Bob Barker Announces Retirement From "The Price Is Right"

Plinko just won’t be the same.

It was just announced this afternoon that — coming this Spring — “The Price Is Right” contestants will no longer be invited to “come on down” by media legend Bob Barker, according to both TMZ.com and Entertainment Tonight.

After 35 years as the host of “The Price Is Right,” Bob Barker will be retiring from TV at the end of this season in May 2007, ending his reign as TV’s longest continuous game show host.

At age 82, Barker holds the record of being the oldest man ever to host a game show, and the oldest man ever to host a weekday television program since the inception of network television. Barker is now in his 50th consecutive year on television (network or syndication).

“We knew this day would come, but that doesn’t make it any easier,” said Les Moonves, President and CEO of CBS Corporation. “Bob Barker is a daytime legend, an entertainment icon and one of the most beloved television personalities of our time. His contribution and loyalty to this Network is immeasurable.”

Several generations of fans would agree.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Borat and Hugh Laurie bring the Monty Python to SNL

October 28th’s Saturday Night Live actually was funny. Really!

Lorne Michaels kicked it off explaining that — due to severe budget cuts at NBC — the first 5 minutes of SNL was sold off as a promotional commercial. To whom? None other than Borat — with his cultural learnings to make benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Schwing!

He made so many nonsensical crude sexual references in his thick Kazakh accent — on live American TV. Perhaps this is how lowbrow humor can get by network censors and the FCC.

Of course, this nicely times with the release of the new Borat movie which Entertainment Weekly calls “the funniest movie…ever?”

This combo of #1 movie opening and SNL appearance has made “Borat” today’s #2 most searched term on Technorati.

Borat is actually English comic Sacha Baron Cohen (if you want to read what may be the funniest Wikipedia entry of delusion, click here). Fellow Brit Hugh Laurie (TV’s “House”) was the actual host. Combined, I felt I was watching a modern-day version of Monty Python at times.

That — plus musical guest Beck performing along with puppets made to look like the band as well as using a dinner table as percussion instruments!

And show bumper still photos of Laurie in top hat and a (probably) dead parrot on his shoulder. As it should be.

Among the laughing highlights:

* Hugh Laurie calling the audience “sweetcheeks” during the monologue.

* Laurie investigating suspected ghosts, complete with night-vision camera effects, “heat-sensing” lens and an ghastly “sound” played over and over.

* A timely political animated “Funhouse” which actually mauled Republican scare tactics.

* Laurie, while acting as the Queen’s advance man prepping her visiting hotel room arrangements, accidently dropping his prop glasses and quickly recovering, saying “don’t worry, they’re only an affectation” (and being so pleased with himself that he almost broke character).

* And, probably the most Pythonesque: the very old-school Dracula vs. Frankenstein sketch, where the dumb mob goes enmass between Dracula’s and Frankenstein’s houses (led by “House” star Laurie) looking for Frankenstein — until Frankenstein’s arm falls off.

Hugh Laurie also did a seeringly witty protest song in which the chorus of “all we have to do is…” was always followed with garble. As blogger Egalitarian Bookworm wrote,

It was REALLY REALLY subtle and literate for Saturday Night Live… and whilst perhaps intended merely as a parody of protest songs, I felt it to be a commentary on the horrible state of current events and the seeming futility of doing anything about it.

Agreed.

As an endcap to the evening, during the cast close, the inappropriate Borat kneeled down to give a crotch kiss to Laurie during the last closing credits…

Cut to commercial! Quick!

If you’re interested in the ending on YouTube (while it stays posted), click here.

For more, click here.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Great Moments In Contextual Advertising: If It Burns, CNN Can Sell It

A sharp-eyed Defamer reader trying to watch some CNN video coverage of the deadly, still-spreading California wildfire that has tragically claimed the lives of several firefighters forcing officials to offer a $300K reward to help find the arsonist noticed this unfortunate placement of an ad for the new movie “Catch a Fire”.

Now there’s some fine topical promotional timing.

Sometimes human eyes are better than digital code for on-air programming…

Did someone yell “You’re fired”?

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Free Howard Stern Sirius Broadcast: Old Friends Comes By For A Visit

The 2-day free sample Internet broadcast of the Howard Stern Show on Sirius satellite radio today brought old friends back into millions of homes across the US.

