A Busy Week

As reporter John Smyntek said in the September 21 edition of the Detroit Free Press, “Last week was a busy one at Detroit Public Television.” It was indeed. John reported that:

The Hudson Webber Foundation approved a grant of $300,000 to support the acquisition of a high-definition, digital production truck. The grant comes as Detroit Public TV aims to finish a $22-million capital campaign to complete its federally mandated conversion to digital technology. To date, the campaign has raised more than $17 million; the deadline is March 31.

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger visited Detroit on September 18 to speak at the Detroit Economic Club and to help launch Channel 56's fall season at the annual PBS Premiere Night celebration and fund-raiser at the Detroit Athletic Club. Among the honorees for supporting public TV at that event were the Erb family, Lois Shaevsky, U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, and the Masco Corp.

John also reported on “The Great Debates” a series on 20-25 debates, produced with The Center for Michigan, featuring candidates in selected races for the Michigan House of Representatives. The debates will air at 3 p.m. Sundays on Channel 56, with lots of alternative availability online at dptv.org.

Then there's mivote.org, a presidential election-oriented Web site run with help from the University of Michigan-Dearborn that gives students across the state a chance to talk about the John McCain-Barack Obama presidential race.

Of our election coverage, Smyntek said, “It's a bold attempt to shine the light on legislative races that don't get a lot of attention from the blood-and-guts local commercial TV news operations, which long ago shuttered their Lansing bureaus when consultants deemed political fare a turn-off.”

While we appreciate the good press coverage, what we really want is to hear from YOU. Go to MiVote.org and share your thoughts. Comment on this blog. Tell us what role Detroit Public TV plays in your life. A busy week – with our production crews hopping from one set to another – is good, but it’s even better when we know our efforts are meaningful and relevant to viewers like you. Let us know how we’re doing.

Dave Devereaux is VP, Communications for Detroit Public TV.

Laughing in the Rain

Detroit Public TV lost a friend this week. His name was Scott Booth. I didn’t know him well, but he was a producer who created a lot of great work in our community and on Channel 56.

He was 44 and died from injuries in an accident that happened along Woodward Avenue. That’s the headline. I don’t know the back-story but I do know that when I worked with him he was fun, had a great laugh and a light approach to TV; which was key in shooting an episode of “Get Up Get Out” with me and Kelley at Red Oaks Waterpark – with a hundred kids – in a thunderstorm!

I haven’t seen him around lately, but I know many will miss him. He was one of us, and now he is gone. We were talking about Scott in the pledge studio last night and remembering some of the things that he worked on. Thinking about the randomness of things, it’s hard to know how to exactly put it into perspective, but that is always the work of those left behind.

Our live pledge programming last night went to 11 p.m. As I headed eagerly to the door, our volunteers from the Renaissance Festival hollered out to me to ask if I would take their picture on the pledge set. Of course I would. I snapped a couple shots with someone’s phone and then as one of the “wenches” was handing over her digital camera, she stopped.

“Oh, my battery is dead!”
She ran out of the room in her bodice and bonnet to retrieve a fresh one from her bag. As a minute or so passed I thought about getting out the door – I had just texted Wendy that I was going to be home in 30 minutes and now I was tracking behind. Finally, the “maiden” returned and we got a nice shot of Kelley and the Festival players in the studio.

When I finally got onto north 75, I could see a slow-down up ahead. Approaching Eight Mile Road I discovered the aftermath of multi-car accident. A couple cars off to the left; one in the center lane; two on the right shoulder and one upside down at the top of the embankment, resting against the overpass.

The police hadn’t arrived yet and a couple of people were still getting out of their cars; it was a bad scene. With his passing fresh in my mind, Scott was the first thing I thought of – him, and these random moments of panic and pain that sometimes seem unavoidable.

And then I thought about that minute. The minute I waited for someone to replace a battery that had stopped me from leaving a little sooner. The minute that I checked the time on my phone and chit-chatted with Kelley and the volunteers…now, I’m not saying I was going to be in that accident, but at that moment, I was sure glad I wasn’t.

So the randomness of things moves both ways; sometimes what seems like an obstacle is really an assist; things that might be hindering our progress are actually moving us forward, just at a little different pace. From the little I knew of Scott I think he got that. At least that’s how it seemed that day that he, Kelley I spent laughing in the rain – or maybe, thanks to Scott, we were laughing at it.

Fred Nahhat is Director of On-Air Fundraising and Co-host of “Get Up Get Out.”

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER

I’ll admit it. I was, am and forever will be, a Beatles fan. As a teenager, I was thrilled when I first heard “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You.” Compared to the folk music of the Kingston Trio or tunes like Millie Small’s “My Boy Lollipop,” the Beatles sounded sophisticated, electric and utterly original.

When you think about the pop groups then, each group had a “sound” and many of their songs sounded alike. Think Beach Boys or Jan and Dean or The Four Seasons. Is “Rag Doll” that much different from “Dawn?” But the Beatles… they were able to produce so many different complex tunes. From “Meet the Beatles” through “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver” to Sgt. Pepper, each album was filled with surprising, hook-heavy, original songs. I remember asking for a new Beatles album for Christmas one year, finding it hidden in a closet with other future presents, and sneaking it out to play it when the folks weren’t around. Not sure how I faked surprise about the open shrink wrap and worn down grooves when opening it on Christmas Day, but that was the depth of my obsession.
But enough about me.

