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| photo by Hyungwon Kang for Reuters, via the Baltimore Sun |
Yesterday, the 4th of July, Hilde and I watched several of the television specials showing fireworks celebrations. These included shows in New York, Boston, and Washington, DC.
The most impressive one was in Washington, DC, broadcast by PBS. I haven't seen such a massive display of pyrotechnics since the US bombed Baghdad in 2003. Musical presentations during the show were well done and seemed more or less appropriate to the occasion.
The Boston show, broadcast by NBC, however... my god, what a train wreck.
Hilde liked the Boston fireworks. Otherwise...
The first thing the NBC showed was the host Michael Chiklis, with a decorated bus behind him. That was the NBC "Buzz Bus", painted with pictures of actors for the forthcoming new season shows for NBC. So you start out a 4th of July specdial with an obvious piece of product placement for NBC. Which Chiklis then amplifies by saying, "That's our NBC Buzz Bus behind me." (Chiklis is starring in one of those new shows, "Vegas".)
I've liked Michael Chiklis in almost everything I've seen him in, even the less-than-stellar projects. (*koff* Fantastic Four *koff*). But he looked really uncomfortable hosting this special, and he didn't so much "host" the show as shout his way thru it. He was just not the best choice for the job, and I think he knew it.
The "Special Guest" for NBC's show was Jennifer Hudson, who sang... you know, I can't remember what she performed. Something from "Dreamgirls" and... something else. What I do remember is that neither piece seemed to have any connection to 4th of July or celebrating America. It was more like she was performing for a Jennifer Hudson special, instead of a 4th of July special.
What the hell was NBC thinking? Who wrote that crap? Who gave it the thumbs up? I ended up being annoyed and pissed, instead of feeling upbeat and patriotic.
Hey, NBC, maybe this sort of decision-making is why your share of viewers has been going down the toilet?
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