Two Medium Hits and Four Quick Hits

No, this is not the STD.  It's still baking.


(1)

I heard the Jake/Dan/Bob/Julie from a week or so back on Work in Progress last Sunday.

It had an odd quality.  Very disjointed.  No one knew quite what was going on or knew quite what to say, so there was a lot of interrupting.  No one seemed all that angry.  Everyone seemed childish.

It got started in a strange way.  I thought the throw-in of the Country Music Saturday reference (by Bob, I think) in the middle of whatever else Jake was talking about -- it was a Jake segment -- was gratuitous and I didn't get what it had to do with what Jake was saying.  I don't think Jake did either, and that's why he got up on his hind legs, upset that one of the hosts had to reach for a doesn't-follow reference to bust his balls.  It sounded like they were spoiling for some kind of fracas with Jake.

I don't think this is the beginning of the end of anything -- does BaD sound appreciably different since then?  no -- but I do think it pulls back the curtain a bit as to who is getting on whose nerves in this cast.  We know Dan is somewhat thin-skinned.  Bob can be, too.  Jake, generally, is not.  He fights back when challenged, but he doesn't usually sound like he's taking it personally.  This sounded different, and it made me wonder if maybe there's some simmering jealousy there, some off-mic slights that have been building up to this.   Bob and Dan toiling for years in what they probably consider The Ticket backwater, sacrificing a good offer from CBS to stick with The Ticket. Jake the very talented and smart upstart, all over the station, talked up as a guy who may be needing his own show before too long.   Dan has a history of belittling underlings but it's tough to bully Jake.  The whole thing had a flavor of remember-you're-still-only-a-producer-just-like-Gribble to it.

I don't have any predictions.  I don't expect a series of similar jousts.  But it won't surprise me if Jake finds something else to do in DFW media if there are no host openings on any of the shows in the next year or so.  And none are anticipated. 

(2)

I've always liked Work in Progress, the Sunday ayem extravaganza.  Everything except the title, which makes even less sense now that it's an established weekend joint
What I want to mark today is the ascension of David Mino.

When WiP began, it was pretty much the Justin Montemayor Show, with Mino alongside.  Nothing in the world wrong with that.  Justin is a favorite of mine and I was glad he had his own show.  Didn't have a problem with Mino, either, but he was pretty green.  Had trouble getting out of his own way, lots of self-deprecating remarks about his inexperience, some uncertain starts to his segments, etc.  But Justin kept the show going and it was cool just the way it was.

But someone -- face it, it was the New World Catman -- had patience and let the show, and David, find their path.

And they did.  I listened last Sunday and was struck at David's polish.  I've been listening, but his improvement has kind of snuck up on me.  Dare I say it?  He led that particular show.  Seemed to helm most of the segments, was well-prepared.  Justin was even back on his heels once or twice, board had to dump the guy.  In fact, the show has a great balance now and it's a lot of fun.  More fun now that Justin doesn't have to carry the load.

Well done, Justin, David, and Cat.

(3)

Those Juul stop-smoking-device ads.  Not the worst we're-trying-to-make-something-utterly-scripted-sound-unscripted ads, but pretty comical nonetheless.  ("I thought  .  .  . OK, I'll try it.")   What was that one that aired a few years ago that tried the same schtick? 

(4)

I'm not anti-Christian -- raised in a church, was an officer at a major Protestant church, not so active now -- but I do wonder about some of those Good Contractor's List ads.  The ones that are frankly evangelical, the message overtly religious and really with very little to do with the GCL.  I don't find them offensive, but they're just the littlest bit creepy. 

Here's what occurs to me:  How would we feel if a Muslim business proselytized in Ticket ads in this fashion?  Hindu?  Druid?

(PS:  Out on the Plains, I sometimes deal with self-professed "Christian businessmen."  YHWH save me, I'd rather negotiate with Michael Avenatti's less ethical cousin than some of these guys.)


(5)

Someone in a comment a post or two back said they didn't care for those Sharon Moore good-citizenship City Credit Union ads.  I think they're OK, she sounds like a nice lady, the good deeds sound sincere.

Here's the thing.  Listening to these things for months on end, I formed a mental picture of her.  Maybe mid-forties, early fifties.  Blond.  Hair parted in the middle, straight, mid-length,  framing her face.  Pleasant face, quite attractive but not glamorous.   No Kelly "The Bulldog" McClure, she.

Looked her up:

(6)

God, do I get sad listening to those Tight Ends ads.  Poor Savannah.  Poor all of those girls.  Although  .  .  .  woman's gotta work, the tips can probably get them through the week, pay the rent, get some pot pies on the table for the kiddo, pay the cell bill.  Is it really more fun than a 9-5 gig?

Yeah, probably.

Savannah and Emma suffering from cell phone's poor optics in handling relative sizes of items at different distances from the focal plane

Obviously a slow ad season.  The Baby Dolls Saloon ads are back, too.

Nice hits, Plowman.  But can't wait for your STD.