Letters From Bobby

Tom Snyder died. Last year, some of his best editions of Tomorrow, the late night show he hosted on NBC came out on DVD. He provided lots of great conversation with great guests back when lots of us babyboomers were kids and considering a career in broadcast. Tom and I graduated from the school, Marquette University in Milwaukee. He returned to campus to broadcast one of his shows from there, when the university was christening its new performing arts theatre. He was very generous with his time when some of us “showbiz hopefuls” wanted some advice. Tom Snyder is gone. Now read my entry under this one to see what kind of talent is on networks now. In a word — “oy.”

Remember the 1987 film written and directed by James L. Brooks called Broadcast News? I love that film, especially because I have years of TV newsroom experience and it rang true. Holly Hunter was perfect as the workaholic, wonderful news producer who fought to keep what was right and true on the air. Substance, to her, counted more than looks. But change was in the air. Albert Brooks played the reporter who deserved to be an anchorman but, despite his skills, he didn’t have the right TV look. He wasn’t cute enough for corporate, if you will.

Think of what Holly Hunter’s character fought to keep in her newsroom and on her news program in that movie. Now watch this interview of Holly Hunter on ABC by a rookie reporter who was generous enough to plug another network at the end of their chat. This is network news talent.

I rarely watch it, but yesterday I turned on Access Hollywood. Billy Bush reported that my co-worker, Whoopi Goldberg, is going to become a regular on ABC’s weekday chatfest, The View. I hadn’t heard that. Then I read it in the online edition of The Los Angeles Times.

I’m off to go do our radio show this morning. Maybe she’ll make a statement. Sometimes the co-workers are the last to know. PS — I saw a new movie bio that starred Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony. It begins with JLo as the middle-aged wife talking about her late salsa music legend husband. JLo was in character make-up that included padding to make her butt look bigger. When she stood up, she resembled a cello case with hair. Can you imagine being the production crewmember who had that assignment first thing in the morning?

UPDATE: “We’ll know later today.” That’s a quote from my Oscar-winning buddy said into my left ear during a commercial break on this morning’s radio broadcast while we were sitting side by side.

She writes about in the current edition of O magazine.

TV icon and broadcast multi-millionaire Oprah Winfrey was walking some of her dogs on her Santa Barbara, California estate. When she returned to the house, she was shocked. Her 2 year old golden retriever, Gracie, was dead on the carpet. Gracie had choked on a little plastic ball left behind by Oprah’s 12 year old cocker spaniel. Oprah wrote that she “…stood there dazed, stunned, crying…” as security guards began pumping Gracie’s chest before pronouncing the pooch dead and taking the canine body away on a golf cart.

Winfrey went on to write that Gracie’s death reminded her “…to enjoy life but remember to slow down…” And, one might add, remember to keep little balls out of your mouth, too.

The 12 year old cocker spaniel was taken away for questioning and released shortly thereafter. But there has been some speculation that the older housepet may have left the ball out on purpose because of jealous feelings towards Gracie. The speculation comes from the fact that, when security guards rushed to the scene in attempts to revive the young golden retriever, the older cocker spaniel watched without emotion and was oddly dressed just like Barbara Stanwyck in the classic film DOUBLE INDEMNITY.