Nothing in Particular

Hail to the Chief

For some reason the media keeps making a big deal out of the fact that President Obama did not get much coverage on Chinese TV while he was visiting China. To be fair, though, I can't imagine the president of China would get much TV coverage here if he visited the US. I don't think the networks would even interrupt "Wheel of Fortune" for that.

TV reporter - "The Chinese president just said he intends to buy the White House and turn it into a really nice Arby's. Shouldn't we be covering that?"

TV producer - "We can't cut away now! That lady just asked to buy a vowel!"

Drug Pushers

Many drug commercials nowadays encourage you to ask your doctor about the medicine they are selling.

"The commercial on TV said I was supposed to ask you about Viagra."

"I'm a dentist."

It is becoming so prevalent that any day now I expect to see commercials for not just prescription medications, but illegal drugs as well. "Ask your doctor if crack is right for you." Or maybe it will go the other way and the drug companies will start encouraging viewers to get their products from people who smuggle them across the border. "Ask your drug mule to cough up a baggie of Lipitor for you today."

Getting back to the current ads, I'm just not comfortable throwing out medication suggestions to my doctor. For one thing, I'm not sure his years of medical education and practice are trumped by the fact that I watched a 30 second advertisement during "America's Funniest Home Videos". I mean, I just got through watching a montage of people who accidentally set themselves on fire during wedding receptions. I don't think that qualifies me to start overruling his dosage recommendations.

Late Night Philosophy

Both funny and philosophical:

Job security via ignorance

Several people in the news are saying that the recession is over. Coincidentally, none of those people are unemployed. In fact, economic experts are never unemployed, even though their predictions about the economy are usually wrong. It's like continuing to pay a pilot who crashes the plane every week. "I guess that mountain was a little higher than I thought." As a result, being an economic expert seems to be an ideal job. You can say anything and never be fired. "It's clear to me that in five years the US currency will switch from dollars to live sheep."

Relating Marketing Wisdom to Comedy

Seth Godin recently wrote a blog post entitled "Traction and friction". One line that struck me in particular is "The best marketers I know make up rules for themselves and they don't break them."

It reminded me of an interview I saw with Jerry Seinfeld back when his show was on. The interviewer asked if he might like switching his show from network TV to cable. After all, then he wouldn't have all of the restrictions. Seinfeld said something like, "No, the rules are what make it fun."

I think an example of what he meant was the now-classic episode called "The Contest". Addressing that show's topic on cable would have been no big deal, rather ordinary. Addressing that topic on network TV was kind of interesting and, because of good writing, funny. They never crossed the line. They just cleverly danced right along it. Traction and friction.

David Letterman

After admitting to sexual relationships with staff members, Letterman given honorary seat in US Senate.

Conan O'Brien Accident

So far the best line I have heard about Conan O'Brien's accident was from O'Brien himself. He said that he hit his head so hard that for a while he actually understood the plot of "Lost".

Quality Television

In an effort to fill their schedule with cheap and easy programming, ABC orders 30 episodes of "Iran's Got Talent".

The Emmys

History: The Emmys were given that name because "Night Where Famous People Give Each Other Awards" just didn't have a ring to it.

The VMAs

I know it stands for Video Music Awards, but to me "the VMAs" sounds like a sexually transmitted disease.

"Last night I got a VMA!"

"I've begged you to wear protection."