Posts with tag al roker
Posted Jul 19th 2008 4:04PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free
At 8, FOX has a new Cops. - Food Network has the special Al Roker's Weird Restaurants at 8.
- Cartoon Network has two Hellboy animated films at 8: Sword of Storms and Blood and Iron.
- At 9, FOX has a new America's Most Wanted.
- There's a new Robin Hood on BBC America at 9, then a new Graham Norton Show.
- At 9:30, HGTV has a new Divine Design.
- At 10, TLC has a new Trading Spaces.
- At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new Bleach.
- At 1am, Cartoon Network has a new Code Geass, followed by a new Shin Chan.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Jul 7th 2008 2:01PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: News, Industry, OpEd, Casting, Reality-Free
So, you probably heard that the NBC Universal empire will be expanding by one, once
it has added The Weather Channel to its media outlets. On MSNBC this morning, the subs on
Morning Joe were crowing about CEO
Jeff Zucker, sucking up royally, and even hyping GE stock.
It was all really uncomfortable, obvious and out of place when you are tuning in for news, politics, some pop culture and get NBCU corporate cheerleaders in full pom-pom mode.
Okay, enough ranting; there is some news to report. If the deal goes through -- and it will --
Today weatherman Al Roker may be relocating or he'll be repurposed, becoming the face of The Weather Channel.
Continue reading Al Roker, NBCU and the Weather Channel
Posted Jun 2nd 2008 11:02AM by Joel Keller
Filed under: News, Industry, OpEd, Daytime, Reality-Free
This morning, as I watched the
Today show, I noticed that they had "team coverage" of
the big fire on the
Universal Studios back lot. Not only did they have reporter Peter Alexander doing a live remote from the scene, but they decided to send Al Roker, who was in L.A. to tape
Celebrity Family Feud, over there, as well. Matt Lauer called the fire "devastating," and Alexander went on to list all the sets that went up in smoke, including the town square from
Back to the Future. Oh, and some of the video archives were destroyed, even though there are backups.
All of this was delivered in somber tones, as if this was like those wildfires that have enveloped that part of the country over the last few years. It made you wonder if anyone got hurt. Thankfully, no one did. So why the somber tone? Sure, these sets might have some sentimental value, but they're just fake storefronts. And why have a reporter there if Roker was already available? It makes you scratch your head until you realize that NBC and Universal are corporate siblings.
Continue reading Corporate synergy watch: Today's coverage of the Universal fire
Posted Apr 3rd 2008 2:38PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Celebrities, Game Show, Casting, Reality-Free
Al Roker is in final negotiations to host the NBC celebrity edition of Family Feud, the one that we wrote about recently as a
summer series on the Peacock.
Roker, currently the main weatherman and easy-going interviewer on
Today (the first three hours at least!), would seem a perfect fit for this job. He's friendly, funny, personable and has a high recognizability/likability rating. He's also busy on the dial with Food Network shows, both producing and hosting. In fact, in 2006 his production company put out
Celebrity Food Fights, about competing celebs -- not unlike
Family Feud concept -- for Food Network.
Continue reading Al Roker ready for the Feud?
Posted Mar 27th 2008 11:04AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Late Night, Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show, TV Squad Lists
So, AOL TV did a poll about
America's favorite talk show hosts and 1.3 million people made their feelings known. Interesting results. I didn't agree with some of them, like who I like waking up with. Diane Sawyer was the top choice, but I'd go for the second place finisher, Matt Lauer. As for whom to go to bed with -- TV talk show wise, that is -- I can't believe most of the people chose Jay Leno. Is he really that popular? I prefer David Letterman; I'm a sucker for the Top Ten lists.
Continue reading AOL readers rate TV talk show hosts
Posted Dec 18th 2007 4:02PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 8, ABC has a new Duel. - NBC has a new Clash of the Choirs and a new Biggest Loser.
- PBS has a new Nova at 8, then a new Independent Lens.
- AMC has the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol at 8.
- Also at 8: Food Network has Al Roker's Christmas in New York.
- At 9, CBS has a new episode of The Unit, then a new Cane.
- Lifetime has the movie On the 2nd Day of Christmas.
- At 10, TNT has a new Saving Grace.
- FX has a new Nip/Tuck at 10.
- Bravo has a new The Real Housewives of Orange County.
- There's a new ECW on Sci-Fi at 10.
- The Travel Channel has Christmas to the Extreme at 10.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Jun 17th 2007 1:40PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Web, Celebrities
A while back, I showcased some blogs that celebrities were (at the time) keeping. David Duchovny had one for a while, but it was just to promote one of his movies and he stopped it. Zach Braff had one for Garden State, but doesn't update it as much as he used to at his new site (though it's still pretty entertaining). And of course we know that Rosie O'Donnell updates hers, a little too much probably.
But there are other TV celebs who blog too, so it's time for an update. After the jump, a list of some of the better blogs out there.
Continue reading Celebrity blogs you should be reading
Posted Mar 31st 2007 5:04PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
CBS has March Madness all night. - TLC has a new Moving Up at 8.
- Disney has a new Kim Possible at 8.
- GSN is showing four classic episodes of Press Your Luck starting at 8.
- Also at 8: Nickelodeon has the annual Kid's Choice Awards.
- At 9, FOX has a new America's Most Wanted.
- Suze Orman celebrates her 5th anniversary on CNBC at 9.
- A&E has a new Flip This House at 9.
- AMC has Deliverance at 9.
- Al Roker hosts Childhood Obesity: Danger Zone, on Food Network at 9.
- At 11, IFC is showing the documentary This Film Is Not Yet Rated.
