Juliet's Journal
A Minor Meltdown and a Weekend in Chicago!
July 21, 2008
Happy Monday.
Well, actually it wasn’t so happy behind the scenes at M&J today. Speaking of “M&J”, the reason I referred to it as this as opposed to The Morning Show is that everyone and their brother calls it M&J. It’s much more distinctive, don’t you think? Even the folks in our building call us the nickname version. Plus, we air at 11am in some locales. Isn’t that really more like “Noon”. But we can’t really refer to ourselves as The Noon Show…
Just something that I think about at night while trying to fall asleep…
Back to this morning…
We’d booked two guests on satellite; the mother and sister of a woman who was missing until last night when she was found – bloodied, beaten, stabbed but alive. Her
husband did it. The guests were supposed to be live at the top of our show.
About ten minutes before the show, we got word that the satellite truck that was supposed to set up the shot and beam it out LEFT. Apparently he thought the day was over after a previous hit with our sister cable network, Fox News Channel. The guests were booked on Fox and Friends and had already done their interview earlier this morning.
It’s a little horrifying for our producers, bookers and hosts to realize that the lead segment of our show is falling apart technically just minutes before we go live. Luckily our Executive Producer Nancy (and everyone else basically) went into overdrive and essentially solved the problem as best they could. Rather than see the women on satellite (hard to do when THERE IS NO CAMERA AND NO SAT TRUCK!!!!?!?!??!!) we talked to them via phone. Not as snazzy, but the only other option.
It’s so stressful for our control room when something like this happens because they’re really up against the clock.
But that’s not all folks…
We also had some major tape problems, which you might have noticed. Lots of what someone I know calls “crackles” in the tape (the tv term is “hits”). It was craaaaaaaaaaaazy. Our segment producer for the M&J investigates (note: “M&J”) series on home gyms, Stephanie Kasen was forced to deal with a meltdown when we weren’t able to preview what tapes were about to run. It’s maddening for these producers who put so many hours into their segments… They’re all here on this show (M&J, haha) because they’re the best in the business, so it stinks when technical issues (or personnel issues outside our company) cause a segment problems.
I know they were all a little bummed out after the morning meltdown, but cheers to them. I would buy you drinks, but Stephanie is pregnant so…
I am LOVING the investigative segments. I’m stealing the Perfect Pushup thingies because I am committed to getting my arms toned by my wedding. I’m saying it right now: (and when it’s in print, you MUST follow thru): I AM GOING TO YOGA AND I AM GOING TO LIFT WEIGHTS.
There.
I’m looking forward to the celebrity endorsed anti-aging cream segment tomorrow.
Mike and I had a great weekend – we went to Chicago for a station visit Friday. We did their morning show, Good Day Chicago, hung out with their anchors (Jan and Mike) and threw some radio in for good measure.
I absolutely love Chicago and would love to do more station visits (note to our marketing people) there. It’s cool because my best friend from college, Renee is there, as well as my friend Vince who I was able to see as well. We all hung out in what’s called affectionately The Viagra Triangle area – there are a few restaurants in the area that are insanely popular with a more adult crowd. I personally like that much better than hanging out with the under-25 set.
Here are some shots of us on the town.
On Friday night, after our busy work day, we all met out at one of the hot spots, Gibson’s. Mike had some friends in town.
Doug flew in, too and we actually spent the rest of the weekend boppin around town. Although I was a tad bit…um…slow on Saturday after our big Friday night outing.
Crazy story: At Gibson’s, someone said “look, there’s Frankie Avalon” and sure enough, he was sitting over at the next table with a huge group of people from “Tony and Tina’s Wedding”.
