. Charlie Sheen has been dropped by Hanes. So, we'll no longer be seeing those puzzling TV spots which pair Sheen with another Hanes endorser, Michael Jordan. (And, it's not like MJ hasn't had some image issues over the past few years either.) What's pretty amazing about Sheen is that this latest imbroglio with his spouse is not new. Martin's son has had a pretty long list of issues--allegations of domestic violence, public dating of porn stars, involvement with noted prostitute Heidi Fleiss, porn addiction and, of course, in-and-out of rehab. Yet, consumers continue to watch his show, Two and a Half Men--one of the most successful sitcoms on TV in recent years. Once more, proof that the American public has a short memory...or is just incredibly forgiving.

The art scene of Kansas City

Here is a great article on Kansas City's art scene, which appeared in no less a cultural publication than the New York Post.

http://www.nypost.com/p/lifestyle/travel/item_la9fb0mE8I2sR0FrWk3lHM/0

Happy Birthday, Jan!

Who's "Jan?" Why, January Jones, of course. Ms. Jones, who plays Betty Draper on this writer's favorite television show, Mad Men, turns 32 today.

The Bachelor

What is it about seeing 25 women throwing themselves at one man? That's the formula which ABC has once again trotted out on The Bachelor, our annual look at the drama created when one man or woman (i.e., The Bachelorette) is chased by a bevy of adoring suitors of the opposite sex. And, in the latest twist, this year's eligible bachelor is none other than Jake--spurned airline pilot who lost Jillian's love on last season's The Bachelorette, but not before apparently endearing himself to women nationwide who loved his emotions at losing in love.

Last night's season premiere provided the usual formula for Bachelor/Bachelorette success--introduce us to the opening lineup of suitors, showcase the flakiest ones of the lot, re-emphasize how our eligible bachelor/bachelorette expects to find their true love amidst this crowd, and tempt us with glimpses of the drama to come.

In a bit of a plot twist last night, Jillian (of last season's Bachelorette) and Ed (her chosen one), surprised the women by showing up at the mega-mansion in order to quiz our 25 contestants. Not surprisingly, the "interviews" asked insightful and thoughtful questions like "what animal would you use to describe yourself in bed?" (Uh, is that while sleeping or otherwise?)

As the evening progressed, we found out who would play the role of the usual suspects--the naive, soft-hearted one (Tenley); the "I'm beautiful and you're not" fake (Rozlyn); the athletic, no-frills girl from the Midwest (Elizabeth from Nebraska); the "how could you say something that stupid" loser (Channing, who did not get a rose--naturally) and the requisite wild-eyed chaser who has issues (Michelle.)

So, in breaking down last night's premiere and what's to come with this season, we have:

- Jake receiving advice from Ed and Jillian, who told him to stay away from Michelle. So, who does Jake give the final rose to last night? Why, Michelle, of course, for we need that freaky girl to stay in the competition as long as possible in order to keep the drama quotient at a high level.

- The network's tempting us with an exposed affair, on set, by one of the contestants. What's left unsaid is who exactly said perpetrator is having an affair with--our bet is that it's with one of the crew members.

- The preview of Jake stalking out of a future scene, kicking over a light and saying "I'm done--I'm not giving out any roses tonight!"

Stay tuned, dear readers--this season's train ride, and ultimate train wreck, has only just begun.

Cable wars

The New York Times had a front page story today which was an easy-to-understand overview of what is going on in the cable industry with an explanation of the latest skirmish between News Corporation and Time Warner Cable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/business/media/04cable.html?scp=1&sq=Next On Cable, A Higher Bill&st=cse

What was most interesting was the varying costs for various cable programs, i.e., what they cost the distributors and then how that cost gets passed along to us--the consumers. For example, The Food Network costs distributors eight cents a viewer, on average, but the program owner (Scripps) wants an appreciably higher amount given the television ratings of this network compared to other channels.

What cable channel fetchs the highest rate? Not surprisingly, it's ESPN at $4.10 per viewer, on average. What may be a bit surprising is that second place--TNT--isn't even close. TNT gets 96 cents per viewer, less than a quarter of that received by its rival.

