October 6, 1974. The day that charted the British comedy course in the U.S. for decades to come. Thanks to a ground-breakingly brilliant decision by then KERA President/CEO Bob Wilson and Program Director Ron Devillier, the legend of Monty Python’s Flying Circus had its American beginning on KERA/Dallas as part of one seemingly uneventful Sunday […]
Read more
A series that played a significant part in shaping my ‘formative years in British telly’ was when I first discovered Monty Python’s Flying Circus. When it first aired in the United States on October 6, 1974, courtesy of my local PBS station, KERA (where I have now worked for a majority of my career in television), it […]
Read more
Several significant anniversaries to celebrate today. First, today (Saturday, April 22) is the 10th anniversary of Record Store Day. This may sound like ancient history to some but having grown up with the concept of ‘the record store’ was an experience that, hopefully, will never go away. Officially, Record Store Day was created in 2007 to […]
Read more
Today marks the 80th anniversary of British television as the BBC launched the nation’s first regular TV service at 3pm on November 2 1936, broadcasting live from from Alexandra Palace in north London. I am reminded, once again, why I continue to favor British television over their American counterpart. We turn to the British Comedy Guide […]
Read more
Every so often, I feel the need to get a weekend dose of the greatest British comedy of all time, Fawlty Towers. Perhaps this is because FT is as close to comedy perfection as there is, even after some 40 years since it was produced. In between, there’s nothing better than a bit of Monty Python and […]
Read more
There are times, more often than not these days, that you sit back and wonder why decisions are made and who on Earth is making them. Never have I wondered this more than I did today after hearing the dreadful news that the brilliant ITV series, Home Fires, has been cancelled after two series despite having just […]
Read more
Only the greatness of Stephen Colbert can draw this type of brilliance out of his guests! Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville and Allen Leech perform a scene from Downton Abbey using good old American accents and, I have to say, it’s either a bit unsettling or it’s spot on greatness. Just imagine, Downton Abbey with American accents! I know, […]
Read more
For the past 5+ years, those who have watched every second of Downton Abbey have seen the best of times and the worst of times. It’s the instances that brilliantly combine both the best and the worst of times where you fondly remember the good old days of Dallas and Dynasty with the witty banter […]
Read more
It wasn’t quite 932 A.D. when I first crossed paths with King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Brave Sir Robin and the Knights of the Round Table, but even though it was 1975, it seems like it was just yesterday that I was standing on line at the Esquire Theatre in Dallas for the ‘world premiere’ of […]
Read more
Next to the Thrilla in Manilla in 1975 which featured the third and final meeting between Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier for the Heavyweight Championship of the World, Planet Earth has not had a day like this that they have been waiting for for almost 40 years. While America, unfortunately, still needs to tap the […]
Read more