Some TV studio bosses are full of baloney

In this week’s issue of TV Guide the heads of eight television studios were asked a number of questions, such as “What would you say is your new sleeper hit?” and “Which actor is poised to become a superstar?” I have no problem with their answers to most questions – even though for those two questions they’re just guessing – but the one question I sense some B.S. with their answers is “What would you be doing if you weren’t in the entertainment business?”

 

The most honest answer was from Jamie Erlicht, president of programming and production at Sony Pictures Television. His reply was “Trying to get back in.” Honest and funny.

 

But the two ridiculous answers were from Kevin Beggs, chairperson of Lionsgate Television Group, and Peter Roth, president and chief content officer of Warner Brothers Television Group. Their response? “Teaching.”

 

Really? I’m supposed to believe that these guys would give up their six or seven – or maybe eight – figure salaries and work as teachers? They would actually work at a difficult job such as teaching, for fifty or sixty thousand dollars a year? If they were not working in the entertainment business? Come on.

 

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, since they’re really in the bullshit business, so they’re trying to make themselves feel honorable by saying they’d be teachers if they weren’t in entertainment. I’d like to see some of them spend even one day as a teacher. Actually they probably wouldn’t last two minutes in a classroom, let alone a day.

 

Come on Beggs and Roth. I could do your jobs better than you, and I’ve never work in the entertainment business. At least I’d pick some quality shows to be on TV instead of junk that lasts one episode.

Television’s 25 best catchphrases

A catchphrase is a way to build a character and give an identity to a television show. TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 most notable catchphrases on TV shows in the history of the medium. Here is one viewer’s opinion of the best 25 catchphrases of all time, based on too many years of watching television…

 

25) “Kiss my grits!” (Flo Castleberry, Alice)

24) “Dy-no-mite!” (J.J. Evans, Good Times)

23) “This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.” (Mission: Impossible)

22) “Resistance is futile.” (Star Trek, The Next Generation)

21) “How you doin’?” (Joey Tribbiani, Friends)

20) “Yadda, yadda, yadda.” (Elaine Benes, Seinfield)

19) “Baby, you’re the greatest.” (Ralph Kramden, The Honeymooners)

18) “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” (Jim McKay, Wide World of Sports)

17) “You look mahvelous.” (Fernando, Saturday Night Live)

16) “Danger, Will Robinson!” (The Robot, Lost in Space)

15) “To the Batmobile!” (Batman, Batman)

14) “Yabba Dabba Do!” (Fred Flintsone, The Flintstones)

13) “Eat my shorts.” (Bart Simpson, The Simpsons)

12) “Live long and prosper.” (Commander Spock, Star Trek)

11) “Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!” (Adventures of Superman)

10) “Good night, John Boy.” (The Walton family, The Waltons)

9) “I’m listening.” (Frasier Krane, Frasier)

8) “Come on down!” (Johnny Olson, The Price is Right)

7) “Make it so.” (Captain Picard, Star Trek the Next Generation)

6) “Book’em, Danno.” (Detective Steve McGarrett, Hawaii Five-O)

5) “Let’s be careful out there.” (Sergeant Phil Esterhaus, Hill Street Blues)

4) “And that’s the way it is.” (Walter Cronkite, CBS Evening News)

3) “Aaay!” (Fonzie, Happy Days)

2) “D’oh!” (Homer Simpson, The Simpsons)

1) “Heeere’s…Johnny!” (Ed McMahon, The Tonight Show)

The 20 best comedies in TV history

TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 best comedies in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer’s opinion of the 20 funniest sitcoms of all time, based on too many years of watching television…

20) Home Improvement (ABC, 1991-1999)
19) Will & Grace (NBC, 1998-2006)
18) Murphy Brown (CBS, 1988-1998)
17) The Jeffersons (CBS, 1975-1985)
16) The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 2007-present)
15) Two and a Half Men (CBS, 2003-present)
14) Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS, 1996-2005)
13) The Honeymooners (CBS, 1951-1956)
12) Happy Days (ABC, 1974-1984)
11) M*A*S*H (CBS, 1972-1983)
10 Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 2000-present)
9) Veep (HBO, 2012-present)
8) Modern Family (ABC, 2009-2013)
7) The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970-1977)
6) The Simpsons (FOX, 1989-present)
5) Cheers (NBC, 1982-1993)
4) Seinfeld (NBC, 1990-1998)
3) Frasier (NBC, 1993-2004)
2) I Love Lucy (CBS, 1951-57)
1) All in the Family (CBS, 1971-1979)