Sunday, April 17, 2011

I play one on TV

Updated Little light on the posting the past few days - overall, I've been doing better on my pledge to average a post a day - but there is a reason.

I've taken on a bit of a challenge: I've begun doing a weekly half-hour show of political commentary on my local cable TV outlet. Just me and a camera (or two) as I rant on about whatever it is that has me outraged or excited or annoyed or whatever that week. I flippantly described it as "a lefty Glenn Beck minus the chalkboard and the paranoia." We did the run-through on Friday; the first taping is on Tuesday.

The show is called "The Left Side of the Aisle" because we really couldn't use my preferred title, which was "Not the Glenn Beck Show." Another possible title was "And another thing...," which I had previously used in the print version of Lotus, but I decided to reserve that for occasions when I want to end the show with something that seems more silly or inane than serious (this post from the other day being a good example) or for some geeky thing and yes I do intend to include some science bits.

Although I hope to develop the show more in the weeks to come with some better production - some graphics and other eye candy, even some cutaways, etc. - right now it is, again, pretty much me in front of a backdrop doing what I do best: shooting off my mouth. The folks at the station were pretty excited about it; the guy who heads up the station told me he thought it would "get people talking," which is of course part of the idea. (He also thought it might spark someone else to want to do a show on the other side - which is of course part of the idea of public access TV, so that's cool too.)

This is going to be a real task that is going to take a good deal of work on my part. (Q: How much territory you can cover if you are talking pretty much continuously for 30 minutes? A: An effing lot.) So while I still intend the keep to that once-a-day (or more) average, those long analytical pieces for which I am justly renowned worldwide will be rather fewer until I can get this doing-a-show stuff settled into a pattern.

Wish me luck. I expect I'll need it.

Updated with the news for those who have wondered about being able to see the show that I found out today that the station is setting up streaming video of its cablecast on its website. It should be available "soon" - but of course we all know what "soon" can mean in practice. Anyway, when that is done I will post the info for the website and the cablecast schedule.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your new gig. Any chance you will post the videos of your show?

JayV said...

All the best for the program. Can we watch it in other parts of New England?

Lotus said...

Miguel -

I've thought before about posting videos of me reading some of my posts with all the requisite harrumphs and sneers, but I've never done anything about it.

I'm not sure of the exact arrangements regarding me getting videos of my show beyond that I know I can buy a copy for $15 (because a copy of any show on the local station can be obtained that way), but doing that every week would get to be a drain. I'll have to see what the deal is on that.

Lotus said...

Jay -

Right now, it's only available in the one town with the exception that the cable deal in one neighboring town gives those folks access to the local cable outlet of the surrounding towns. So I guess that means it will be available in those two at least for now.

I have considered the idea of trying to shop it around to a wider area; if it does get some response I may well pursue that.

JayV said...

Thanks, Larry. The production sounds like the same gigs on our local community access station. Although maybe they carry a video of it on their own website?

Doug Holland said...

I'd wanna watch but I'm a thousand miles away. I mean, heck, we're reading your blog 'cuz we appreciate your insights. Post the vids, if possible?

Lotus said...

Jay & H&H -

I checked and they don't post any videos at the website. I will see about some way to post the videos online, I promise. I just don't know what the deal is.

It well could be that as the producer of the show I own the content and can do with it what I want once it's been broadcast, but that still may mean having to pay the $15 to get a physical copy I can do something with. I'll have to see.

Oh, and to both of you: Thanks for your support, including the links.

 
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