- At midnight, USA has the 2007 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, followed by all the Trump/McMahon nonsense on a new WWE A.M RAW.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Mar 31st 2007 3:22PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: Food/Home/DIY, News, Documentary
Tonight at 9:00 p.m. on the Food Network, Al Roker will host Childhood Obesity: Danger Zone, a special that delves into the obesity epidemic that now affects more than 12 million children in America. The special will focus mostly on children, including: a teenager who weighs 500 pounds; the public policy initiative put in place by Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee to help overweight children; and a doctor who teaches kids how to shop for healthy food.
Continue reading Al Roker hosts childhood obesity special tonight
Posted Jan 19th 2007 9:10AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, NBC, News, Daytime, Talk Show
What made me think of this is the news that the Today Show is expanding to a fourth hour in September.
Yeah, that's exactly what's missing from my TV schedule: another hour of Today. Hey, let's add three more hours to Good Morning, America. Maybe The View can be an all-day thing, and ABC can show All My Children at 2 in the morning?
Continue reading Things I Hate About TV: It's all about news, talk, and reality
Posted Jan 18th 2007 10:17AM by Joel Keller
Filed under: NBC, News, OpEd, Daytime, TCA Press Tour
Probably the least-surprising news to come out of yesterday's NBC sessions was that the network is going to expand
Today to a fourth hour. NBC News president Steve Capus and
Today executive producer Jim Bell paneled with Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Al Roker, and Ann Curry to discuss the move as well as the show's year of transition.
Of course, the show's signature easy-going goofiness was in evidence. Matt Lauer: "I see you all typing away on your laptops, and I'm not going to tell you what your headline should be. But the headline we think should be '
Today show crew boringly happy.'" Meredith joked about kissing a monkey on the show earlier that morning: "I can't get over the fact I kissed a monkey this morning. I initiated it, and quite frankly, I can't stop thinking about it."
Continue reading A fourth hour of Today, and Meredith keeps me from falling - TCA Report
Posted Dec 25th 2006 11:08AM by Joel Keller
Filed under: NBC, News, Industry, OpEd, Daytime, Watercooler Talk
So, before I drove down to Rich's homestead this morning, I decided to flip on the
Today show to see what they were doing for Christmas. To my surprise, the entire crew was there: Matt, Meredith, Al, Ann... even Natalie was sitting on the couch, an unusual thing to see before 9 AM. I thought that was a nice gesture on the crew's part, spending Christmas with America before going back to their families. They even said as much, saying they were going to return home to help their families celebrate after the show was over.
Then they turned things over to Lisa Daniels, who was sitting in a separate studio, to do the news and weather. Which is when it hit me: This wasn't live! I mean, think about it: Ann and Al were there in the studio. Why weren't
they doing the news and weather, like they do the rest of the year? Because they probably taped the show two weeks ago, before Matt Lauer and Natalie Morales left on vacation, and they figured viewers would be too awash in wrapping paper and gingerbread to really notice or care.
They're probably right. But why assume the worst about the audience? Tell them up front that the show is on tape; I don't think we'd think any less of
Today because everyone decided to take a day off on Christmas. I'd rather be dealt with honestly than treated like an idiot, wouldn't you?
Posted Dec 23rd 2006 5:37PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
At 8, FOX has a new Cops, followed by a repeat episode and a new America's Most Wanted. - NBC has a new, two hour Dateline at 8.
- TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World at 8.
- ABC Family has Eloise at Christmastime at 8.
- AMC has Patton at 8.
- Diamonds Are Forever airs on Spike at 8.
- Hallmark is showing Christmas movies all night.
- At 9, Food Network has Al Roker's Christmas in New York.
- Also at 9: Showtime has Bruce Campbell in Evil Dead 2.
- At 10, TLC has a new Trading Spaces.
- At 10:30, TBS has National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, followed by The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Posted Dec 21st 2006 1:43PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: NBC, Programming, Daytime, Celebrities
Or maybe America isn't asking why. If the ratings are there, then they must be watching. But I have to wonder: what the hell do these people do that they are watching so many hours of The Today Show in the morning? I mean, I work from home and write about TV, and even I can't imagine having any interest in it. Though I guess I'm not the demographic they're shooting for.
But it's probably coming in 2007. Matt and Meredith won't host it though, and neither would Al or Ann. It would probably go to Access Hollywood's Billy Bush and maybe a co-anchor.
If they actually do a fourth hour of the show, I really hope they have more celebrity interviews! And cooking demonstations! And maybe makeup tips and fashion segments!
Posted Dec 7th 2006 6:41PM by Anna Johns
Filed under: NBC, Watercooler Talk, Talk Show, Ratings
The end of sweeps last week marked
Today's eleventh consecutive year as the number one morning news program in the nation. The big ratings all started in 1995, when Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric hosted together. The addition of Matt Lauer in 1997 only strengthened the show's ratings. And now, with Katie gone to CBS, the addition of Meredith Vieira seems to be fine with viewers. In fact, they seem to really like her since about 20,000 more people are watching
Today than they were at this time last year.
Why is
Today still number one? I think it's simply tradition.
Today was the first of its kind.
Good Morning America and
The Early Show both are copycats of the successful format but neither show has ever been able to match
Today. Even now, the anchors on
Today all seem much more relaxed. The show seems to flow much smoother than
Good Morning America, which is legendary for its awkward transitions, and
The Early Show, which constantly seems to be fumbling. Also, NBC has 'hosts', while the other networks have 'anchors'. NBC gets that the morning programs stopped being about news a long time ago.
[Via
TV Newser]
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