Rescuing ‘Rescue Me’
FX firefighter drama Rescue Me is under fire for its edgy content (for starters, Denis Leary’s Tommy Gavin protagonist was taken advantage of in a recent episode after being dosed with a double-barrel cocktail that contained a date-rape downer and Viagra-esque upper), with calls from watchdog groups for advertisers to pull their sponsorships.
Therein lies a perfect product placement—sorry, branded entertainment—opportunity for cell phone makers. All of Tommy’s troubles stem not from his alcoholism or his stunted emotional development, but from his cell phone. Once that thing starts ringing, it invariably means Tommy will commence sleeping with the wrong woman, squaring off with the wrong guy, or embarking on other reckless behaviors.
A close-up of the cell phone would bring wonderful exposure to the manufacturer, and some dough for the Rescue Me coffers. He could have a different one every week–boozy brawlers lose their phones all the time. Maybe a sleek RAZR emerging from Tommy’s cargo pants pocket, or even a Blackberry sitting on the dashboard of his pickup—though the boys back at Engine 62 would probably bust Tommy’s chops for having one of those.
By Michael Malone
Avvakum commented:
Your site is beautiful end accessibility! Thanks again!
It?s very interesting! Greetings. Bye.
Marquise Burley commented:
Alec Baldwin asks for his voice to be removed from an "unfair" documentary about Arnold Schwarzenegger...
Chad Hatton commented:
Colombia's vice president is "baffled" by Kate Moss's success following cocaine allegations...
Calvin Rausch commented:
London-born rapper Sway is to be honoured at the BET Hip-Hop awards in the US...
Clayton Stricklin commented:
Jonathan Ross is dubbed "risque" by Ofcom but not in breach of rules over an interview with David Cameron...
Destin Foss commented:
Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...
Cortez Seibert commented:
TV host Oprah Winfrey gives audience members $1,000 (£526) each to donate to a charitable cause...
Efrain Byrnes commented:
Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages...
Antoine Mota commented:
Record company EMI sign a deal with the estate of crooner Dean Martin to use the singer's likeness...
Miguel Leboeuf commented:
Singer George Michael lends the piano on which John Lennon wrote Imagine to an anti-war exhibition...
Shawn Burney commented:
Microsoft and Peter Jackson postpone the making of a film based on the Halo video game after backers pull out...
Destin Horowitz commented:
A musical about the witches from The Wizard of Oz breaks West End box office records, its producers say...
Thaddeus Winstead commented:
Doctor Who takes three prizes at the National Television Awards in a repeat of its success last year...
Dwight Hendrick commented:
Madonna says she may adopt another child from abroad following her proposed adoption of a Malawian boy...
Malachi Santana commented:
Pioneering screenwriter Nigel Kneale, best known for the Quatermass TV serials and films, dies aged 84...
Rogelio Barrera commented:
Borat creator Sacha Baron Cohen reportedly signs a $42.5m (£22m) film deal starring his character Bruno...
Cale Higgins commented:
The Rolling Stones postpone a show in the US to allow singer Sir Mick Jagger time to rest his voice...
Joshua Branch commented:
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are leading the way at this years MTV Europe music awards with four nominations...
Sabastian Yee commented:
Pop trio Atomic Kitten will reform to play a concert in support of jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields...
Collin Crowe commented:
Classical singer Russell Watson postpones his forthcoming UK tour after undergoing brain surgery...
Randall Larson commented:
The Rolling Stones cancel a gig in Hawaii and postpone other tour dates as Mick Jagger suffers throat troubles...
Andreas Corona commented:
William Styron, whose Holocaust novel Sophie's Choice became a film and an opera, has died, aged 81...
Marinegrunt67 commented:
Abso-f-in-lutely! If Denis doen't get the Emmy this year....all is LOST!
His character SHINES!
As an NBC exec. I wish we had a show like this we could air on broadcast TV!