Where to be & what to watch…
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/14/2008 8:00:00 PM
Monday, Sept. 15
A resilient funnybone is sorely required to get through our presidential slugfest, and Saturday Night Live co-creator Lorne Michaels joins “Weekend Update” anchors Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler at the Times Center in Manhattan to discuss SNL's inimitable approach to political humor. Elsewhere in Gotham, NAMIC's annual conference is on at the Marriott Marquis. “Diversity: Pipeline to Innovation” is the theme, and a town hall meeting is moderated by CNN's Morning Edition anchor Tony Harris. And it's Industry Day at the New York Television Festival; a discussion includes NBC Co-Chairman Ben Silverman and History General Manager Nancy Dubuc.
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Can Martha Stewart laugh at Martha Stewart? One certainly hopes so, as the series premiere of Whatever, Martha!, featuring daughter Alexis and Jennifer Koppelman Hutt poking fun at old Stewart clips a la Mystery Science Theater, debuts at 9 p.m. ET on Fine Living Network. Back at the NAMIC shindig, our sister mag Multichannel News hosts the Diversity in Cyberspace breakfast, which looks at whether cable is serving the needs of diverse audiences on the Web, while former New York Knicks standout Allan Houston speaks at the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program lunch in the Westside Ballroom.
Wednesday, Sept. 17
The NAB Radio Show is rolling in Texas, as National Association of Broadcasters President/CEO David Rehr delivers the keynote at the Austin Convention Center. The American Women in Radio & Television host their Speed Mentoring shindig, a “fast and furious series of eight-minute advice sessions,” in conjunction with the Radio Show. Back in New York, CBS Corp. President/CEO Leslie Moonves mans the podium at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia event at the Grand Hyatt, while the Walter Kaitz Foundation dinner at the Hilton celebrates Bright House Networks and Scripps Networks as they claim Diversity Champion Awards. And here's a ruff crowd for ya: National Geographic marks the 100th episode of Dog Whisperer with a bash at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood. Jada Pinkett Smith hosts the bow-wow pow-wow.
Thursday, Sept. 18
If you're in search of a little hair of the dog after last night's revelry, Digital Experience is on at the Metropolitan Pavilion in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. The show features dozens of tech companies, including Audivox and Nikon, and a Mexican theme—including tasty cuisine and margaritas. Elsewhere in Manhattan, Nexstar presents at the CL King Best Ideas Conference at the Omni Berkshire Place. And down I-95 a couple of hours, the sun is shining, as usual, in the City of Brotherly Love. Indeed, the season premiere of FX quirkfest It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, starring the likes of Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson, bows at 10.
Friday, Sept. 19
Is cable kicking broadcast's butt in terms of hot dramas? That's the million-dollar question when the star-studded session “Is Cable the Hot New Place for TV Drama?” goes down at the Sofitel in Los Angeles. AMC ace Charlie Collier, Sci Fi guy David Howe, FX prez John Landgraf and TNT senior veep Michael Wright make their case for cable. Since the panel is all cable guys, smart money says the answer to the million-dollar question comes out a resounding yes. —Michael Malone
