THE TKTV NEWSLETTER
Season 3, Episode 10 aired March 6, 2000

CONTENTS
1. Intro
2. Kim's Commercial Comments
3. Don't miss
4. TV Trivia
5. Favorite Quotes of the Week
6. A totally unrelated link

1. Intro

I think David Hyde Pierce said it best when, during last night's TV Guide Awards, he wondered whether the television industry really needed another awards show. Of course, after he was holding his TV Guide Award for Favorite Actor in a Comedy, he decided that the answer was yes, they absolutely needed another awards show. He also decided that the people who voted for the TV Guide Awards must be some of the most intelligent people in the world.

I like the idea behind the TV Guide Awards. Having actual television fans and viewers vote on their "favorites" instead of some non-descript Academy or the Hollywood Foreign Press (what is that anyway?) dictating who is "best" is a great concept. But, since I was not personally given an award, I'm going to have to stand up and say that I'm pretty sure the industry doesn't need yet another awards show.

The TV Guide Awards, now in their second year, are definitely the bottom of the barrel. Many awardees don't show up, and often, shows are represented by half of their cast. Particularly telling this year, was when Alex Kingston accepted the award for Favorite Drama for "ER," and mentioned that she felt like "ER" The Next Generation. And it was true, if you looked across the stage, all of the actors there were recent additions to the cast. It was as if the older cast members got to claim seniority and not have to attend yet another boring awards show. "Friends" got an editor's award from TV Guide, which is sort of like their version of a lifetime achievement award, but not one single person from the show was actually there. Instead, they gave a pre-taped thanks from the set of the Central Perk coffee shop.

The amount of filler in the two-hour show was incredible. Two actors from "Whose Line Is It Anyway" tried to imitate TV Guide's Cheers and Jeers section, and did everything from cheer the audience watching the awards show to jeer the press interviewing stars backstage (I thought it was taken a bit far when the "jeers" guy claimed the press were just normal people missing a chromosome). Boring!

TV Guide also ran a contest to find TV's #1 fan (which I probably should have entered), and had people send in videotape of themselves listing reasons why they should be picked. Although viewing the tapes between awards was originally entertaining (and made me feel incredibly normal for watching the amount of TV that I do), it quickly got pathetic, and by the time they showed us the winner I was no longer interested.

They also wasted what must have been at least six minutes showing the runner up #1 TV fan learning how to be a trophy girl and going to Trophy Girl University (escorted by the dynamic yet annoying Kathy Griffin ("Suddenly Susan")). Basically, it was a series of shots of women in evening gowns sitting in classrooms, lifting weights, carrying trophies, making trophies, and looking at play diagrams in the gym. It was maybe as funny as a really bad "Saturday Night Live" skit.

The only thing I appreciated about the show were the awards themselves. I thought many more deserving awardees got their dues at this show than say, they did at the Golden Globes. Favorite actor in a new show went to a gracious Martin Sheen for his role on "The West Wing" as president of the United States. He used a call-sheet for the show to give his thanks, but made sure to give special credit where credit was due to the wonderful writer, Aaron Sorkin. Amy Brenneman was awarded favorite actress in a new show for her title role on "Judging Amy." "Judging Amy" also got favorite new show. Although I think "The West Wing" better deserved that honor, I was glad to see "Judging Amy" get it. And, of course, my favorite part of the show was seeing "Sports Night" get the award for the best show you're not watching. Star Peter Krause gave a great acceptance speech, joking that he wondered how people voted in this category, hoping that "Sports Night" would not get the same honor next year and, of course, lauding the skills of writer Aaron Sorkin (am I obsessed or what?).

My favorite moment in the drawn-out show was Kevin James's presentation of the award for Favorite Game Show. He joked that this award held about as much suspense as a Harlem Globetrotters game. I was also glad to see "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" get Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show and Favorite Teen Show, even though formal awards weren't given out for these honors. "Buffy," often ignored by the more traditional Emmys and Golden Globes because of its campy nature, deserves more acclaim for its riveting story-telling, beautifully choreographed action scenes, and precise comedic timing.

