Christmas Mistake, Where Do You Go?, Unreal Reality

 "The View From the Phlipside" is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY.  It can be heard Monday through Friday just after 8 AM and 5 PM.  The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program.  Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moments notice.  WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed.  You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com.  Copyright 2013 by Jay Phillippi.  All Rights Reserved.  You like what you see?  Drop me a line and we can talk.

Program scripts from week of November 24, 2013


My name is Jay Phillippi and I've spent my life in and around the media.  TV, radio, the movies and more.  I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion.  Call this the View from the Phlipside. 

Unreal Reality                                                                                                        

So let’s start off today with a question.  Pretty simple one really.  If you were signed to appear in a reality show, a reality show that was about the work you do, what would you expect?  Doesn’t really matter what you do, the show is about the line of work you’re in rather than about you.  So we’re talking “Deadliest Catch” (which is about crab fishing in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska) versus say “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” (which is about God only knows what).

Well, if you’re like a lot of the folks on these shows you might forget who, or rather what, is the center of the show.  I probably can’t blame them too much.  There you are on the screen, endlessly re-running, with an introduction that might even include your own little “nickname” (“The Hustler”, “The King”).  Oh and the fans!  You will have fans.  Fans who will argue about if you are the best part of the show or the worst.

It has to go to your head eventually.

Which explains a lot of the hubbub over at “Storage Wars”.  If you don’t know the show it’s about the folks who bid to clear out storage lockers after people default on their rentals.  I was a dedicated viewer for a while but the problem is that it all starts to look alike after a while.  The variety is in the personalities of the “cast”.  

So it was no doubt a huge surprise to a couple of the “stars” of the series when the network gave them the axe.  What choice did the producers have though?  You can’t fire the storage lockers.  So once things started to go stale you have only way to make changes.  You rotate out the cast members and replace them with someone who will bring some new schtick to the program.

Which brings us back to the original question?  What would you expect if it were you?  Just in case let me give you a model to follow.  Check Chumlee on the reality show “Pawn Stars”.  He commonly plays the “village idiot” on the show but reports are that he is stashing away the money he makes from doing personal appearances and has founded his own company to market various Chumlee novelties.  Chumlee seems to have figured out that fame in the reality TV game has a shelf life and is making the best of his time in the spotlight.

Turns out the “village idiot” may the smartest guy on TV.  Not the answer you expected, was it?

Where Do You Go?                                                                                                 

More and more of us spend more and more of our time online.  Whether it’s at a desktop computer, a laptop, tablet or on our smartphone we are spending more time keeping in touch with our world virtually.  That means different things for different people.  For some it’s various social media sites.  For others its some form of old school information sites like news, sports and weather.  Add in e-mail, text messages and more and you get the idea.  We spend a LOT of time in the digital universe.

So where do you spend most of your time?  Our browsers, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari, Explorer, whatever, probably tell the story pretty clearly.  Most of us take the chance to make sure we can get to our favorite sites as easily as possible.  You do this by having your browser open to some of those sites in tabs and the rest can be placed on your Favorites bar.  So what would it say us, if we took a look at the stuff we want at easy access?

I offer mine as an example.  My primary browser is Chrome.  When I fire it up it gives my home page at igHome where I can scan news, sports and weather at a glance.  Next it is Facebook, then my blog feeds on Feedly and finally my to do list at Toodledo.  Pretty straight forward stuff.

Under that on the Favorites bar you’ll find links to both Blogger and WordPress for my two blogs (including the one for this program), then a link to MyDrive from Google because that’s where I do things like write these program scripts,  next comes Dropbox where I put the recorded versions of this program so WRFA can download them.  After that is my Netflix link (gotta keep my queue up to date), then MapMyRide to track my workouts (that one doesn’t get used as often as it should).  Finally you’ll my link to HootSuite, the application I use to control my social media posts, Google Play for when I need to have a little music in my life.  Last but not least is PhotoSig, a photo web site that I enjoy and don’t use nearly as much as I’d like.

So what would you learn about me by looking at my browser?  Well, about half of the items are related to the media, and about half of them are related to this program.  Yeah, that worries me a little.  I am both a media consumer and a content provider.

And I probably should work out more.

So where do you go?

Christmas Mistake                                                                                                                   

A couple times over the last few years I’ve taken some time to talk about my favorite Christmas movies.  Now because I’m allegedly very cranky on the subject of when Christmas media like music and movies should first start airing I will not start my annual viewing for another week.  However it’s not too early to start TALKING about the subject.

For this year I offer first some bad news and then some good news.  The bad news is that there are folks out there with no respect and no sense. These are the folks proposing to do a sequel of the Frank Capra classic “It’s A Wonderful Life”.  Worse than that it sounds like they are proposing a really bad sequel.  

