I had my hair cut today. While sitting, waiting for Francine to be ready to transform me, I looked for something to read. Most beauty salons are a little short on ‘guy stuff’ to read – and Francine’s shop is no exception.
I picked up a copy of the National Enquirer, a publication I just don’t get to see that often.
Attention Enquirer – Please, no matter what, never get interested in me. Please, never publish a photo of me. I’m begging you. I’m down on my knees begging you. If success means getting blasted by you, I don’t need success.
Judging by this one issue there are bad photos of everyone! Even the most beautiful women and handsome men look bad from time-to-time, and the Enquirer knows where to get those shots.
Is Janet Jackson as tubby as they show? Was Kirsti Alley?
The most interesting part of the issue I saw was the retraction of a story about Teri Hatcher. I didn’t see the original work, but they must have really trashed her. And, as it turns out, other than the words “the, is, are and it,” not much else was true.
I don’t have the Enquirer’s apology in front of me, but Slate was good enough to summarize it.
Stern to Sirius
Howard Stern announced today that he’d be going to Sirius, the satellite delivered radio service, a year from January. Whether Viacom will find it in their best interest to keep him on the air for that year plus period is certainly being debated now.
I had speculated earlier that Stern would be part of the post-Janet Jackson fallout. Mel Karmazin is no longer at Viacom, and he was Stern’s biggest supporter. I was probably wrong in connecting this to Janet Jackson… though maybe not 100%.
The whole Super Bowl, wardrobe malfunction affair has driven radio station operators, like Clear Channel, to reassess. Maybe Howard is feeling reigned in a little.
I see two interesting outcomes from this move. As little as I personally appreciate Howard Stern, he is a powerful force with his audience. He will give credibility to Sirius – get them additional subscribers. Their stock (not particularly pricey to begin with) is up almost 15% as I write this.
The second effect will be felt by people who don’t listen to Stern and don’t subscribe to satellite radio. Just as more adult or racy content on HBO, Showtime and even MTV, led the broadcast networks to spice up their programming to compete, a good showing by Stern might force the same shift on radio.
It would be ironic if Stern’s move off-air ends up moving on-air toward his type of content.
This is a story that isn’t completely played out by any means.
Two Friends in the Times – And They Didn’t Shoot Anyone!
The New York Times did a wonderful profile of a friend of mine, Jon Wolfert. Jon is to radio jingles as Janet Jackson is to wardrobe malfunction. What makes it even cooler is the gratuitous mention of our mutual friend, Peter Mokover.
Jon is responsible for some of my favorite jingles – including a few he did for me. I am responsible for sneaking him into the Kennedy Space Center to watch John Glenn’s launch.
I’ve attached the article to the link below.
Continue reading “Two Friends in the Times – And They Didn’t Shoot Anyone!”
My MTV Prediction
This is going to be very brief, because this site is not about political commentary. In fact, I avoid it on purpose.
However, after the Super Bowl, I did make a prediction that the whole Janet Jackson debacle would impact MTV and they would be forced to make some programming changes. I didn’t realize it would happen so quickly.
From the LA Times
Times Staff Writer
February 9, 2004
Under intense scrutiny following Janet Jackson’s breast-baring performance during last week’s Super Bowl, MTV has quietly plucked a number of its edgiest music videos out of its daytime rotation.
The Viacom Inc.-owned cable network, which produced the Super Bowl halftime extravaganza, notified several major record companies last week that at least eight of their videos would now be played only during overnight programming, generally between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., sources said.
MTV shifted most of the videos
Now I’m Blind
I watched the halftime show at the Super Bowl. I didn’t notice Janet Jackson’s breast come loose.
I have just looked at a photo (more explicit than I feel comfortable to post here). It is larger than life (pun intended)!
What planet was I on? How was it possible to miss that!
It does, however, give new meaning to the phrase, “wide and to the right.”