Where to be and what to watch...
By Mark Lasswell -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/8/2005 8:00:00 PM
Monday, May 9
Did you miss last night's premiere of CBS' four-hour Elvis miniseries? Not to worry! Viacom has declared this “Elvis Week.” And, besides, you know how the Presley story turns out: His posthumously acquired former son-in-law is on trial in California for young- skewing predilections even creepier than the Memphis cradlerobber's. CBS' Presley promotional campaign ranges from an insert in the People mag out today (an audio chip plays a no-doubt-annoying bit of “Blue Suede Shoes” and an ad for CBS' King-related programming) to an “Elvis” category on Friday's Jeopardy! (Alex, what is: A grilled banana and peanut butter sandwich?)
Tuesday, May 10
It might be Elvis Week on CBS, but that doesn't mean they've lost their heads and cancelled the Amazing Race 7 season finale (9 p.m. ET). This may be the only reality TV show where almost everyone in the audience briefly kicks around the idea of trying out. You wouldn't want to make an ass of yourself singing on TV, you couldn't stomach toadying to Donald Trump, you don't see the attraction of enduring weeks of island homelessness, and you can't be sure that the makeover maniacs wouldn't turn you or your house into a monstrosity. But zip around the world for days on end, butting heads with people except when you're trying to smile for the cameras, all for a shot at a million bucks—why not? After all, Condi Rice does it for a government salary.
Wednesday, May 11
When it comes to plundering the last-century vaults for programming topics, CBS ain't got nothin' on Court TV. While Elvis (with Jonathan Rhys Meyers as EP) winds up tonight (8 p.m. ET) with its second two-hour installment, Court TV reaches into the 1930s for the special The Lindbergh Kidnapping Investigation Re-opened (9 p.m. ET). “Forensic experts,” says the flackmail, will “go on a painstaking investigative journey back in time.” Pardon us while we contact those Human Genome people to see if the gene pool can be tweaked now to avoid the birth of the TV executive who would commission “The Robert Blake & Scott Peterson Investigations Re-opened” in 2075.
Thursday, May 12
In the grand ballroom at the Waldorf tonight, they're serving macher salad: The “co-chairs” of the International Radio & Television Society Foundation's Gold Medal dinner in New York are Jeff Bewkes (chairman, Time Warner Entertainment & Networks group, Peter Chernin (News Corp. president and COO), Tom Freston and Leslie Moonves (Viacom co-presidents and co-COOs), Anne Sweeney (co-chairman, Disney Media Networks), and Bob Wright (NBC Universal chairman and CEO). The theme: “Saluting Top Media Agencies.” How much tables cost: $12,500 to $25,000. Note to attendees: See the Money Talks column by B&C's John Higgins on page 8, then check out the Freston-Moonves body language tonight.
Friday, May 13
Mr. Moonves' network keeps clinging to The King with the docutainment Elvis by the Presleys (CBS, 8 p.m. ET), featuring family movies and interviews with Priscilla'n'Lisa Marie. Also tonight, Star Trek: Enterprise (UPN, 7 p.m. ET) finishes its run, which means that for the first time in 18 years there will be no descendants of Kirk, Spock & Co. putting new shows on the air. In other words, Elvis is still performing on TV, but Star Trek has left the building.
Email info for B&C Week to b&cweek@reedbusiness.com
No related content found.
-
No Top Articles
Featured Company
-
Digital Rapids
Digital Rapids provides market-leading software and hardware solutions, technology and expertise for transforming live and on-demand video to reach wider audiences on the latest viewing platforms more efficiently, more effectively and more profitably. Empowering applications from..more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
