Where to be and what to watch…
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/25/2007 7:00:00 PM
Monday, Nov. 26
The Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers sit down for negotiations with an eye on ending the strike. Good luck, folks! Then we go from Hollywood to Watersmeet, Mich., as Sundance Channel premieres the documentary series Nimrod Nation, about Watersmeet's obsession with its high school basketball team. The Watersmeet Nimrods set out to defend their conference title at 9 p.m. ET. Speaking of rough-and-ready squads, National Geographic Channel debuts Outlaw Bikers: Masters of Mayhem, about a less than licit Southern Cal motorcycle gang. On a lighter note, enjoy your scripted fare while it's still fresh. ABC unveils the season premiere of Notes From the Underbelly at 9:30. Jennifer Westfeldt stars as a suddenly pregnant young free spirit who starts to realize a baby might seriously impact her social agenda.
Tuesday, Nov. 27
New York Times truth-seeker Frank Rich moderates the panel “Truth and the Iraq War” at the Paley Center in New York. The journos on the jury include former CBS anchor/current HDNet man Dan Rather and ABC News' Tom Yellin. Elsewhere in Gotham, the Jack Myers Networking Breakfast presents “Economics of the New Television Marketplace,” with insights from NBC Universal Chief Digital Officer George Kliavkoff and Carat U.S. President/CEO Sarah Fay. It's at Landmarc in the Time Warner Center.
Wednesday, Nov. 28
The Consumer Technology Innovations confab—pondering “which technologies will usher in a new consumer revolution?”—is on at the Sofitel in Redwood City, Calif. Red Sox hurler/blogger Curt Schilling keynotes (and gloats), before the “Vetting Video” panel that boasts MySpace TV General Manager Jeff Berman and Google TV tech honcho Vincent Dureau. Back in New York, CNBC president Mark Hoffman cordially invites friends and loved ones to a book release party for Mad Money man Jim Cramer at Lotus. Cramer will scream from Stay Mad For Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich (Make Your Kids Even Richer). We think there's a wonderful co-branding opportunity for an earplug manufacturer there. Finally, lest we forget that Santa is compiling his naughty/nice list as we speak, NBC lights up that massive Norway spruce at 30 Rock. The WNBC crew holds a lighting party at the Rock Center Café.
Thursday, Nov. 29
The Broadcast Cable Financial Management Association hosts a 4 p.m. teleconference on “assisting media companies in understanding their SoundExchange payment obligations.” If you know what that means, maybe you can assist us in understanding it. Elsewhere in the TV world, Nat Geo premieres back-to-back Ultimate Factories episodes, the first focusing on the BMW, the second on the Corvette. The fun starts at 9. Speaking of extreme luxury items, MTV dedicates a full episode of the conspicuous-consumption classic Cribs to 50 Cent's 19-bedroom manse on 17 acres in Connecticut. Fitty sees if he can make it to all 35 bathrooms in the 30-minute episode (“In da Tub,” anyone?). Cribs rolls at 10:30.
Friday, Nov. 30
The Emma L. Bowen Foundation, geared toward minority advancement in media, holds a board meeting at CBS headquarters in New York. And back to that glamour theme, The N and Seventeen magazine showcase the style and substance of the 17 sexiest Hollywood starlets around. Hosted by South of Nowhere star Valery Ortiz, Seventeen Style Stars: The 17 Biggest Style Moments of 2007 debuts at 8. Stars include Fergie, Beyonce, Rihanna—and a few celebs who actually have two names.
