Glitter and Twang: a blog.

Jay Leno's show is a disappointment ratings-wise from 10-11 p.m., Conan's underperforming at 11:35 p.m., and local NBC affiliates are upset that Leno's adversely impacting ratings on their 11 o'clock news shows. Here's what I don't get: why is NBC's apparent solution "cancel Leno's 10 o'clock show and move it to 11:35"? Will rejiggering to the traditional 10 o'clock fare help the affiliates, and giving Leno a half-hour afterward do better than Conan's done even though Leno's 10 o'clock show was disappointing?

Like all young people, I do feel that Conan is much, much better than Leno. I also feel like Leno's cold feet in advance of the announcement/development of his 10 o'clock program was pretty duplicitous. He's like NBC's own Joe Lieberman in that sense. Besides, they announced the change in Sept. 2004: five years in the making and he couldn't renegotiate or become comfortable with the arrangement? Or, better, before it was announced five-and-a-third years ago, Leno didn't have the prescience to suppose he'd still want to be doing it? Here's some hilarious Wikipedia on the issue:

On September 27, 2004, the 50th anniversary of The Tonight Show's debut, NBC announced that Jay Leno will be succeeded by Conan O'Brien, in 2009. Leno explained that he did not want to see a repeat of the hard feelings and controversy that occurred when he was given the show over David Letterman following Carson's retirement.

In light of that, I do believe the Joe Lieberman/Emperor Palpatine view of Leno is the correct one.

Posted by Marcus Kellis at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Image via Wikipedia

The funny thing about the BCS, and the lack of a playoff, etc., is the rules are such that the 1st and 2nd teams in the rankings make the national championship game, but we've already had that this season in the SEC championship game between Florida and Alabama. But because they were the same conference we have tonight's game, in which Colt McCoy was knocked out a few minutes in, peace be with him. What a drag of a game to lose, and what enormous pressure on Garrett Gilbert, a true freshman quarterback who I don't suppose has had much time on the practice field with the starting lineup.

Anyway, the broader points about Boise State being 14-0 but locked out notwithstanding, Alabama's won the game once. I'm rooting for Texas but, with the halftime score such as it is, I suppose this is the way it should be, especially given that McCoy has been out. I mean, after the Big 12 game in which Texas could not stun Nebraska, especially.

Posted by Marcus Kellis at 7:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Daily Kos, and specifically editors mcjoan and kos, the site's founder besides, are taking a hardish line with some of the Senate items in the health care bill. Specifically, what most call the "Cadillac tax" on the most expensive health insurance policies is renamed the "Chevy tax," either to suggest those policies are in fact not so extravagant, or a nod to the fact that many labor unions including those in Detroit have long bargained out better health care in lieu of hourly wage increases. Possibly it's a nod to both.

My understanding of the beliefs of the wonks who I follow, is that the excise tax -- to remove car makes from the debate entirely -- is among the best ways of "bending the curve," which is the imperative. Something has to give, and taxing benefits above a pretty high line -- $10k, I think $23k -- is not an unconscionable affront to the American way, etc.

P.S., estate taxes are taxes on transfers of wealth, not dying. I wish we could agree on what's appropriate in language.

Posted by Marcus Kellis at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)