My first thought when I read the story was that it was a fake.  But it was reported in “Variety” and several other respected sources seem to indicate that this bad idea is true.  The story says that they are proposing a script where Jimmy Stewart’s character “George Bailey”’s grandson, also named George Bailey, is visited by an angel to show him what the world would be like if Bailey redux had never been born.  That would be bad enough but the latter generation George is an unpleasant person apparently.

Then there’s the stunt casting.  Stunt casting is when you bring in a “name” actor to make an appearance in a movie or TV show.  Think, most of William Shatner’s career.  In this case the actor who played Zuzu Bailey in the original is to play the angel this time.

Feeling nauseated yet?  I could go on but it just makes me crazy.

The good news in all of this is that Paramount still owns the rights to “It’s A Wonderful Life” and all the characters.  They’ve issued a statement that they will block any attempt to make a sequel of any kind.  Let’s hope that they stick to that position.  At the same time it’s called the movie “business” for a reason.

Now if you really want a different take on“It’s A Wonderful Life” I can make a recommendation.  Check out a book called “The Last Temptation of Clarence Odbody” by John “Jughead” Pierson.  Warning, it’s a completely different take on the story.  But it’s pretty interesting.

And that’s all I ask for at Christmas.  Something interesting under the tree.

Call that the View From the Phlipside

NaNoWriMo Update, Oxford Commas and Double Spaces, and The Christmas Music Rant

 "The View From the Phlipside" is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY.  It can be heard Monday through Friday just after 8 AM and 5 PM.  The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program.  Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moments notice.  WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed.  You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com.  Copyright 2013 by Jay Phillippi.  All Rights Reserved.  You like what you see?  Drop me a line and we can talk.

Program scripts from week of November 3, 2013


My name is Jay Phillippi and I've spent my life in and around the media.  TV, radio, the movies and more.  I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion.  Call this the View from the Phlipside. 

Christmas Music Rant                                                                                        

Every year I have a private little rant about Christmas music.  It goes back to the days when I was the Music Director at a certain radio station across town.  Normally this rant takes place, like clockwork, right around Thanksgiving.  

But not this year.  Oh no, I’m going public with it and I’m going public with it right now.  While I was driving in Buffalo this weekend I heard a promo for a radio station that announced they were going all Christmas music beginning November first right through Christmas.  (I am not mentioning their call letters because I don’t want you to encourage them by listening to this abomination)

Remember I said that this silliness usually begins on Thanksgiving weekend.  Well these folks decided to get started on HALLOWEEN weekend!  And that’s just too much for me to bear.

Back when I was Music Director I refused to play Christmas music before December 1.  Let me tell you I got some very angry phone calls and more than a few glares from some of the air staff.  I didn’t apologize for it at the time and I make no apologies for it today.  It’s stupid.  It’s vile.  It’s abominable.  It trivializes both Thanksgiving and Christmas and is an utter sell out to everything wrong with the “holiday season” by giving into the complete commercialization of Christmas.

First, that offends me as a person of faith.  Different story for a different day.  Second, it offends me as a radio person.  It’s stupid, lazy programming.  The reality is that there are only about 37 Christmas songs all told.  There are 100 versions of each one.  Out of all those versions there might be 20 that you want to hear over and over.  For a couple weeks tops.  Instead you are going to hear every awful, idiotic, low rent version of “Blue Christmas” because they have 24 hours a day to fill.  Pop stars singing awful, maudlin arrangements of songs that more often than not are even less musically complex and compelling than the pop drivel they normally record.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love Christmas.  I love Christmas music.  Part of what makes the holidays special is that they’re, well, special.  As the saying goes “Christmas comes but once a year”.  Seems like we’re headed towards Christmas all year long.

That’s just stupid and wrong.  And this is my line in the sand.

Oxford Commas and Double Spaces                                                                   

I need to acknowledge up front this week that I’m going to offend some people.  Not many, mind you.  But some people take what I’m about to discuss very seriously.  And I think it’s utter rubbish.  But it gets a fair amount of discussion around the Interwebs.

You will probably not be surprised to find out that I have a lot of friends who are into words and writing.  Birds of a feather and stuff like that.  Some of these people take the whole language thing quite seriously.  By and large they are people of good humor who can discuss the issues of today’s commentary jokingly.  OK, mostly jokingly.

The center of this great debate are two.  They are the Oxford comma and double spaces following periods.  Yes, I’m serious.  People argue about these things.

I am also aware that more than a few of you have no idea what I’m talking about.  So let’s review.

