Friday, April 28, 2017
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
I Give You Guys A Complement And What Happens?!?
HAPPENING NOW....(April 27) Two days after this reporter praises ESPN's MIKE AND THE MAD DOG documentary, they up and lay off more than 100 on-air personalities! I thought ESPN was more profitable than all the other Disney properties INCLUDING Marvel, Lucasfilm, Animation and the parks. Wha happen?
No matter what you subscribe to, say a prayer before you go to bed tonight for all the ESPNers who have been relieved of their duties. Bill O'Reilly may deserve what was coming to him, but all the people who were known to sports fans from coast to coast certainly don't! I hope they come...all...the...way BACKBACKBACK! ESPN deserves a penalty for unnecessary roughness!
Steve
No matter what you subscribe to, say a prayer before you go to bed tonight for all the ESPNers who have been relieved of their duties. Bill O'Reilly may deserve what was coming to him, but all the people who were known to sports fans from coast to coast certainly don't! I hope they come...all...the...way BACKBACKBACK! ESPN deserves a penalty for unnecessary roughness!
Steve
Monday, April 24, 2017
Steve's Movie Blog: Every (Mad) Dog Has His Day
If you've listened to Mike Francesa's afternoon drive program on Sports Radio 101.9 FM and Sports Radio 66 WFAN in New York for the past 20 or so years, you know he's not the biggest ESPN fan in the universe, so you know something's gotta give when he agrees to participate in an episode of their acclaimed 30 FOR 30 documentary series (originally designed as a series of thirty documentaries to celebrate the Worldwide Leader's 30th Anniversary when it premiered in 2009) detailing his on- and off-air relationship with fellow sports talk personality Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo. This reporter had the pleasure to see MIKE AND THE MAD DOG (also the title of their long-running talk show which was simulcast on YES until just recently when Yankee radio sportscaster Michael Kay took over the simulcast time slot) at the Tribeca Film Festival in Lower Manhattan, (Since Robert deNiro founded the TFF as a means to stimulate the economy of the area after the events of 9/11, let me tell you that there's a scene in this movie about Mike and the Dog's reaction to the attack, and, without giving anything away, their Jewish fans and friends were not too happy.), and if your DVR allows it, set it for ESPN on July 17, because that's when this home run of a movie airs.
Not just a tribute to the titular hosts and the trend that started that has made sports talk an important format not just in the USA, but also in North America, the UK and elsewhere, but also a tribute to New York sports and the fans who love them, MMD relies on interviews with colleagues, competitors, and athletes and obviously copious amounts of research to tell the story of (A) the greatest creative collaboration since Lennon and McCartney and (B) the most explosive sports partnership since George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin. These two men turned a sports station with only one authentic New York voice (its first talk host Suzyn Waldman) into a bonafide voice for sports fans from the Bronx to Newark and everywhere in between. Find out what happened when the man who put them on the air was fired and they had to pinch-hit for him, when the inmates ran the asylum, and the surprise reunion last year at Francesa-con, Mike's annual fan gathering at punk palace Irving Plaza. (I wonder what will happen when Mike's contract with the FAN expires. We shall see what we shall see.)
You don't have to be a sports fan to SEE IT, but hey, it doesn't hurt! Sir Noel Coward once said, "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun." Change that to "Mad Dog and Francesa", because that's where they shone for two decades, especially in the toughest media market (and sports city) in the world.
As Chris used to say at the end of every show,
Adios!
Steve
Not just a tribute to the titular hosts and the trend that started that has made sports talk an important format not just in the USA, but also in North America, the UK and elsewhere, but also a tribute to New York sports and the fans who love them, MMD relies on interviews with colleagues, competitors, and athletes and obviously copious amounts of research to tell the story of (A) the greatest creative collaboration since Lennon and McCartney and (B) the most explosive sports partnership since George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin. These two men turned a sports station with only one authentic New York voice (its first talk host Suzyn Waldman) into a bonafide voice for sports fans from the Bronx to Newark and everywhere in between. Find out what happened when the man who put them on the air was fired and they had to pinch-hit for him, when the inmates ran the asylum, and the surprise reunion last year at Francesa-con, Mike's annual fan gathering at punk palace Irving Plaza. (I wonder what will happen when Mike's contract with the FAN expires. We shall see what we shall see.)
You don't have to be a sports fan to SEE IT, but hey, it doesn't hurt! Sir Noel Coward once said, "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun." Change that to "Mad Dog and Francesa", because that's where they shone for two decades, especially in the toughest media market (and sports city) in the world.
