East Coast vs. West Coast

There are many things that separate the coasts, but one is one thing in particular that's tough for many of us to take.

It's the lack of live TV and the element of surprise.

You see, here on the West coast we don't get many things live. Sports, yes, and a spattering of other things, but that's about it.

We do get the SAG Awards, the Golden Globes and the Oscars, but that has only happened in the last five years or so.

We do not get the Grammys, the American Music Awards or anything else.

Many of those shows have live interactive awards. This means that the whole West coast does not get to vote on these things as voting is closed and a winner has been announced by the time the show airs here in the Pacific region.

It is also almost impossible to do anything without finding out the winners of competition shows such as "Survivor" or "The Amazing Race".

You certainly cannot be online in any way. No Twitter, no Facebook, you can't even check your e-mail as Yahoo boasts the news, usually right there on their homepage, as soon as it breaks.

You can't watch CNN or any other news show either as results run on their ticker in real time.

So, on the West Coast, unless you sit and read a book while waiting for the tape-delayed shows to air, you're pretty much screwed.

And, if something surprising happens on a show like "The View", "Ellen" or "Oprah" we on the WC know about that too before it airs.

All in all, the it really sucks. There's no real surprise left here for us and I, personally, feel a little left out.

Well, at least I have "Conan" for comfort. Because his show is on TBS and they only have one feed, we get it on the West Coast at 8pm while the East Coast has it at 11pm.It's nice to see it at the same time as everyone else and still get a decent night's sleep.

There is a solution for this time zone thing, but like many other things in life, you have to have money. I could buy the East coast feeds for all of the channels via DirectTV, my service provider, but alas, even if I did buy it, primetime shows would be on starting at 6pm and here on the WC most people work until 6pm and then fight traffic to get home at around 7pm. So, that doesn't really work either.

I guess it's just something we have to live with here. Maybe it's our punishment for the year round sun we're given.

Ok, I'll accept that.

Just please do me a favor my East coast and Midwest friends, try not to spoil things for me and my fellow friends here in the West. Next time a big awards show or compeition show finale airs, try to hold back on Twitter and Facebook. We'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

Surprise! Movie attendance is down!

I try to use exclamation points in headlines very rarely, but when talking about the movie business it seems more than appropriate as this industry thinks that everything they do or say is worthy of a lot of attention. And what gets attention? Exclamation points!!

So now that you've been drawn in, this post is about pretty much exactly what you think it's about -- my thoughts on why people aren't going to the movies anymore.

This started when I read an article in "Entertainment Weekly". (yes, I have a subscription. I write about the entertainment industry so it's sort of a must have.)

In the article, it was noted that ticket sales fell 5.4 percent. To me that doesn't seem like reason for panic, but again it's the movie biz and that means it's really important!

Reasons stated for the decline include a lousy economy, the ever-increasing number of competing entertainment options and poor quality films.

Commenting on the article, a reader also mentioned that annoyances in the theater are another factor including people talking, texting, and children at a 10pm R-rated showing.

I have to agree with all of these reasons and add one more.

As for the quality of what's in the theaters, I can honestly say that for the first time I can remember, there were several weekends when I thought about seeing a movie and then checked the listings and nothing interested me.

Addressing the other entertainment options and the economy in one fell swoop, I give you Netflix and Redbox.

It used to be that if you missed seeing a film in the theater you had to wait approximately 18 months to see it on video. That was in the infancy of the video industry. Now, films come out within a few months, usually about 3.

So, while we seem to live in an 'immediate' society, it looks like people have more patience in their movie-viewing habits that in other things.

I can wait 3 months or so to save about $9 a movie -- $10 in the theater versus $1 via Redbox.

While that seems to be about money, which it is, it's also about turnaround. If that wait was longer, then I might see more movies in the theater.

But, the movie-making financial model seems to be -- have a big opening weekend, get out of the theaters fast and into the DVD market quickly while there is still buzz about the film.

In my mind this is great for movie-goers. Sorry if it's bad for the Hollywood biz.

But here's another way you might make some money - lower your star salaries, then lower theater prices and maybe more people will go out to the movies. It kinda seems simple.

Again, these are just my thoughts. What do you think?

2011 Golden Globe quick wrap-up

If you want to know who won what and who wore what, you need to look elsewhere on this internet for that information.

Here, I just want to mention the one thing that everyone is talking about: Ricky Gervais as host.    

I didn't think it was hugely funny or terribly mean. It was interesting and, I thought, sort of witty.

I mean, what do you expect? This is the guy's reputation -- using cutting humor to get laughs. He's built a very successful career using this tactic.

He did what he was hired to do. If the Hollywood Foreign Press and the rest of Hollywood were going to get upset at this, there's a simple solution -- don't hire someone like that.

I think Piers Morgan said it best when he remarked, "It's like inviting a shark to a dinner party and when he eats everyone, everyone says, 'why did that happen? ".

Incidentally, Piers Morgan's new show on CNN debuts this week. He's replacing Larry King who left the network after 25 years.  As you may be aware from my comments on this blog, I was not a fan of Larry King who seemed ill-prepared and fumbling in nearly every interview he conducted.

I'll be checking out Morgan's show and giving it a chance. I already like him as he's said he'll try to make Barbara Walters cry when he interviews her.

