Year Three
This week’s episode of Box Office Weekly marks, yes, the beginning of year three. I like to think that we had something to do with settling the writer’s strike. You’re right of course, I can’t support that assertion. But isn’t it possible that someone in power was listening to this show and thought - oh my god, if we don’t get our act together then jokers like this can get into showbiz. I scared them into negotiating!
While I’m at it, I might as well take credit for forcing both Britany Spears and Amy Winehouse into rehab. I can’t tell you how except to say that I know people, it’s way behind the scenes and I wish I had paid more attention to Heath.
This is the year that I finally brought in qualified help to Box Office Weekly, clever outsiders with talents exceeding my own. Skot, a genius and old high school pal, contributes brilliant blog entries which are frequently picked up for syndication by Reuters, USA Today and other online journalism spots. He is also the only adult I know who is an expert on KIM POSSIBLE. I also recently roped in Vivian, the proper British voice with the razor sharp comic timing, as a means of pulling in people who my find me a little too masculine. If you are one of those people, I’d like to thank you.
Well, the big story this year has been the writer’s strike, which is difficult because it’s kind of the opposite of a story. ALL ACTIVITY STOPS is a decent story for a week or so, then after that what do you have? ALL ACTIVITY STILL STOPPED. Repeat as necessary. And sure I could have made stuff up, but then I’d be Entertainment Tonight. So anyway, the past four months have been hell for reporters.
Another story that was actually pretty cool was the decision by some music companies to sell music online without DRM. This was the kind of sensible thinking that they had led us to expect could never happen. After all, not only could people illegally download for free, they could legitimately buy a CD and make an unrestricted copy. DRM only serves to dampen the sales of online music, which is stupid because it costs less to distribute music that way. Almost everyone is on board with this expect Universal, and we all know those people there are just nuts.
Over the two years I’ve been doing the show broadcast television ratings have eroded, and unless you are showing the superbowl it’s probably not going to get better. I got divorced in August, which shouldn’t concern you except by way of explanation for why I don’t have cable. I’ve been one of those people who can’t turn to HBO when there’s nothing on. Listen - the networks have given up. You people who don’t have to watch them, believe me - it’s all over. Even without the strike, it’s nowheresville on the big four.
Entertainment is important. Not in the Celebrities speak out to help the environment kind of way; but in the SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS chain gang kind of way. Not to put too fine a point on it, without stories or music to distract us from the yawning emptiness of existence we’d have torn down civilization long ago. You can quibble about the details, argue over whether another season of SURVIVOR helps, but overall people need these dreams. Thus it is worth reporting on, and thus we shall continue. Roll with it.