As Chris used to say at the end of every show,
Adios!
Steve
Friday, April 21, 2017
Open Letter To The Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
103 Orchard Street
New York, New York 10002
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I believe a lot of my readers from coast to coast and border to border may have heard of your excellent museum (To call it a "museum" seems like an injustice! I believe "interactive immersive learning experience" would be more accurate.) as a result of a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE bit starring guest host Louis C.K. ("Louie" on FX and his own Netflix comedy specials) and Kate McKinnon (unless I miss my guess), but when I visited the gift shop recently, I was surprised to hear that even with the exposure to a new audience, your attendance has stayed pretty much the same! (Anybody who hasn't seen that bit can visit http://www.nbc.com/snl, download the SNL app on Siri, or view "SNL 04-08-17" on demand from their cable or satellite provider or Hulu.)
In recent years, Colonial Williamsburg has benefited from performances from actors such as Mamie Gummer, ("Manhattan" on WGN America, "Ricki and The Flash" opposite her mother, Meryl Streep, and "Emily Owens,M.D." on The CW) and Isiah Washington ("Grey's Anatomy"), to give but two examples, and not only have these actors felt pleased to make history come alive for guests but these guests have also learned the history of their country from "people who were there" and been pleasantly surprised when they have found out who has been representing these fascinating and very real characters.
I would like to suggest that the Tenement Museum enlist the services of some of the latest crop of "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" to bring the people who made New York the gorgeous mosaic it is today to life for a new generation during the summer months. (I sure hope NYC & Company's campaign to win back European tourists works!) Not only would it provide an excellent opportunity for these talented actors and actresses to hone their craft and maintain their edge but it would also show SNL fans a different side of them as well as make history more accessible, interesting, and, well....COOL! These past few months have shown us that SNL is not just a funny late night show, but also a vital and vibrant commentary on today's world, and employing the services of SNL's cast members would make an already exciting museum even moreso.
Yours very truly,
Steven L. Eisenpreis
copies to:@nbcsnl
103 Orchard Street
New York, New York 10002
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I believe a lot of my readers from coast to coast and border to border may have heard of your excellent museum (To call it a "museum" seems like an injustice! I believe "interactive immersive learning experience" would be more accurate.) as a result of a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE bit starring guest host Louis C.K. ("Louie" on FX and his own Netflix comedy specials) and Kate McKinnon (unless I miss my guess), but when I visited the gift shop recently, I was surprised to hear that even with the exposure to a new audience, your attendance has stayed pretty much the same! (Anybody who hasn't seen that bit can visit http://www.nbc.com/snl, download the SNL app on Siri, or view "SNL 04-08-17" on demand from their cable or satellite provider or Hulu.)
In recent years, Colonial Williamsburg has benefited from performances from actors such as Mamie Gummer, ("Manhattan" on WGN America, "Ricki and The Flash" opposite her mother, Meryl Streep, and "Emily Owens,M.D." on The CW) and Isiah Washington ("Grey's Anatomy"), to give but two examples, and not only have these actors felt pleased to make history come alive for guests but these guests have also learned the history of their country from "people who were there" and been pleasantly surprised when they have found out who has been representing these fascinating and very real characters.
I would like to suggest that the Tenement Museum enlist the services of some of the latest crop of "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" to bring the people who made New York the gorgeous mosaic it is today to life for a new generation during the summer months. (I sure hope NYC & Company's campaign to win back European tourists works!) Not only would it provide an excellent opportunity for these talented actors and actresses to hone their craft and maintain their edge but it would also show SNL fans a different side of them as well as make history more accessible, interesting, and, well....COOL! These past few months have shown us that SNL is not just a funny late night show, but also a vital and vibrant commentary on today's world, and employing the services of SNL's cast members would make an already exciting museum even moreso.
Yours very truly,
Steven L. Eisenpreis
copies to:@nbcsnl
Friday, April 14, 2017
Spring Has Sprung! The Grass Has Riz! Wonder Where Steve's Blog Is?
You've found it, with a brand new look to boot. You likey?
