Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Wednesday, April 26th, 2023
Tucker Carlson releases a video which could be named "Please Love Me"
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, April 26th, 2023.
TUCKER CARLSON SPEAKS...FOR 2:15 ON TWITTER
Former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson has released his first public comment since he was fired by the network on Monday:
It's a perplexing and purposely vague grab bag of comments about people in power trying to stamp out debate, how America is increasingly becoming a one-party country and how there are few places where real debate can take place.
It certainly sounds as if it's the precursor to something, although it's not at all clear from the video what Carlson might have in mind.
It's not surprising that Carlson didn't directly address his recent firing. I'm sure he has been advised to keep quiet for now while his lawyer negotiates the early end to his contract and a settlement.
He's retained Los Angeles attorney Bryan Freedman, who is also representing Don Lemon in his separation from CNN and who previously represented Megyn Kelly in her separation from NBC.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, one primary concern from Carlson is that his exit from Fox News will leave him personally on the hook for any costs related to his time at the cable news network. That includes the upcoming Smartmatic trial, as well as any other lawsuits related to the 2020 election. As well as the ongoing allegations from his former producer Abby Grossberg. Those costs could easily reach north of $1,000,000 and Carlson is reportedly looking for Fox to pick up the costs of any litigation that stems from those cases.
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BYRON ALLEN
There are a handful of people in the TV industry that I have on my interview bucket list and one of the names on the top is Byron Allen.
Unlike a lot of TV moguls, Allen made his fortune the hard way. Producing low-cost barter off-primetime programming he sold station-by-station. Working his way up the television food chain, using his success at one level to claw a foothold into the next area. He's built Allen Media Group that owns broadcast television stations, diginets, cable channels such as The Weather Channel and lots of other assorted media properties. He doesn't do a lot of interviews but to be honest, I can think of few people that I'd rather talk to about the business.
Allen Media Group just did its first upfront presentation and the story that he told during the event about how his company signed Judge Mathis after his long-running syndicated series was dropped by Warner Bros. Discovery provides a pretty clear idea of how Allen operates:
Allen recalled receiving a text message out of the blue on the Friday before President’s Day Weekend.
“And the text said, ‘I’m no longer in business with WarnerMedia. Have your people call my people, Judge Mathis,” Allen recalled. “I called him up and I said Greg, I am my people.”
“They are about to tell the world that they canceled the show, all they did was a courtesy call to you to say that they’re about to cancel the show,” Allen continued. “So here’s what’s going to happen. You and I are going to do a deal immediately. So when they tell the world they’re canceling the show, we’re telling the world you’re staying on the air and we’re keeping your time period that you’ve built for nearly a quarter of a century.”
Sure enough, just days after the news leaked that Warner Bros. Discovery was canceling Judge Mathis and The People’s Court, Allen announced that Mathis wasn’t going anywhere. He would have a new show distributed by AMG. A few weeks later People’s Court judge Marilyn Milian joined the company to host her own show as well.
In an industry that is increasingly run by executives who would be just as happy selling widgets, Allen is a throwback to the old school Hollywood image of a scrappy mogul. He's built an impressive business.
A GREAT CAROL BURNETT INTERVIEW
Ahead of tonight's 90th Birthday celebration on NBC, Vulture's Joe Adalian spoke with Carol Burnett and the interview is filled with all sorts of fun stories and tidbits:
It’s a little surprising your celebration is on NBC and not CBS, where The Carol Burnett Show aired for 11 seasons. Do you know what happened?
I’m not sure if executive producer Mark Bracco offered them the idea first, but they passed. And it was kind of odd because I was with them for 11 years, and before that on The Garry Moore Show. But NBC jumped up. They said, “Two hours? Great.” And they’ve been terrific.
And then later...
You’re one of the legends of sketch comedy and yet you’ve never hosted Saturday Night Live. I know there have been various social-media campaigns to get you on the show, including one last year. Has Lorne Michaels ever offered to have you host?
No, he’s never asked me.
Wow. Would you do it now if he did?
No, I don’t think I would. Maybe like 20 years ago or whatever. But that ship has sailed.
Go read the entire interview.
IS THIS NEW HGTV 'AFRICA-BASED' SERIES PERPETUATING COLONIALISM?
Reality Blurred's Andy Dehnart wonders if the new HGTV series Renovation Wild is an example of reinforcing colonial stereotypes about Africa:
HGTV is heading to Zambia for its next renovation series, Renovation Wild. A press release sent Tuesday announced that the show will be “the network’s first ever Africa-based series.”
Its stars, Grant and Lynsey Cumings, look a lot like most of HGTV’s other stars, which is to say: very, very white.
They may be very nice people! And the show may be very interesting. But for a show set in Zambia—and the first Africa-set show for one of the United States’ largest cable channels—this seemed like a curious choice.
That’s because, as of 2014, “white people make up less than 40,000 of Zambia’s 13 million-strong population,” the BBC News reported. That’s 0.3 percent of the population.
ODDS AND SODS
* If you've ever found yourself thinking "Why can't I see Hunter Fieri boring passerbys in Appalachia, then you'll be thrilled to learn that a new season of Guy's All-American Road Trip. It premieres Friday, June 2nd and will highlight Guy, wife Lori and sons Ryder and Hunter as they travel through Appalachia making TV and successfully writing off another road trip on their taxes.
* Variety is reporting that Bob Odenkirk will be making some sort of an appearance on season two of Hulu's series The Bear.
* Prime Video has given a two season order to the ballet drama Étoile, from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino.
WHAT'S NEW FOR WEDNESDAY:
* Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens Season Premiere (Comedy Central)
* Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love (NBC)
* Iconic America: Our Symbols And Stories With David Rubenstein Series Premiere (PBS)
* Kiss, Kiss! (Netflix)
* Love After Music (Netflix)
* Matildas: The World At Our Feet (Disney+)
* Mission Unexplained (Science)
* Nova: Chasing Carbon Zero (PBS)
* Saint X Series Premiere (Hulu)
* Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Series Premiere (Disney+)
* The Good Bad Mother (Netflix)
* Workin' Moms Season Premiere (Netflix)
Click Here to see the list of all of the upcoming premiere dates for the next few months.
SEE YOU THURSDAY!
If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.