He’s SUCH a sweetheart and looks absolutely incredible. We actually have a little tie – he is old friends of my dad, although they lost contact sometime in the early 90’s. The last time I saw him I was getting married. Eeeek. He sang at my wedding. I know, I know… Trust me, I hate talking about the fact that I was married before (especially at the ripe old age of 22) but it is what it is. I was young, and stupid, and really wasn’t thinking about what happens AFTER the whole fairy-tale ceremony and wedding reception takes place. The pit in my stomach was aching the second I started walking down the aisle, but I was too scared to tell my parents. I actually mentioned something a few days before the wedding to my bridesmaid. I told her I didn’t want to go thru with it. Her response: Your parents have spent a fortune. You HAVE to do it.
Eeeesh. Anyway, Frankie is a great guy and I’m so happy we ran into each other. Unfortunately the waiters at Gibson’s were a bit annoyed that Frankie was being bothered, and scolded me. It was pretty funny. Luckily Frankie told them it was cool, so we took a few more shots.
One of the radio shows we did a little deal on was the Roe Conn show on WLS. He and his team are awesome. We actually went out that night with Christina. This is her in the red with me and Frankie.
Another babe-o-licious news woman is Jan Jeffcoat, the anchor of Good Day Chicago. She’s the one on the right.
So that’s the scoop into this weekend’s festivities as well as today’s minor meltdown. See you tmro!
****BREAKING NEWS!!!
Remember a few weeks back I told you guys about Priceline.com, who wrecked what was supposed to be a romantic night in NYC for Doug and me? There was a shady (my term) ordeal wherein we booked a hotel room, they confirmed it, then canceled it without telling us, requiring us to book a more expensive room. All of this, mind you, requiring us to take two hours out of our evening to spend on the phone with their website (who ended up telling us there was nothing they could do).
Well… we wrote a somewhat terse letter and were happily surprised to receive a fairly reasonable monetary voucher. Doug actually used it for this weekend’s trip.
Lo and behold, he just received word about a deal the website has: He is getting the cost of the entire weekend (flight and hotel room) refunded because it rained during our trip!!!??? Apparently, if it rains more than a certain amount of inches, the trip cost is refunded. I can’t believe this is true, but he got an email telling him to expect a refund within 21 days of the completion of the trip.
My feeling about Priceline.com is much more positive. Just thought I’d let you guys know that they certainly made up for our lousy night.
Well, actually it wasn’t so happy behind the scenes at M&J today. Speaking of “M&J”, the reason I referred to it as this as opposed to The Morning Show is that everyone and their brother calls it M&J. It’s much more distinctive, don’t you think? Even the folks in our building call us the nickname version. Plus, we air at 11am in some locales. Isn’t that really more like “Noon”. But we can’t really refer to ourselves as The Noon Show…
Just something that I think about at night while trying to fall asleep…
Back to this morning…
We’d booked two guests on satellite; the mother and sister of a woman who was missing until last night when she was found – bloodied, beaten, stabbed but alive. Her
About ten minutes before the show, we got word that the satellite truck that was supposed to set up the shot and beam it out LEFT. Apparently he thought the day was over after a previous hit with our sister cable network, Fox News Channel. The guests were booked on Fox and Friends and had already done their interview earlier this morning.
It’s a little horrifying for our producers, bookers and hosts to realize that the lead segment of our show is falling apart technically just minutes before we go live. Luckily our Executive Producer Nancy (and everyone else basically) went into overdrive and essentially solved the problem as best they could. Rather than see the women on satellite (hard to do when THERE IS NO CAMERA AND NO SAT TRUCK!!!!?!?!??!!) we talked to them via phone. Not as snazzy, but the only other option.
It’s so stressful for our control room when something like this happens because they’re really up against the clock.
But that’s not all folks…
We also had some major tape problems, which you might have noticed. Lots of what someone I know calls “crackles” in the tape (the tv term is “hits”). It was craaaaaaaaaaaazy. Our segment producer for the M&J investigates (note: “M&J”) series on home gyms, Stephanie Kasen was forced to deal with a meltdown when we weren’t able to preview what tapes were about to run. It’s maddening for these producers who put so many hours into their segments… They’re all here on this show (M&J, haha) because they’re the best in the business, so it stinks when technical issues (or personnel issues outside our company) cause a segment problems.