First, the Oxford comma.  Also known as the serial comma, this is the punctuation which you may insert at the end of a list of items and just before the word “and”.  So you would say “item 1 comma, item 2 comma and item 3.  Except that many of us would omit the comma before the “and”.  Which is perfectly acceptable.  Unless you are a fan of the Oxford comma at which point you enter into long debates about its use.  I will note that there are times when that comma makes a difference in clarity.  At those points it should definitely be used.

The other argument I see my word loving friends having these days (yes, the people need to get lives.  What can I say?) is about the number of spaces following a period at the end of a sentence.  Back in the day when I was learning to type (on an actual typewriter, children!  Can you imagine!) we were taught to use two.  Today the conventional wisdom is that one is sufficient.  The argument seems to center on the difference between proportional and monospaced type fonts.  What does that mean?  Do you really care?  I didn’t think so.  And I doubt you much care about how many spaces are placed after the period.  I do it automatically, without thinking because I’ve been doing it that way for decades.  If for some reason it absolutely must be changed it’s simple with the “Find and Replace” function available on any word processor.

These are things that word nerds argue about.  Pity us and please, go live your lives.  Maybe we’ll follow.

NaNoWriMo Update                                                                                                                   

Week One was not a great week but it wasn't a total disaster.  My total word count for the first week was just over 8,000 words.  That was several thousand behind the curve (to make the 50,000 target you need to average over 1,600 words a day).  My best day was 2,800 but my worst was one day when I wrote nothing at all.  The good news is that I'm still just a couple really good writing days away from catching up.  But Week Two is always the worst.  So we'll see.

Call that the View From the Phlipside

Technology for Christmas, Mail Privacy, RIP Mr Food

 "The View From the Phlipside" is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY.  It can be heard Tuesday through Friday just after 8 AM and 5 PM.  The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program.  Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moments notice.  WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed.  You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com.  Copyright 2012 by Jay Phillippi.  All Rights Reserved.  You like what you see?  Drop me a line and we can talk.

Program scripts from week of December 3, 2012



My name is Jay Phillippi and I've spent my life in and around the media.  TV, radio, the movies and more.  I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion.  Call this the View from the Phlipside. 

Technology for Christmas                                                                                   

I have to admit that the Great American Activity this time of year is something that I absolutely can not abide.  I’m just going to put it out there and I’ll deal with whatever backlash is headed my way.

I hate Christmas shopping.

Don’t get me wrong.  I really enjoy shopping.  In fact my wife and I trade the traditional gender stereotypes when it comes to shopping.  She likes to go in, get what she wants and get out which is the traditional “male” shopping style.  I enjoy window shopping, comparing prices and features and just generally making a project out of it.  Except at Christmas.  You see I hate crowds.  You are all lovely people I am sure.  But when we all get together in a bunch our less desirable personality traits begin to emerge.  Plus there’s the added problem that when that many people all show up at the mall then you end up parking somewhere near Rochester.  Which means I end up having no idea where I parked the car.  Which just adds to the overall level of frustration.

So I think what is being tried at the Mall of the Americas in Minneapolis is a really cool idea.  The super mall has a parking lot with over twelve thousand spaces.  Now they have a text based system that will not only remind you of where the car is parked but also can answer any question you may have about what’s going on at the mall, all done in real time.  You start by texting your location before you leave your car (all the instructions are posted throughout the parking lot.)  Then later in your shopping adventure (and if you’ve never been to the Mall of the Americas let me assure you that shopping there is an adventure.  That place is enormous) you will get a text message with the location of your car.  All provided by actual live customer service reps right there at the mall itself.

Mall of the Americas says it has average over a thousand lost customers every year for a while which is why they added the text service.  Our malls are smaller but I’d bet at Christmas time most of us would consider such a service to be a real gift.

It might even make me a tiny bit less grouchy this time of year.

Mail Privacy                                                                                                          

Privacy is an issue that I’ve talked about many times before on this program.  Privacy covering our personal information, privacy concerning who we are and what we do while we’re online.  The reality is that none of this is particularly easy or clear cut.

For example - we all know that what we post on Facebook or Twitter or any other social media is pretty much public.  There are some ways to control that but the reality is once you put it out there, it’s out there.  Now I would imagine that most of us think that our messages on Facebook are somewhat more private (as compared to posts to our timeline).  And most of us probably presume that our e-mails provide us an even higher level of privacy.

Of course if you follow the news you know that may or may not be true.  E-mails between the former director of the CIA General David Petraeus and his biographer have had massive personal and professional repercussions for Petraeus and the U.S. Intelligence community.

