TVSquad

TCA - Day 1 (or 4, if you count PBS)

TCA -- aka the TV Critics' press tour -- is a convention for journalists where the major networks and cable outlets unveil their fall programs to the press for review. The tour, which is held at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, began on Monday (with PBS) and runs until July 26th with ABC.

About 200 plus members of the press from across the country are inundated with reality, comedy, drama and other types of programs. Interview opportunities are non-stop. We're fed constantly and given tons of free gifts -- trinkets, pens, paperweights, DVDs and press materials.

Some journalists aren't comfortable taking free stuff (well, except for the press materials). Some take 'em and put 'em on eBay. Today, for example, at my table waiting for me are some "Freudian Slips Assorted Sticky Notes" and a copy of 'Away', a novel by Amy Bloom.

PBS did a great job kicking off the tour on Monday night with a party (dinner catered by Wolfgang Puck) at Griffith Observatory and a show reminding us that we are but specks (specks!) in the universe.

Public television isn't known especially for its celebrities but the rest of the tour's got a tough act to follow; Betty White, Tim Conway, Dick Cavett, Tony Orlando and Ed McMahon and others were hilarious during PBS' Pioneers panel on Tuesday night.

Today's the first day of cable TV. We're going to have panels on some Lifetime movies, F/X's Nip/Tuck and HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and more.

We're here to interview actors and producers about their current projects, but we can't help but take the opportunity to ask about past shows and roles, too.

So when James Gandolfini shows up at the end of the day to talk about the documentary Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq, the HBO documentary he's executive producing, you can bet he'll be asked about those onion rings and his thoughts on the ending of The Sopranos.