I know they were all a little bummed out after the morning meltdown, but cheers to them. I would buy you drinks, but Stephanie is pregnant so…
I am LOVING the investigative segments. I’m stealing the Perfect Pushup thingies because I am committed to getting my arms toned by my wedding. I’m saying it right now: (and when it’s in print, you MUST follow thru): I AM GOING TO YOGA AND I AM GOING TO LIFT WEIGHTS.
There.
I’m looking forward to the celebrity endorsed anti-aging cream segment tomorrow.
Mike and I had a great weekend – we went to Chicago for a station visit Friday. We did their morning show, Good Day Chicago, hung out with their anchors (Jan and Mike) and threw some radio in for good measure.
I absolutely love Chicago and would love to do more station visits (note to our marketing people) there. It’s cool because my best friend from college, Renee is there, as well as my friend Vince who I was able to see as well. We all hung out in what’s called affectionately The Viagra Triangle area – there are a few restaurants in the area that are insanely popular with a more adult crowd. I personally like that much better than hanging out with the under-25 set.
Here are some shots of us on the town.
On Friday night, after our busy work day, we all met out at one of the hot spots, Gibson’s. Mike had some friends in town.
Doug flew in, too and we actually spent the rest of the weekend boppin around town. Although I was a tad bit…um…slow on Saturday after our big Friday night outing.
Crazy story: At Gibson’s, someone said “look, there’s Frankie Avalon” and sure enough, he was sitting over at the next table with a huge group of people from “Tony and Tina’s Wedding”.
He’s SUCH a sweetheart and looks absolutely incredible. We actually have a little tie – he is old friends of my dad, although they lost contact sometime in the early 90’s. The last time I saw him I was getting married. Eeeek. He sang at my wedding. I know, I know… Trust me, I hate talking about the fact that I was married before (especially at the ripe old age of 22) but it is what it is. I was young, and stupid, and really wasn’t thinking about what happens AFTER the whole fairy-tale ceremony and wedding reception takes place. The pit in my stomach was aching the second I started walking down the aisle, but I was too scared to tell my parents. I actually mentioned something a few days before the wedding to my bridesmaid. I told her I didn’t want to go thru with it. Her response: Your parents have spent a fortune. You HAVE to do it.
Eeeesh. Anyway, Frankie is a great guy and I’m so happy we ran into each other. Unfortunately the waiters at Gibson’s were a bit annoyed that Frankie was being bothered, and scolded me. It was pretty funny. Luckily Frankie told them it was cool, so we took a few more shots.
One of the radio shows we did a little deal on was the Roe Conn show on WLS. He and his team are awesome. We actually went out that night with Christina. This is her in the red with me and Frankie.
Another babe-o-licious news woman is Jan Jeffcoat, the anchor of Good Day Chicago. She’s the one on the right.
So that’s the scoop into this weekend’s festivities as well as today’s minor meltdown. See you tmro!
****BREAKING NEWS!!!
Remember a few weeks back I told you guys about Priceline.com, who wrecked what was supposed to be a romantic night in NYC for Doug and me? There was a shady (my term) ordeal wherein we booked a hotel room, they confirmed it, then canceled it without telling us, requiring us to book a more expensive room. All of this, mind you, requiring us to take two hours out of our evening to spend on the phone with their website (who ended up telling us there was nothing they could do).
Well… we wrote a somewhat terse letter and were happily surprised to receive a fairly reasonable monetary voucher. Doug actually used it for this weekend’s trip.
Lo and behold, he just received word about a deal the website has: He is getting the cost of the entire weekend (flight and hotel room) refunded because it rained during our trip!!!??? Apparently, if it rains more than a certain amount of inches, the trip cost is refunded. I can’t believe this is true, but he got an email telling him to expect a refund within 21 days of the completion of the trip.
My feeling about Priceline.com is much more positive. Just thought I’d let you guys know that they certainly made up for our lousy night.
