Oprah/ Dr. Oz/ Jay Leno--view from the sidelines

It's premiere week and Oprah's back with a bang and WHITNEY. I couldn't stop watching. Overall it was a very good interview but I could have done without the fawning. It was so obvious Whitney got to Oprah. If you don't believe me check out part 2 --35 min into the show the "I prayed this morning...me too" part. If you still don't believe me check out WH's performance 45 min in and watch for the cut-away of Oprah crying and singing . I rest my case. BTW, the stage looked stunning. I have to say, it was dishy and it was great to see Whitney walk down those stairs. Everyone loves a redemption story and Whitney delivered big time. Tomorrow, O plays catch up on the Michael Jackson story--a make good for being away when he died. Can't wait. A friend told me that Wendy Williams was dishing the Oprah interview...sorry I missed that.

Oprah spawn Dr. OZ premiered yesterday. I really like Dr. Oz, but the show was flat. I expected a bigger launch. Shoot for the moon your competition, THE DOCTORS has a head start, a decent audience and "hit status." The show lead with Laura Berman's a great therapist but she's done the errogenous zones 100 times 100 different places not new and a surprise choice for day 1. OMG please don't make American's Doctor (Oprah's tag) do crazy dances. I dont' think it serves him well to look like a would be contestant on Dancing with the stars.

Jay, was nervous. Wouldn't you be nervous if your job was to save the network and change the television landscape? He landed Kanye 1st interview after the VMA's... facebook & twitter were a buzz. In a soft and gentle fashion he asked the perfect question, "what would his mother have thought of his actions?" Knockout! Seinfeld, Oprah via satelite not shabby. Also on the show a cute bit in the car wash that went on too long...must have been a deluxe wash. The Obama remix with Jay was the best comedy bit in my humble opinion. I watched tonight...he's already more relaxed--you can never count out Jay Leno.

Neda

I've been out of town for two weeks and today was the day I planned to catch up on stacks of mail and pay bills. Instead I spent the majority of the day watching CNN. I couldn't change the channel because I couldn’t believe what was happening in IRAN or to a young woman identified as Neda.

I watched shocking amateur cell-phone video of Neda covered in blood. A sniper had shot her. All who watched, and there were millions of us, bore witness to the horrific images of her music teacher frantically trying to keep her alive. I am haunted by the image of this girl slipping from life before our very eyes. I have two daughters and my heart hurts for this family. Their pain would be more than I could bear.

I have an image of women in the Middle East that right or wrong is my perception of women in that region. These women are repressed and mere pawns of men that do little to advance their place in the world. They are most often draped from head to toe in black, sometimes with only their eyes showing. What I watching for days on CNN does not match that image. There are so many brave young women risking their lives over there. They are wearing black but their hands hold rocks or their arms are raised in defiance. They march in step with men with whom they share one thing in common; they want to change their future. That was something I never expected to see. It's easy to dismiss these people. It's easy to think they're all nuts or terrorists or enemies of America but if you've been watching TV or following twitter or Facebook you can't think that way anymore. How different are they from us? They want what we want...to be free, to have a voice.

I have such respect for the Iranians but more specifically the women. I respect their courage. They are so young, so hopeful. Their adult lives are just beginning like Neda's should have been. There is a history in Iran of horrible things happening to those who stand up to the government. They disappear; they're picked up and put away for decades or worse they are murdered like Neda. I see in them something that touches my soul. We have common ground. Don't we all want to love, live a full life and be mourned when we die? Neda, who represents so many others, should not have died. She was murdered and we all saw it. We saw her teacher trying to save her. We saw her take her last breath.

My daughter told me this morning she had trouble sleeping last night so she put on the TV; she watched what was going on in IRAN. She saw Neda die and she said she couldn't stop crying. I know exactly how she feels.

OPRAH'S BACK FROM SKYPEVILLE

I always watch Oprah's show and I have been watching since she came on the scene in the 80's. I've noticed over the past year that it hasn't been as strong as in the past. Don't get me wrong. Hands down Oprah rocks, her shows changes lives, and opinions and actually helped change the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Recently there's been shift in focus. It happens. A few years back a new Executive Producer took the reins and it rained stars. They were everywhere, all the time. Real people took a back seat to the Hollywood A List during that period. I imagine (I’m making this part up) that Oprah got tired of it and said, ENOUGH, give me substance; I want to empower and enlighten my audience, enough already with all things that glitter. And even though the show had stellar ratings they made a shift.

She makes these shifts often and without fallout --and there's been one this season. It's obvious someone is trying to save money or try something hip and as a result you see far too many guests via SKYPE instead of in the studio. Big stars appear via SKYPE-- like Owen Wilson and tons of others whose names escape me at the moment. Owen stands out because he was at home with some out of control dog, it looked stupid and he appeared uncomfortable. Hey if I were a celeb and I had the option of sitting at home on camera or flying to Chicago, I'd pick home. But if I waited a lifetime for tickets and was in the audience for a show with a big deal SKYPE guest I would feel incredibly gypped. Everyday can’t be Oprah’s favorite things day…but can’t the guy selling something at least show up in studio? I’m getting off track.

I don't like SKYPE; I like Oprah sitting right next to someone on the couch. I get why they do it. It saves tons of money. Daytime TV audiences are getting smaller, ad money is drying up. It makes sense but I don’t think it makes for great TV.