What will happen as prices rise? Consumers will look more and more to alternate forms of content delivery. A Time Warner spokesperson said that the power ultimately will rest with the consumer. Maybe...but we consumers must be willing to seek out other options for getting our content (Hulu, YouTube, iTunes) knowing that those who supply our broadband are typically the same companies who supply our cable programming.

Stay tuned--this battle is only beginning to heat up as we enter a new decade.

Sunday morning coffee

Welcome to 2010 which outside, at least here in the Midwest, is looking a lot like the end of 2009. Snow is still on the ground, the temperatures are in the frigid single digits and, guess what, it's snowing again.

- I highly recommend the DVD, Taking Chance. This is an HBO Films movie about Lt. Col. Michael Stroble, played by Kevin Bacon, who volunteers as a military escort officer to accompany the body of 19-year old Marine Chance Phelps back to Phelps' hometown of Dubois, Wyoming. This movie isn't a political statement--it's an affirmation that men and women die in combat and that each carries a story, a family and is deserving of our respect for their ultimate sacrifice to our country. Prepare to be saddened--there are few movies which have moved me in this way.

- Is it just me or does it seem wrong that the Cotton Bowl is not played in the still existing Cotton Bowl stadium? I haven't been there but I know that Jerry World (a k a Cowboys Stadium) is a magnificent venue. But, there is something wrong about losing the tradition of playing this grand old bowl game in the art deco architectural venue where it was meant to be played.

- We've had Black Friday and Cyber Monday this past holiday season. Tomorrow is Fitness Monday--the first Monday after the holidays when the gyms and fitness centers are packed, and the personal trainers have tons of new business opportunities.

- The common theme coming out of yesterday's impressive and decisive win by Kansas at Temple is that the Jayhawks finally played like a #1 team. True, and lost in that storyline was the role played by head coach Bill Self. Self called out his team after a 30 point win over Belmont last week using terms like "soft." That challenge, coupled with national disrespect and the Temple students' saying "We want Kansas!" after upsetting then #3 Villanova, was turned by KU into an outing where they controlled the game from the opening tip. (The Jayhawks only trailed once, 3-2.) It's a good way to start the meat of the season--up next is Cornell on Wednesday night followed by a trip to Tennessee on Sunday, and then Big 12 conference play at Nebraska, Wednesday, January 13.

- One of the trends of the past decade, which I failed to point out in a recent blog on the past ten years, was the growth of food programming on television and how this has turned chefs into stars and media celebrities of their own. That phenomenon is on full display tonight with the duel between Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali versus Bobby Flay and White House Chef Comerford on Iron Chef America. First Lady Michelle Obama will be involved as a judge.

Bowl season thoughts

I believe college football deserves a playoff system, that there are too many bowl games, that cronyism is involved with the selection process and that the BCS system is broke. But, other than that, yesterday was an entertaining day of football for those of us who tuned in for the Outback, Capital One, Gator, Rose and Sugar Bowls.

Rain in Florida affected the three bowls there but, unfortunately, the game featuring the two highest ranking teams was played under truly adverse conditions. The field in Orlando at the Capital One Bowl was in inexcusable shape. Huge pieces of sod came undone throughout the game leaving the field thoroughly torn up and muddy, clearly affecting the play, and speed, of LSU and Penn State. Penn State ultimately prevailed by two in a game showcasing the #7 and #8 teams in the nation.

Over in Tampa, Auburn and Northwestern went to overtime in a game which the War Eagles seemed to have won on two different occasions, only to have to play on due to a penalty or official's ruling. Auburn won when Northwestern's fake field goal try went awry.

Up in Jacksonville, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden closed out his career with an upset win over West Virginia, 33-21. It was a fitting end to a fabulous career--college football will miss Bowden's charm and down home turning of a phrase.

The Rose Bowl offered up a clash of one of the best uniforms in football (Ohio State) versus one of the worst (Oregon.) The flashier uniforms, and quarterback, won as Ohio State beat their Pac-10 opponent by nine. Terrelle Pryor had a huge night for the Buckeyes, which was a bit ironic given the many OSU fans who had suggested that he be moved to wide receiver earlier in the season.

