When it's Firebrand. An hour show featuring nothing but commercials would not be top of mind for most TV programmers, unless their name is Andy Lack. Lack is the guy who came up with the concept of 'All commercials, all the time' or at least for an hour a day. Firebrand, the show, debuted on the ION network last night at 11 p.m. Most hour shows feature 10 to 15 minutes of commercials. Firebrand contains 60 minutes of commercials. Why you might ask???
Lack has the answer. "TV commercials are a reflection of pop culture. Kids tell us they love commercials. They just don't like them as interruptions." The 'kids' Lack refers to (ages 12-34) are his target audience. There is nothing subliminal about the ads in this show. The only thing subliminal is telling the difference between the real sponsors in each show from the entertainment. Here's a clue: Budweiser, Subway and Microsoft pay their way in. Instead of the network (ION) paying Lack for his show, the sold ads pay the freight and the other ads are entertainment...
I was as skeptical as you probably are, that this concept which has failed before, will never work. Until I saw the 4 minute Firebrand description video on YouTube. The production is so well done you forget that you're watching commercials. I think this will be successful, rendering TiVo obsolete, at least for this show but see for yourself: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ohV9Kv-7dHw&feature=related ...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1779] The name game: The first legally recognized university in America, the College of Pennsylvania becomes the University of Pennsylvania...
- 1889] Gentlemen, start your engines: Curtis P. Brady is issued the first permit to drive an automobile in Central Park...
- 1910] The original Penn Station: New York City's Pennsylvania Station opens to the public, where the 8th Avenue Post Office is now located. Plans are in the works to put a new Penn Station in that original location. A Syracuse student who painted the original station for a book, added this video clip to YouTube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tOC-OifKCOs ...
- 1951] Breaking the color barrier: Hosea Richardson becomes the first black jockey to be licensed in Florida...
- 1963] LBJ's address: President Lyndon B. Johnson gives his first address to Congress...
- 1978] City Hall massacre: San Francisco mayor, George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist, are shot to death inside City Hall by former supervisor Dan White...
- 1980] See Ya: The shortest NFL overtime game in history ends when the kickoff is returned by the Chicago Bears' David Williams for a touchdown. Game over...
- 1998] I cannot tell a lie: Answering 81 questions put to him in advance, President Bill Clinton states that his testimony in the Monica Lewinsky affair was "not false and misleading." That would of course depend on the definition of 'false and misleading'...
- 2002] Here we go again: U.N. specialists begin a new round of weapons inspections in Iraq...
- 2003] No tips necessary: George Bush plays commander-in-chief and brings Thanksgiving turkey to our troops in a clandestine trip to Iraq...
Music Memories:
- 1965] Released on this date: "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" - Lovin' Spoonful, just for the record: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PCkPeDFytCE ...1967] "Magical Mystery Tour" LP - Beatles, who may have had something stronger than Cheerios when filming this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=h7pvA4EHi08 ...1970] "All Things Must Pass" LP - George Harrison...
Commentary:
Word came earlier this morning of the death of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, 24, who was shot during a possible armed robbery at his home on Monday. The talented-but-troubled Taylor, was sidelined for the last two games with a leg injury. Taylor's death marks the second death of a known sports figure since the weekend. Toronto pitcher Joe Kennedy died in his in-laws' home on Friday. Kennedy was 28. A heart attack or aneurysm may have been the cause although an autopsy has been ordered. Even if you combine their ages (52) it's way too young to die...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Jaleel ("Urkel") White (31), let's all celebrate by doing "The Urkel": http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ncw70Hw1ffs , Samantha Harris (34), Michael Vartan (39), Robin Givens (43), "Sweet" Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (50), Jayne Kennedy (56) and Manola Blahnik (65)...
Timeline Countdown: 8 days until Hanukah, 25 days until winter, 28 days until Christmas, 34 days until New Year's Eve and 39 days until the Wild Card Playoffs...
