From Deseret News archives:
Kelley sells out to reality
He's announced he's working a reality series for NBC.
This would be the same David E. Kelley who was so incensed by the proliferation of reality shows that, just a few months ago, he said network chiefs should be ashamed of themselves for putting them on the air, telling TV critics that TV's "dirty little secret" is that programmers will do just about anything to get ratings.
"No one's denying TV is a business," he said. "But the people in charge of this business . . . at one time championed the idea that we are in this business . . . because we get to make TV shows, we get to make this fantasy world that we're proud of and bring it to the American public. But today, they celebrate the junk.
"As long as they get high ratings, they will do it. And where they were ashamed of it, now they'll throw a parade for themselves."
Kelley did more than just talk about how he hates reality shows. He did a very pointed episode of "The Practice," in which a woman took a network chief (played by real-life CBS chief Les Moonves) hostage and threatened to kill him while pitching him a reality show based on the entire incident.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the only show Kelley has on the air this fall is "Fleet Street," the spinoff of "The Practice." And whose last couple of series "girls club" and "The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire" were canceled almost as soon as they premiered.
This new, untitled show is for "future broadcast," which means they don't really have a clue when they'll put it on the air.
He may have sold out, but at least he's honest. Kelley issued a statement that said, "In success, we should be as enlightening as we are entertaining. In failure, we'll stink."
ALREADY CHANGING: We're still more than three months away from the premiere of CBS's fall schedule, and the network has already changed it a bit.
It's still going to air the same three shows on Saturday nights that it announced last month, just in a different order.
Instead of "48 Hours Investigates" at 7 p.m., "Amazing Race" at 8 p.m. and "Crimetime Saturday" (repeats of the various "CSIs," "Without A Trace" and "Cold Case") at 9 p.m., now it will be "Amazing Race" at 7 p.m., "Crimetime" at 8 p.m. and "48 Hours Investigates" at 9 p.m.
Got that?
Frankly, I'm just so happy that "Amazing Race" will be back, I don't care when they air it. I'll just set the VCR (or the Tivo, if I ever get that hooked up and figure it out) for an hour earlier.
Don't be surprised if other networks shuffle their schedules a bit before fall arrives.
E-mail: pierce@desnews.com
Comments
- Eagles rally for another late win 2:52 p.m.
- 4 police officers shot dead in Wash. 2:47 p.m.
- Bengals run over Browns 2:43 p.m.
- Seattle makes it 10 in row over Rams 2:37 p.m.
- Colts remain perfect with win 2:31 p.m.
- The joy of a baby's love 2:26 p.m.
- Holiday shopping mildly encouraging 2:17 p.m.
- Woods cancels meeting with police 2:09 p.m.
- Venezuelan banks to be nationalized? 2:02 p.m.
- USA Today Top 25 Poll 1:48 p.m.
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- BYU is champion of the state
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Credit Coug defense for win
- Field goals, penalties doomed Utes
- Cougar defense rose to occasion
- Marriage definitions vary widely
- Jones' joy for life remembered
- Cave to be sealed with body inside
- Banged up Jazz get best of Blazers
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
616 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
458 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - BYU is champion of the state
119 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
117 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
115 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
89 - Hall's legacy measured today
77 - Y. focused on 10-win season
73
As distressing as it was to see KUTV's longtime vice president/general...
Utah fans- both BYU and Utah- in general are way too thin skinned. We cry...
I am another fan supporting Max.
Thank goodness you have Callee. He is sure making a great contribution in...
would have loved to have heard Unga's rant during the game. Anybody in the...
Utah fans are the Junior High School Bullies. They egg you on and cry when...
BYU, TCU and Utah all have a chance to finish in the Top 25, which would be...
We are to be ashamed of ourselves.
I hate losing to BYU but with Max's comments over shadowing the victory. It...
I love my University of Utah but I can do without many of our fans.
Great. Thanks, Max. Now Ute fans are going to hit us over the head with...




You can be the first to comment on this story.