Howard, Robin, Gary, Fred, Artie, Beth O, Ralph and many of Stern’s wack pack. Plus several celebrity guests like train wreck Danny Bonaduce and Roger Daltry and a little controversy where The Who’s Pete Townshend backed down from appearing because of show references earlier this week to Townshend’s legal problems over online child porn a few years ago.

Amazingly, despite the “millions listening worldwide” online (as Howard kept mentioning throughout the show), the web streaming was clean, robust and had very few bandwidth streaming buffer problems. The webcast stayed connected; whatever pipeline plans made in advance of the broadcast were done well.

In addition, the show debuted around the world a new 30-minute sitcom idea called “The Bitter Half” giving a little twisted comedic insight into Stern’s relationship with Beth O. Among the feature voice actors: Howard Stern, Beth Ostrosky, John Stamos, Gilbert Gottfried, Andrew Dice Clay and George Takei.

For those who haven’t listened to Stern since he left terrestrial radio in December, it gave old fans a chance to hear Howard Stern uncensored and uncut…funny all the way through Robin’s news winding up the show as always.

More of the free Howard 100 and 101 channel broadcasts continue through today (10/25). Tomorrow’s (10/26) highlight is a roast for producer Gary Dell’Abate.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Modern Media Catch-22: Report finds sex always on men’s minds…yet cellphone may be damaging sperm production

Apparently, as I am writing this Jointblog post, what I am really thinking about is sex. And here I thought I was focused on a worthy topic about branding, audience building, media trends, market research and ratings victories.

You know, media stuff.

Well, according to a new medical study, maybe I wasn’t after all.

Then again, yesterday’s British article scientically stating that cellphone usage hampers quality sperm production gets you understandably thinking. It’s news to pause anyone’s swimmers.

I better set down that cellphone and keep those high-energy lithium batteries away from my sensitive areas.

Meanwhile, the iPod celebrated its 5-year birthday Monday…but wait…Don’t those have intense batteries, too? Can’t we have it all? The iPod, the cellphone AND the great sex?

It’s the modern tech age example of Catch-22. Use new tech gadgets to connect at the risk of limpy sperm. Is this an underhanded conspiracy plot to keep western culture populations in decline?

Just what are those batteries doing to us when we keep our iPod or cellphone (or other PDA) on our hip or front pocket for hours every day?

The United Press International reports:

Researchers at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University say most men are always thinking of sex.

A study released Tuesday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Scientists found 54 percent of men and 19 percent of women admit they think about sex every day — or several times a day — in a society where they are bombarded with subconscious erotic images.

Scientists at the University of Minnesota found sexy subliminal images competed for attention in the brain even when the images were not right before a subject’s eyes and most people are not consciously aware of them, ABC News reported.

Researchers also found sexual orientation often determines how the brain reacts to erotic images. Heterosexual women, for example, were more tuned in to pictures of naked men, the same reaction exhibited by homosexual men. But homosexual woman were equally attuned to naked images of both sexes, the report said.

Well, if these batteries are going to affect our sexual performance, at least we can use the Internet to download whatever to help us out. The spam I still get (despite blockers) tells me so, anyway.

Reference article here

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

How GoogTube Merger Will Change Online Media and Marketing

What does Google’s $1.65 billion acquisition of YouTube really mean for the future of online video-related media and marketing? That question has been ricocheting around boardrooms, business offices and bar stools throughout the industry since the merger was announced last week. Two weeks ago, media maverick Mark Cuban blogged his point of view. Ad Age asked five highly respected authorities for their take on the landmark deal and its implications for the world of digital advertising.

Among their thoughts:

* Rafat Ali, Publisher from PaidContent.org says ‘Lawsuits will be filed… but the studios and TV networks will work something out because they want this audience.’

* Rob Petty, CEO from Roo Networks: ‘The dollar value is exceptionally high but it’s part of a bigger play that could potentially take on some of the world’s biggest media companies.’

* Tim Hanlon, Senior VP-venture, Denuo: ‘I’m not sure YouTube is the magic bullet that solves the advertising-in-video problem or issue.’

* Simon Andrews, Digital chief strategy officer, MindShare: ‘Google’s very good at algorithms, looking at a web page and putting an appropriate ad next to that. YouTube’s video is tagged. So Google can use its algorithm, see how people tag these videos and serve an ad that makes sense.’

* John Battelle, Chairman and publisher of Federated Media and founder of Wired magazine: ‘Google has made it clear it does not want to be a leader in the world of content creation, and [is] therefore an ideal partner for the very media companies who fear YouTube’s potential to become both a copyright rathole and a potential content competitor in its own right.’