Finally, in the Sugar Bowl was perhaps the most intriguing matchup of the day--Florida, #1 in the polls for the majority of the season until losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship game, versus Cincinnati, winner of the Big East, possessor of one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, and loser of their head coach, Brian Kelly, to Notre Dame. It wasn't even close. Proving why he's the best college football player in the land--and making a compelling argument that he may be the best ever, over a four-year span--Tim Tebow accounted for a BCS record 533 total yards. Florida thoroughly beat down Cincy 51-24.

There are five more games today and then four over the course of next week culminating with Texas-Alabama on Thursday night. Wouldn't it have been fun to have had a four-team playoff this year (Alabama, Texas, Florida, TCU or Boise State) in order to have crowned a true national champion? Methinks the final two may have ended up being Alabama and Florida, playing again, this time for all the marbles. Instead, we'll have an undefeated team late on Thursday evening (Alabama or Texas) claiming the championship even though there will be another undefeated team (TCU or Boise State) with claims to a perfect season as well.

Let me say it again, more slowly--we need a college football playoff.

Sign of the apocalypse

Are you kidding me...!? Two teammates pulling their pieces on each other in the locker room!!??

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4787825

Wow...

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, blog followers! I wish you all the very best in 2010 and hope that you had a safe and enjoyable New Years Eve last night.

Here are my January 1 musings as I sit here awaiting the onslaught of college football over the next few hours and days.

- God love Dick Clark for continuing the tradition of New Years Rockin' Eve on ABC. But, I have to admit, there were times it was uncomfortable seeing Clark on camera and it was often hard to follow what he was saying. I do think it's great that he wants to be on with fellow host Ryan Seacrest.

- How about those people who claim to have stood in Times Square since the wee hours of the morning of December 31? Do you truly have nothing better to do and does the viewing of the dropping ball mean that much? I'm sorry...I just don't get it.

- On the topic of how one spends their time, I spent two hours and 40 minutes yesterday at a theater watching Avatar. And, for the majority of that time I was bemoaning the fact that I could have seen Sherlock Holmes, Up In the Air or stayed home to watch Missouri and Navy in the Texas Bowl. The special effects of Avatar are extraordinary. The story, however, borrows from every Hollywood stereotype and is a clear political statement on American colonialism. There's even a visual metaphor for the 9/11 tragedy of the twin towers blowing up and falling thrown in for good measure. The 3-D is amazing but the movie would get two stars (out of four) on my ratings scale.

- Hoaky perhaps but the Tournament of Roses Parade is still very, very cool. And, regardless of the teams involved, I always enjoy watching The Rose Bowl--it truly is the granddaddy of bowl games. The imagery always seems to showcase the best of southern California--or maybe it's just the fact that it's typically sunny and warm there and freezing here in the Midwest.

- I always use this post-Christmas time to clean up, organize and purge files and things which I've kept around from the prior year or longer. As I went through my usual clean-up, I came across items which caused me to both laugh...and cry. A class paper written by my then young son recounting our ski trip to Utah. A high school theme paper written by my daughter about her father. And, a handwritten letter to me, from my father, after a visit from my parents when I lived in Florida early in my professional career. I encourage you all to find the items like this which are special to you and to read them as you consider the new year ahead. Happy New Year, one and all!

Don Novello

Happy Birthday today to Don Novello, a k a Father Guido Sarducci, who turns 67.

Novello started his career as a copywriter at Leo Burnett, an advertising agency in Chicago. In the early 1970s, Novello began writing letters to famous people under the pen name of Lazlo Toth. His writings were similar to the humorous stylings of the Borat character of today as they contained deliberate misstatements, twisted facts and were meant to poke fun at politicians and other celebrities. His letters were published in three books, including his best known, The Lazlo Letters.

From there, Novello was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live, which is where he gained fame with his on-air portrayal of Father Sarducci. His fake priest proved to be one of the more popular characters on SNL and, in 1981, Novello's Sarducci traveled to the Vatican where he eventually was arrested for impersonating a priest.

Novello took one dramatic acting turn by playing Michael Corleone's lawyer, Dominic Abbandando, in The Godfather III.

Don Novello--a New Year's baby...happy birthday, Father Guido!