April 25, 2007

I guess I asked about a “Hot Topic” yesterday and that’s why my question caught Rosie O’Donnell’s eye when she was scanning through her “Ask Ro” section on her blog.

Rosie was unable to come to terms with ABC to extend her contract (she wanted a one year contract, they wanted a three year), so she has decided to leave “The View” at the end of her current contract on June 21 of this year. She has said on her site all along that it was up to a family vote, and her family voted for a one year contract or none at all.

I stand by my statement yesterday in that I believe she can be a more powerful voice without the constraints of ABC, Barbara Walters (et al) and the FCC through her blog and perhaps a satellite radio talk show or pay-per-view show like “Politically Incorrect”.

Best wishes to Rosie and Kelli and their family. I look forward to keeping up with the O’Donnells through her blog. Call me about lunch.

Vidcast

I am sitting at the Acura dealer waiting for the RSX to pass it’s yearly state inspection. It’s rare for me to be sitting at a car dealer actually waiting for my car, as I usually drop the car off the night before and pick it up after hours when the work has been completed. Since I’m a full-time student now, I get to experience this new perspective on auto service.

One of the interesting aspects of this experience is that my mother works at this dealership. She works in the office as the main receptionist for the entire operation here and her voice is often heard throughout all buildings as she makes pages over the intercom. I’m having flashbacks to my teenage years when she used to yell through the house, “Supper’s ready!” and “John, do your homework!” When my sister and I would get her fired up she’d yell at the top of her lungs, “I’m going to scream!” That would usually send us running. For extra effect she might have grabbed a wooden spoon off the kitchen counter, but I don’t remember ever getting swatted with it. You know, it’s funny but we never really thought she meant “no” unless she rattled every dish in the house when she said it.

She doesn’t use that same bullhorn approach here at the car dealership.

Since the dealership is going out of their way to make their customers comfortable, they have some cushy ergonomic type chairs here in the waiting room. They’re currently in use. I’m wondering if it would be rude of me to slip into one of these chairs while the businessman currently using it steps away to talk on his cell phone. I’ve already overheard two of his conversations and both of them had to do with golf. He’s been trying to put together a foursome. No tee-times are available until 3:00 p.m. today. It might be raining then. His buddy is going to try to pull some strings.

The other nicety they have in this waiting room is a 27-inch television, though I would be really impressed if it was plasma or LCD (it’s not). I’m watching “Today”. It’s my first time seeing Meredith Viera on the show. I guess she’s o.k. One thing that’s frightening is that Gene Shalit is reviewing “Hot Fuzz” and I noticed that his mustache and my former mustache were very close to the same style. I don’t find it attractive on him.