And, if you'd like to hear what Ricky Gervais thinks of Morgan's comments about his Golden Globe's hosting gig, the two will sit down for a chat on Thursday, January 20th on Morgan's new show.

That should be a good match-up there.

Don't tell me it can't be done when I believe it can

On a paticularly steamy Summer day a few years ago, I had an idea. I thought it was a good idea.

You see, I have a black car. I didn't really pick the color as at the time I purchased it I needed a car immediately and that was the color that was available.

Black cars offer some challenges. They are impossible to keep clean as they show every little spot, and they get extremely hot on the inside during warm weather.

Living in the San Fernando Valley, it gets mighty hot in the Summer here and my car sometimes gets so hot it feels like it might truly burst into flames at any moment.

So, as a person who is always trying to solve the problem, I mentioned my idea for a solution to a friend of mine.

"There has to be a way to use the increasing heat outside to actually cool the car on the inside. Like, by triggering a fan or something."

My friend, who I consider intelligent as he is a chemial engineer by trade, said, "It can't be done."

"What? Why not?" I wanted to know.

"It's a basic principle of physics -- you can't make cold from hot or vice-versa."

I didn't believe him then and I don't believe him now.

Especially since Toyota is using just such technology in their Prius.

I hate it when someone tells me that something can't be done. And I'm very happy that I was right and my friend was wrong.

It seemed so simple to me, and it turns out that it was.

So physics be damned, you can make cold from hot, if you use the right tools.

Now I'm trying to think about other instances when someone told me something couldn't be done and then somebody did it.

I'm not one to say, "I told you so", but it doesn't feel good to know that I was on the right track with my idea, that I wasn't alone in thinking it.

So I'll keep trying to come up with new solutions to old problems as I always have whether they seem impossible or not.

Building your OWN cable channel

On January 1st of this year, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) launched on television.

Yes, the Oprah Winfrey brand has grown so big that she needs her 'own' network. (Literally and figuratively!) 

But, it's not all Oprah all the time. In fact, as of right now, she doesn't have her own show on the network as she is still under contact for her syndicated show. That may change in September of this year when her syndicated show leaves the air.

So far, in my analysis of the network, it's off to the typical start for a new entity.

All networks experience execution issues in the beginning, with promotion and programming and the like, no matter who's backing your network.

OWN has mostly original programming (meaning produced in-house) with some acquired series and movies.

As the months and years roll on, the network will undoubtedly grow and mold itself into a brand around which all programming and promotion decisions will revolve. In my opinion, the stronger the adherence to the brand, the better the network will be.

As with any new venture, it will be fun to watch this evolve.

I've only seen a few shows on the network, but I'm already enjoying one show in particular. "Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes" is a fun look at the the people who make Oprah's daily show come to life.

Check out OWN and share what you think.

If I was in charge.....

One thing I love about this blog is that I get to inform my readers and play that game "If I was in charge...."

It's a fun game! Well, for me anyway. Feel free to play the in-home version at your place if you like with you 'in charge'.

First, for the informative part of this post: Let's talk about Target.

Admit it, you love Target.  I don't know many people that don't.

Yes, you can go in there for a single greeting card and come out twenty minutes later with over $50 worth of stuff, but you can't deny that that's kinda fun.

Where else can you buy a shirt, windshield wipers, a mop, and earphones for your ipod all at the same time?


And now, you can buy food at Target!   

Yes, real food. When my mom was in town a few months ago, we got everything for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Target, including the turkey, which, I might add, was cheaper than in any area grocery store.

I don't think a lot of people know this, but most Target stores have taken out their Home and Garden departments and put in grocery sections

And, when comparing prices (at least in my area), Target is often $.50 to $1, or more, cheaper on almost all items than the local chain markets.

No, there isn't a deli, a salad bar or a huge selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, but there are plenty of staples and usually a large frozen section as well.

Why Target is not advertising this new development is beyond me.

Now, this is the time where I get say, "If I was in charge...."

So, If I was in charge, the next Target ad campaign would feature more about the new grocery sections and the low prices featured in that area.

Maybe Target is planning on rolling out just such a campaign, but if they don't, I feel that I've done my duty here by letting you know about this.

A new way to get your drink on

I'm starting to think there is an app for everything.

Get this, if you're a serious wine drinker there's an app that will help you find the wine that you loved but were too drunk to remember the name of it.

For a mere $5 you can download the iTunes app Smooth Wine Pro.

With this app, you simply take a picture of the wine bottle (I suggest doing this BEFORE you begin drinking the wine), and the app decodes the image and finds the wine somewhere in your area or online.   

Wow. This is so handy!!! I can't tell you the number of times I've woken up one morning and wondered, "What the Hell was that wine I drank last night and how can I get more of it?"

Actually, the truth is, I'm really not a wine drinker. But, I have woken up a few mornings (just a few, mind you) and wondered, "What the Hell was that I drank last night and how do I never drink that again?"

Anyway, if you like your vino, the Smooth Wine Pro might be just the app for you.

But I think there should be an app of some sort that keeps the user from drinking so much that they can't remember the name of the alcohol that they're drinking.

Now that would be an app I could really get behind.