So, for the millions of you people who missed last night's show, you didn't miss much. But for the millions of you who did watch it (there was nothing else on TV except reruns and an episode of "Jack & Jill" after all), wasn't it nice to finally see someone new get an award? Not once did Kelsey Grammer or David Duchovny get on stage.

Keep an eye out for the TKTV Newsletter a little bit early next week. I'll probably be sending it out sometime early Sunday afternoon because I'll be all tied up for the following few days. Have a good week!

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2. Kim's Commercial Comments

This week I'm not going to waste your time with a lot of small talk. You're reading this for the commercial reviews, right? So here goes...

What spot has me laughing? Aflac: Duck

I was fairly certain this one was a regional spot until it turned up on adcritic.com. I'm so excited because I was dying to tell you guys all about it!!!

A couple of businessmen are sitting on a park bench. They're apparently having a serious discussion. As we get closer, we hear what they're saying. One of the guys is giving his friend advice on buying insurance. They're discussing how they just aren't getting the coverage they're looking for with their current insurance.

An overly-aggressive duck approaches the two men and quacks "AFLAC" at all the appropriate pauses in the conversation. The men are oblivious to exactly _what_ the duck is quacking.

It's completely silly, but it makes me laugh... and that's the point, right?

What spot has me cringing? Visa Checkcard: Jason Alexander

He may have been great on Seinfeld, but Jason Alexander is not doing anything outstanding with this new Visa Checkcard commercial. The spot features Alexander and a woman, presumably on a date. They are standing outside a movie theatre. He is behaving awkwardly and seems to be embarrassed.

The two exchange thank you's for the good time they've had. Alexander's character concludes with "And next time I promise to bring enough cash for both of us..." His date looks embarassed, too. She smiles politely and begins to walk away.

He then heads over the the concession counter, hands the clerk his Visa checkcard. The clerk swipes it, gives him a mischevious grin, and up comes the announcer.

A little more than slightly annoying, I'd recommend going for the remote when you see this one coming!

Note from TK: I believe the woman in the Visa Checkcard ad is Kari Wuhrer. You might remember her as Ariel, the girl with whom David cheated on Donna in the back of a limo on "Beverly Hills 90210," or as Maggie Beckett in later seasons of the sci-fi series "Sliders."

TKTV is always looking for new guest writers. Do you have an idea for an article? Write to TK with the subject of "guestwriter."

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3. Don't miss

For details and lots more fun TV to look forward to, see
http://www.tktv.net/index.html?/upcoming.html

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4. TV Trivia

Last week's question was: what is the name of the family dog on "Judging Amy?"

Wow, okay, so I guess this one was too hard. Or, everyone was just too lazy to go look at the TKTV Judging Amy site and look around. In any case, I got absolutely NO answers to his question. The dog, who I think is a Bloodhound, is named Socrates.

This week's question will hopefully be easier. In which movie did "That '70's Show" star Tanya Roberts play a Bond girl? Bonus if you know her character's name.

Don't forget, this trivia quiz is sponsored by myTVshop, where you can get all your favorite TV merchandise.
http://www.mytvshop.com

Send answers to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of tvtrivia. Winners will be chosen at random from all the correct answers.

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5. Favorite Quotes of the Week

From Jesse
Kurt: "Here's a movie tip. If the Nazis are enjoying themselves, the film probably isn't over."

From Malcolm in the Middle
Lois: "Fate is just what you call it when don't know the name of the person screwing you over."

From The Practice
Clyde: "I didn't know he was a rabbi, I swear I didn't know!"
Jimmy: "I understand this, but Clyde, whether you knew he was a rabbi or not it was still illegal for you to kill him."

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6. A totally unrelated link

The Satyr - The Official Carpet of Birdcages Everywhere

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Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like.