This week join Jonathan, Andrew, and Steve for a discussion of the AFL of the 1960s and how TV allowed the AFL to come – THIS CLOSE – to toppling the NFL. Also in this lengthier episode, listen as the guys discuss the “marriage” of US football and television and what that means for how we understand the sport today.
Jonathan discusses the current Hollywood labor strike and attempts to contextualize it through a historical lens.
This week join Andrew and Jonathan as they give you the hard sell on the history of TV pitchmen. We go a little into the history of salesmanship on television, the self-imposed and government regulations, and each of us discuss our favorite local and infomercial-based pitchmen. Be sure to act now; operators are standing by and supplies ARE limited.
How the heck did a 1950s comedy legend get a shot at usurping Johnny Carson some 23 years AFTER his career peak? Join Jonathan as he discusses the three incarnations of The Jerry Lewis Show and in particular the June 1984 5-episode test-run for the third, and final, incarnation.
This week join Steve as he drags Andrew kicking and screaming into the 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee Special, while Jonathan attempts to deconstruct all the deep thoughts flying around the pianos and gorillas.
Jonathan plays catch…up with the idea of the 1970s’s The Bionic Dog. Join Jonathan as he discusses the silly wonderfulness that was this spin-off idea.
This week Andrew and Steve school Jonathan on appreciating the rare delicacy that is Richard Dean Anderson’s MacGyver. What lies at the heart of the show’s appeal?
In preparation of our brand new Fall season of NEW episodes, join Jonathan for a new, short (16 min.) mini-episode to find out about all the new ideas and goals we have planned for the new season.
In honor of Mr. Minow’s birthday (01/17), we’re re-releasing our interview with the former FCC Chair. Joining us from his office in Chicago, we discuss the role of television in presidential debates, his decisions that supported the rise of PBS, and of course, his famous “vast wasteland” speech.
This week Jonathan works through some ideas relating to the potential for “time travel” through the ability to live within memory bubbles thanks to curated content, persistent nostalgia thanks to certain business strategies, and the unexpected staying power of dead celebrities thanks to new fan work and the use of CGI.
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