Channel Surfing
By Laura Nachman
May 6, 2001
The chance to win big money and be on national television lured almost a thousand people (including me) to auditions for NBC’s “The Weakest Link” at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Center City Philadelphia May 2 and 3. As hundreds of excited people either skipping work or taking incredibly long lunches waited, a hundred people at a time were led into a hotel conference room. A contestant coordinator with the wit of Eddie Murphy and looks of New Orleans Saints running back Ricky Williams, named Seven explained that we would be judged on personality and a written test. Each person then had to get up in front of the entire group and give their best game-show friendly description of themselves. While the others droned on about their lives, I had plenty of time to mull over what witty anecdote I would say to impress the suddenly most important person in my life, Seven. When it was my turn, I nervously said, “Hi, my name is Laura Nachman, I write about television for the newspaper, and I was wondering if you’d like to know what I jotted down about you, Seven?” He said sure, and I gave him the line about Eddie Murphy. I got a smattering of laughter, and then feebly talked about “The Brady Bunch” web site that I run. When I sat down, I hoped I’d do better in the written test. With questions ranging from French impressionists, to prime numbers, to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” I probably got four out of the twenty questions right (yes, I got Buffy). Then, our fate was put in the hands of Seven and a couple of other twenty-ish staffers, who left the room to grade the tests and decide who was the “Weakest Link.” Out of the hundred hopefuls in our group, around 15 were selected for the next round, including a wild-haired rock musician, an attractive female law student who said she could be a real (rhymes with witch), and a Philadelphia police detective. They competed in a mock version of the game, which was videotaped for producers to make the final determination. After viewing the tapes from Philadelphia and the four other cities of the east coast tour, the next round of taping begins this week. FYI: If you’ve been on a game show within the last year, you are disqualified from being a contestant for “The Weakest Link.” On my application, I had to write that I was a contestant on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (another column for another time). Even though I didn’t make the hot seat, it probably prevented me from being selected for the show, which is easier to believe than thinking it was my “personality.” Well, at least I got an article out of it.
“The Weakest Link” has a 22-episode order from NBC. The next set of shows starts taping in Burbank, CA (without me) this week.
The big question of the local May sweeps is whether NBC10
will be able to defeat 6ABC in the news race again at 11 PM.
During February sweeps, NBC10 accomplished that feat, becoming the first
station to best Channel 6 in a ratings period since 1975.
Once again, NBC10 will use “ER” to entice viewers, as there will be
“special reports” from the “ER” set following the hit show on Thursdays
at 11 PM. Hopefully, the upcoming
reports will be better than the first week’s-- a brief and standard interview
with Goran Visnjic (Dr. Luka Kovac), which was anything but special. Reporter
Sharon Reed talks to Laura Innes (Dr. Kerry Weaver) on May 10.
Also for NBC10, Maria Bartiromo,
the “Money Honey” from CNBC will be providing reports each Wednesday at 11
PM.
Here’s what some
of the other stations have planned for May sweeps. WB17’s Brad Sattin tells how criminals going through your
trash can ruin your credit on May 15 and 16.
Tina Kim reports on how to protect your PC from hackers and viruses on
May 21. And Karen Jordan talks to
the author of the “Buffy” and “Angel” books, John Passarella of
Swedesboro, NJ on May 22. Evidently,
this story was planned before it was announced that “Buffy the Vampire
Slayer” is moving to UPN next season.
And Fox-Philadelphia will air special reports focusing on
women’s health issues by Health Reporter Dr. Brian McDonough each Tuesday
during the 10 o’Clock news. Making time in the day to maintain fitness is
explored Tuesday, May 15. Then
learn about new medicines that are specially designed and created for women and
how they are marketed to them on May 22.
Meanwhile, new kid in town, CN8 is hoping to become “CN great” with a new on-air look with new show opens, on-air id’s, promos, and music beds for all of CN8’s original programming. The one-year-old 7 PM and 10 PM news with Arthur Fennell and Connie Colla, had a 0.2 rating in the February sweeps, putting it far behind competitors Fox-Philadelphia and WB17, but comparable with many of the cable news outlets such as MSNBC and CNN headline news (watch out Andrea Thompson). CN8, owned by Comcast Cable added over 200,000 households in the last six months, making it available in 90% of homes with cable in the area. The prime time lineup includes “CN8 News at 7 PM,” “CN8 presents: Comcast in Concert” at 8 PM, “It’s Your Call with Lynn Doyle” at 9 PM, “CN8 News at 10 PM,” and “Lou Tilley’s Sports Connection” at 11 PM. Besides Fennell, Colla, and Tilley who are well-known names in Philadelphia television, CN8 has many staffers with experience at other local stations including news director Margie Walsh, previously with Channel 10.
Former Phillies pitcher Tug McGraw handled the introductions for “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” April 30, since his son, country superstar Tim McGraw, performed on the syndicated show that day. Tim sang “Grown Men Don’t Cry” from his new CD “Set This Circus Down.” Tug, who played for the Phillies from 1973-1983, and worked for 6ABC from 1983-1986, lives in Media with his second wife Diane and son Matthew, 5 where he owns a sports and entertainment company. Tim is Tug’s son from a relationship he had with a woman while playing minor league ball in the late 1960s. Tug has two other grown children; daughter Carrey, 30, married and the mother of a one-year-old daughter, and Mark, 28, a paramedic. Both live in Oregon where Tug’s first wife, Phyliss resides.
Alicia “six-pack-abs” Calaway of “Survivor” will try to whip the women of KYW’s Eyewitness News into shape for the 11th annual “Race for the Cure” on Sunday, May 13. Calaway will lead the warm-up session for the 5-K run/walk and 1-mile fun run to raise money for breast cancer research. The “Eyewitness Women” tribe of Amy Caples, Pat Ciarrocchi, Siani Lee, Denise Saunders, Stephanie Stahl, and Dawn Stensland will participate (and try not to tick tough Alicia off). KYW will air live updates of the race between 6-9 AM during the news.
Comcast Sportsnet’s “Sportsnite” will broadcast from the atrium of the First Union Center for Sixers/Toronto playoff games two on Wednesday, May 10 and game five (if necessary) on May 16.
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