I love what's been happening over the past couple of weeks. The show's gotten back to what made it great-- Oprah and someone sitting next to her with a compelling story that touches everyone. I NEVER thought I'd watch an entire show with Star Jones but it was riveting and it did plenty to showcase Ms. Jones humanity. And didn't you think Tonya Harding was old news? Me too. Couldn't stop watching it. The McCann’s were riveting & heartbreaking, and I expect that Elizabeth Edwards talking for the first time about her public humiliation will be as well. You don't need window dressing all you need is Oprah and those kinds of guests and it's amazing TV.

PS-- The LIVE Friday shows need work.... but they're getting there. More on that later.

DRINKING WITH HODA & KATHIE LEE

I just turned on Hoda & Kathie Lee and they’re drinking mojita’s or something exotic. What’s up? They were drinking cocktails yesterday too. Is that a good idea at 10 AM? They’re dressed like they’re going to a beach party. Hoda is showing some major CLEAVAGE. The set is a mess, flags and crap everywhere. I think Kathie Lee is already BUZZED. What is this show?


Host chat--They’re talking about a guy that retired from NBC who had a great going away party, KL wasn’t invited. I didn’t get an invite either…don’t know the guy (actually I do…he's a nice guy) but if I were a Viewer sitting at home WHY would I care about this?


Ah, moving on to news stories…first up, a woman that went ape shit at McDonalds over McNuggets (who cares), gold parties (old news), Map of South America and a mini quiz (ugh). Lesson from THE VIEW--what they do so well is pick topics everyone cares about. The hosts have different POV's. Elizabeth drives me crazy but I know it’s a better show because she's there. There's always the possibility of fireworks and I love it.


The party girls are now talking soccer -- off stage, waiting in the wings, there’s a penguin. I AM NOT KIDDING. Cocktails—news—soccer—penguins????? You don’t see that line-up everyday in daytime.

They’re back from the break and they just brought a monkey on the set who almost immediately starts attacking KL biting her and pulling her hair. HELLO, They obviously missed the news story about the recent Ape attack.

Hoda always looks like she’s waiting for KL to step in it and she’s there with the shovel to clean up the mess. This is a train wreck and train wrecks usually work in TV but not here. These women have personalities…like them or not, and I do like them, they're accomplished-- in news and in talk. They have to shake this up. The first producer, for this show, always booked great looking guys--eye candy. I don't care if that's politically correct or not, it was a better show when it first started.

KL just said, as she was holding a chinchilla, that she couldn’t believe that people make coats out of these cute little things.

OMG, I NEED A DRINK!!

A $3,000 DAY

Since I’m not working I really have no routine. I get up at all different times—mostly before 9 am…but last wk I actually slept till noon. I’ve been recovering from a broken shoulder and I didn’t really sleep for 3 months so I gave myself permission to “catch up.” I felt I deserved it.

Some mornings I go out and get food or a paper, but only on good weather days. If it’s raining, cold, gray forget it…chances are I’m staying in until something or someone gets me out of the house. That could be coffee or a cheap lunch with a friend who is also not working. For the past 2 wks a friend was visiting from out of town. He was here to hustle up work. I lived vicariously through him. If he had a pitch meeting I got psyched. If it didn’t go well…I was down. It was a roller coaster 2 weeks but it was more fun than the status quo. We talked about our careers, our futures, MONEY.

Everyone is talking about money. All my friends and family are worried about it.

I’ve didn’t want to checking on my 401 K, I guess I just didn’t want to know the damage. It’s not a great deal of money but over the good years it’s grown. I can’t retire on it but it’s certainly a lifeline. The first time, I went online to check my account I’d lost money but not enough to alarm me. Two months later, I'd lost 1/3 of what I’d saved. I still didn't FREAK OUT. Everything changed this morning. Between Fridays close of business and this morning—and remember no business over the wkend so we’re talking one day-- I lost three thousand dollars in 24 hours.

I have only spent $3k in one day once in my lifetime. It was for an Apple laptop when they first came on the market. I got ripped off but it was a present to myself after a horrific job where I got “beat up” daily. I felt I deserved it--kind of like sleeping in because of the broken shoulder.

I used that computer for 5 years. Not a bad investment in the scheme of things. Yesterday, wasn’t’ a shopping spree, I didn’t have a great time that I will remember forever. There was no vacation with family or a great purchase that will last for years. Yesterday was just another day except for one thing-- I lost more in one day than I’ve ever earned in the same amount of time…and I never even left my home office/bedroom.

Whose living inside my body?

Some strange, nosey, butt-in-sky has taken over my body and I don't know what to do about it. Yesterday a man in a bright yellow/orange workman's vest got in the elevator on my floor. For some reason, I did what no one in NYC does, I asked him where he worked. Time Warner cable he said with a smile at which point I went on a tirade about the service or lack there of; complained that my Oscar party had to be canceled because I couldn't get a picture and that my phone and computer both were also on the fritz and also under their domain. By the time we made the short, but what must have felt like a very long trip to him from the 4th floor to the lobby-- I was demanding a 3 day credit. Next stop, my house guest-- just as he was about to leave for a meeting, I felt compelled to comment on his outfit. I told him he looked like a homeless man. I let nothing go. I comment on everything. I write the government, my Senator other people's Senators, ...send the President notes on his performance, there isn't a network I don't send notes to including Cable. I even questioned my favorite neighborhood diner's decision to build a really ugly, gigantic fish tank? Why do I care? Apparently it's making someone happy. I know when I'm flying above my body--watching the crazy person I've become, that something's not right but I can't stop. Back to my house guest. I sent him an email apologizing for making such a rude comment about his appearance. He thanked me for it, and then the next morning as he was about to leave for yet another meeting I said it AGAIN. He really should dress better.