But that required authorization from a court to violate the privacy, right?  Well, it may not be as hard to pull off as we think. For example did you know that if the government wants copies of your e-mails from the last couple months they need to get a court order.  But if they want to see your e-mails that are older than 180 days they don’t need any such thing.  180 days.  So we’re in the first week in December, that would mean anything from this summer and before is pretty much fair game.  

The issue here is that once again the law is trailing real life.  You see we used to store our e-mails on our personal computers.  Now more of us (for example if you use Gmail) keep our e-mail in the Internet “cloud”.  The current law offers limited protection for files stored for more than 180 days on an online server.  There is proposed legislation to change this but at the moment it doesn’t have a great deal of support.

It’s easy to sit back and think that our personal e-mail is part of our private life.  It’s easy to think that we are protected by our Constitutional rights.  Turns out it’s never that simple.

RIP Mr Food

There’s a very special place in the American mythos for the self made man.  We love successful people but our mythology is really built around the person who starts with nothing and makes something out of himself.  It speaks to potential, the American Dream that with a little luck and hard work any of us could be a success.

Two weeks ago we lost one of those great American success stories.  Art Ginsburg passed away back in November.  You probably don’t know that name.  If you do recognize it’s only because of his obituaries.  But you’ve almost surely seen him on TV and maybe even own some of his books.  Art Ginsburg was better known to the world as Mr. Food.

Ginsburg was born in 1931 in Troy New York.  His father was a butcher and that’s what Art grew up to be as well.  The story probably would have ended there except that through a little bit of luck he ended up in the catering business.  His success there led to a local TV station in Schenectady asking him on to do those little drop in bits that are a staple of morning television today.  That grew into a syndicated program that at its peak had 168 affiliates.

Sure there was Julia Child and Graham Kerr but Mr. Food was different.  He had no interest in showing off his arcane knowledge of exotic foods.  Ginsburg was quoted as saying that “...chefs cook for other chefs, I cook for America”.  That meant that he had no problem using canned soups or cake mixes along the way.  The idea was to create good food that didn’t require stuff you couldn’t find in the average American home and to do it quickly and easily.

Along the way Art Ginsburg and his Mr. Food persona became a comfortable and friendly presence.  Maybe you’d start with his stuff and go on to the fancy cooking but you could stay right there with him.  Ginsburg wrote 52 cookbooks that sold over 8 million copies.  He used to record over 200 episodes every year of his show.  He remembered that cooking was about the food we serve our families not a culinary competition.

Along the way he became the great American success story.  And yes, I’ve got to say it,  Oooh, it’s so good.

Art Ginsberg, Mr. Food, was 82 years old.

Call that the View From the Phlipside

View From the Phlipside - Christmas Movies

My name is Jay Phillippi and I've spent my life in and around the media.  TV, Radio, the Movies and more.  I love them and I hate them and I always have an opinion.  Call this the View From the Phlipside.

And the usual ranting about Christmas is well under way. The "Happy Holidays" rant, the "They've stolen Christmas" rant, all the usual suspects. I'm tempted to add a little rant of my own, mostly about how tired I am of the other rants. Instead let’s take a look a something important.  Like the most important Christmas movies and TV specials

It's Christmas. Make of it what you will. Maybe it’s a high holy day for you.  Maybe it’s really about Santa and the swag under the tree.  Maybe it’s just something to be survived.  Go for it.  I intend to revel in the midnight mass at my home parish. Smells and bells, and a full choir and all the decorations. I will rejoice in the arrival of the Messiah and the miracle of it all.
In the meantime let’s focus on what we can agree on.  Movies and TV specials have become an important part of getting ready for the season.  I'm going to enjoy my favorite Christmas specials. I own a copy of just about all of them:
WKRP in Cincinnati Christmas episode - a great show about radio and a great riff on Dickens.

A Charlie Brown Christmas - If I only could have only one this is it.  It’s amazing how well it holds up after all these decades.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - love it.  Yukon Cornelius and stop action animation.

The Homecoming - Christmas with the Waltons. A truly classic Christmas story

How The Grinch Stole Christmas - animated original only, don't bring that other one 'round here.

Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) - The Alistair Sims version or the Mr. Magoo version both classics

White Christmas - yeah, only nominally a true Christmas story but I love it.
A Wish for Wings that Work - OK my natural weirdness bubbles up on this one. This is the Bloom County animated special. It's very hard to find but my most excellent brother got it for me.

Miracle on 34th Street - the original only thank you very much.

There are lots of others out there (I will no doubt get an earful about omitting “A Christmas Story” or “Elf”.  Sorry neither make my cut).  So watch what puts you in the mood, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday and God Bless us everyone!

Call that the View From the Phlipside.

"The View From the Phlipside" airs on WRFA-LP Jamestown NY.  You can listen to WRFA online HERE
Copyright - Jay Phillippi 2010