If you're one of our international readers, don't let the wacko we made the mistake of electing king keep you away from the Big Apple. There are a LOT of reasons to come over, such as the new Broadway productions AMELIE, PRESENT LAUGHTER, and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG (Inexpilicably produced by J.J. Abrams!), the Yankees and Mets, the Rangers in the playoffs, (Knicks fans, I'm afraid you're gonna have to wait till next year!) the NYC Football Club and the New York Red Bulls, and the New York International Automobile Show, here until April 23 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on 11th Avenue in Manhattan. This show is chock-a-block with the newest models such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the Nissan Rogue, and the Chevrolet Traverse and Ford EcoSport, AND if you visit on April 18th, you get to see the world famous WABC-TV Eyewitness News van and meet the reporters who have made ABC 7 NY a frequent ratings leader, at no extra charge! For tickets and more information, drive over to http://www.autoshowny.com . There's always VROOM for one more!
For little Stevie Eisenpreis growing up in Manhattan, spring always meant the arrival of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, the Greatest Show on Earth and talent such as the animal trainer Gunther Gebel Williams, clowns Emmett Kelly, Jr. and Lou Jacobs, and, OF COURSE, the world famous elephants at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, RB/BB is folding its tent for the last time this year due to declining ticket sales and increased pressure from PETA and the like, but if you like a good circus at the Garden, take the fam to CIRCUS 1903:THE GOLDEN AGE OF CIRCUS at The Theatre at MSG until the end of the month. Named for, and set in the year when the Ringlings and P.T. Barnum and James A. Bailey merged their respective shows, 1903 unites today's greatest circus performers (Spoiler Alert: Where are the clowns?) and provides an immersive entertainment experience, and don't worry, no animals were harmed in the making of this circus! The show's pachyderm stars, Queenie and Peanut, are played by the puppeteers behind the West End and Broadway sensation WAR HORSE. The magic will live forever, but the show won't, so step right up to http://www.circus1903.com ! It's not the GREATEST Show on Earth, but hey, it will do!
Unfortunately, I can't bid you adieu without acknowledging the passing of rock and roll icons J.Geils and Chuck Berry or Eddie Murphy's brother and fellow comic Charlie as well as Mr. Warmth, Don Rickles.. Heaven is a more entertaining place.
Until next time, have a great holiday season, support the advertisers who DON'T support THE O'REILLY FACTOR, and...
Bye Buckaroos!
Steve
If you're one of our international readers, don't let the wacko we made the mistake of electing king keep you away from the Big Apple. There are a LOT of reasons to come over, such as the new Broadway productions AMELIE, PRESENT LAUGHTER, and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG (Inexpilicably produced by J.J. Abrams!), the Yankees and Mets, the Rangers in the playoffs, (Knicks fans, I'm afraid you're gonna have to wait till next year!) the NYC Football Club and the New York Red Bulls, and the New York International Automobile Show, here until April 23 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on 11th Avenue in Manhattan. This show is chock-a-block with the newest models such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the Nissan Rogue, and the Chevrolet Traverse and Ford EcoSport, AND if you visit on April 18th, you get to see the world famous WABC-TV Eyewitness News van and meet the reporters who have made ABC 7 NY a frequent ratings leader, at no extra charge! For tickets and more information, drive over to http://www.autoshowny.com . There's always VROOM for one more!
For little Stevie Eisenpreis growing up in Manhattan, spring always meant the arrival of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, the Greatest Show on Earth and talent such as the animal trainer Gunther Gebel Williams, clowns Emmett Kelly, Jr. and Lou Jacobs, and, OF COURSE, the world famous elephants at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, RB/BB is folding its tent for the last time this year due to declining ticket sales and increased pressure from PETA and the like, but if you like a good circus at the Garden, take the fam to CIRCUS 1903:THE GOLDEN AGE OF CIRCUS at The Theatre at MSG until the end of the month. Named for, and set in the year when the Ringlings and P.T. Barnum and James A. Bailey merged their respective shows, 1903 unites today's greatest circus performers (Spoiler Alert: Where are the clowns?) and provides an immersive entertainment experience, and don't worry, no animals were harmed in the making of this circus! The show's pachyderm stars, Queenie and Peanut, are played by the puppeteers behind the West End and Broadway sensation WAR HORSE. The magic will live forever, but the show won't, so step right up to http://www.circus1903.com ! It's not the GREATEST Show on Earth, but hey, it will do!
Unfortunately, I can't bid you adieu without acknowledging the passing of rock and roll icons J.Geils and Chuck Berry or Eddie Murphy's brother and fellow comic Charlie as well as Mr. Warmth, Don Rickles.. Heaven is a more entertaining place.
Until next time, have a great holiday season, support the advertisers who DON'T support THE O'REILLY FACTOR, and...
Bye Buckaroos!
Steve
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