Quench your Beatles thirst by watching “Rain: The Beatles Experience” now playing (8 pm, 9/17 and other times) during our membership drive on Detroit Public TV. “Rain” is a very cool, multi-media tribute to the Fab Four covering five periods from Beatlemania to Abbey Road. Check it out. I’ll be singing along and I hope you will be too.

Dave Devereaux is VP of Communications for Detroit Public TV

I’m not going to sleep!

I love all the specials we air during fundraising time. Things you would never get to see anywhere else just “magically” appear and keep me busy with reminder emails and punching buttons to set another recording session on the DVR.

Tonight is a great example as DPTV airs a new special, Motor City Celebrities at 8 PM. This 1 hour special brings back great memories of TV in the Motor City as it reviews Kelly and Company, with John Kelly and Marilyn Turner. It also looks back at Lou Gordon. A must see for anyone who lived in Detroit during the 70’s.

Another new special starts at 9 PM as Great Performances remembers Luciano Pavarotti in Pavarotti, A Live in Seven Arias. This 2 hour special includes concert footage and interviews with Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. I’m hoping that our WRCJ friends will join is for this one as well.



The great entertainment continues Thursday as “Ol’ Blue Eyes” Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music is featured at 8 PM. This 1965 Emmy winning concert features so many favorites like I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Come Fly with Me, My Kind of Town and The Lady Is a Tramp. Sinatra fans won’t want to miss this!

A brand new special follows at 9:30 PM as DPTV brings Rain: The Beatles Experience to Detroit. This tribute group is amazing! Songs in the special include Hey, Jude, Yesterday, Revolution and Come Together. And you’ll want to watch the breaks for news of the just confirmed concert with Rain bringing this live show to Detroit!

Friday is a great night as well as Johnny Cash: A Man and His Vision is back by popular demand at 8 PM. This review of the Johnny Cash show features great show footage and performances.

Get ready for a unique experience Friday at 9 PM as DPTV brings you the first airing of Vox Lumiere: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This creative mixed-media presentation puts a whole new twist to the 1923 silent film featuring Lon Chaney as the song and dance troupe Vox Lumiere (which means Voices of Light) add a rock score and act out and interact with the original film. Rocky Horror Picture Show fans will love this one, especially the live show feel to this!

Saturday, I just have one thing to say…60’s LIVE! 3 hours of nothing but the 60’s in a new telethon format shown LIVE nationwide! Join us for this exciting event with the Smothers Brothers, Michelle Phillips, Jackie DeShannon and Petula Clark, to name just a few. Special appearances also by Betty White, Ed Asner, Gavin McCloud, Chloris Leachman, Mike Farrell, Shelly Fabares and Vicki Lawrence! And the best thing…live and archival performances and celebs answering the phones to take your pledge! This all starts at 8 PM.

With all this excitement, I expect to be sleeping all day Sunday, but if you’re up there are lots of specials on all day Sunday as well. Check your Signal guide or our online schedule for details.

Pam Reynolds
DPTV Member Services

Reclaiming History

I was watching “Book Notes” on CSPAN last night and they were airing an interview with Vincent Bugliosi about his book “Reclaiming History” on the Kennedy assassination. Aside from thinking that I needed to get a life, it reminded me of an old friend I hadn’t thought about in years.

His name was Al. He was in his 70s and he lived in an apartment complex where I was a van driver in college. His sisters Angela and Mary lived there too, a couple of buildings down. Aside from taking the bank deposit each day, it was my job to drive tenants along a fixed route in Birmingham and Troy – with stops at Perry Drugs; Farmer Jack and the theater – and for about a year, I drove Al and the other residents on their errands around town.

Long since retired, Al dressed each day as if he was still going to work at the IRS where he’d started after World War II: Suit. Shirt and tie, overcoat and a grey felt fedora. He appeared to be a buttoned-down type, but he was quick with a smile or quip or a cutting remark under his breath directed mostly at Angela who’d never let him get a word in edgewise – which was difficult enough for Al who had a terrible stutter.

He knew I was finishing school and he’d tell me stories about what it was like when he was starting out. He said he’d had been offered a job at a bank, but received his induction notice the very next day. “The man told me to come and see him when the war was over, and I did,” but by then, everything changed. Al served in the Navy during World War II and although he said he was proud of it, he told me frankly one day: “it ruined my life.”

He said he could speak just fine when he went in, but he became so shell-shocked by the constant bombing and shelling that he couldn’t talk, couldn’t sleep and certainly couldn’t take that job as a banker. And most regrettably, he said, it kept him from ever getting married.

One day, when I was helping him carry in his groceries, he pulled a copy of “Helter Skelter” off his bookshelf and said to me: “My nephew wrote this book.”

“Your nephew is Vincent Bugliosi?” I asked. And he said he was.

He opened the front cover and showed me the inscription: “To Uncle Al – Love Vincent.” For the next hour, Al spoke freely about how proud he was of Bugliosi; he talked about Charles Manson and Sharon Tate. He told me how Vincent had come to Detroit one time to appear on a TV show – and that he brought him to the studio and then took him to lunch.

But the thing I remember most about that conversation was that suddenly the old man’s stuttering had all but disappeared. No stammering, no fits and starts, no struggling to communicate – just the passion of an old Italian telling a story of his family with a twinkle in his eye.

After I finished college, I’d visit Al from time to time and we’d talk. But nothing ever matched the joy he’d shown that day bringing in his groceries and talking about the man he said was his nephew and made him so proud – the one who was now on TV talking about “Reclaiming History.” If only Al could have re-claimed his own.

Fred Nahhat is DPTV Director of On-Air Fundraising and Co-host of “Get Up Get Out.”