* Jeff Jarvis, Media veteran and BuzzMachine blogger: ‘Google won’t monetize just YouTube. It will monetize video anywhere it is played on the internet.’

To read more, click here (log-on may be required)

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

YouTube: This Year’s Buzz Spot for Political Ads?

Is You Tube this year’s buzz spot for political ads? Last night, during game 1 of the St. Louis Cardinals/Detroit Tigers World Series, the Claire McCaskill Senate campaign in Missouri aired a new ad featuring Michael J. Fox praising McCaskill for her support of stem cell research. On St. Louis TV. 2 weeks before the elections.

That got plenty of attention today in St. Louis and talk on morning radio — not only because of the message in the conservative Republican state (literally, a Cardinal red state) but also because of watching Fox shake back and forth due to his condition with Parkinson’s Disease.

But there’s another important media story here.

The spot was also posted on YouTube by the McClaskill4Missouri campaign Friday evening. In just a couple of days, it has already been viewed more than 350,000 times (as of this morning) and received over 1300 comments. And got prime headlines on the Drudge Report.

That’s grass roots…and the 2006 cost-effective way to get the political message out to the people.

Update 10/24 @ 8pm: Just checked the last view count just from the YouTube posting…1.05 million views and growing, with over 2600 comments. In just a few days. Not to mention all the other blogs and news sites that have embedded the spot for additional views.

Of course, Rush Limbaugh has joined the fray, saying Michael J. Fox is “exaggerating the effects of the disease” where, as the Washington Post headlines it, “Limbaugh accuses Fox of acting in ad.”

Does he mean to suggest there isn’t supposed to be “acting” for political ads? Has he actually spent time with someone debilitated by Parkinson’s? If so, he may not remember it if he were zonked out on his pills.

Click the start button above to view the video or click here to view it on YouTube.

Click here for more on the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

One Year of Truthiness

Last night, Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Report marked one year of truthiness with his in-studio audience and his Colbert Nation fans everywhere.

He even celebrated with one of those TV birthday cakes big enough for a person to pop out and surprise.

And who popped out?

Well, Stephen Colbert, of course.

By the end of the show, he took down his portrait above the fake video fireplace, saying he will sell it for charity…(he’s SO giving)…and unveiled his new portrait of him (see below).

Stephen Colbert…the standard-bearer of the American way for life, liberty and the pursuit of truthiness.

Can we get a nationwide crowd wave, holla?

Let the eagle soar, America, let the eagle soar.

Click here to watch the video unveiling of his truthy portrait.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Classic Rock now driving ring tone growth

It’s not just Jay-Z, Fergie, Justin, Pharrell, Chingy or Ludacris rocking the ringtones. Or even the Crazy Frog. Jimi Hendrix, Lynyrd Skynyrd and other Classic Rock acts are hot sellers, too. And not just for the Baby Boomers.

While hip-hop acts may rule today’s Billboard and BigChampagne ring tone charts, Classic Rock stars are bringing the format to a broader audience through the cellphone as fans seek new ways to personalize their gadgets. In the last year, even Rolling Stone noticed teens were saving Classic Rock.

Right now, only about 10 percent of wireless subscribers in the U.S. buy ring tones today…and most are primarily young adults purchasing hip-hop and R&B-themed content. Record labels and wireless operators are both keen to expand their markets and customer services. Exploiting the vast library of catalog music, they say, is emerging as a key strategy in that effort.

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” is one of the best-selling catalog ring tones of all time, with more than 1.2 million units sold (also becoming the first licensed track to appear in a mobile videogame).

Catalog-based (not new song releases) ringtones are now the format’s fastest-growing segment. Universal Music Group (UMG), for instance, says catalog ring tones sales are up 80 percent from last year and now represent 10 percent of all its ring tone sales.

Until recently, hip hip ringtones have been the big sellers because that’s all that sold. That’s changing now that back catalog deals have been secured for most major music label and cellular companies.

Take Universal’s recent deal with Verizon Wireless to bring the entire Jimi Hendrix catalog to mobile for the first time. Verizon won a short-term exclusive by agreeing to promote the Hendrix content heavily in print and online campaigns, as well as prominently feature the guitarist on its ring tone sales site.

Recommendation: Classic Rock radio stations (and other catalogue-based formats) should take advantage of this label deal momentum and offer ringtone downloads deals on their own websites right away.

Expect this media trend to deepen…and don’t be surprised if you hear more Classic Rock, less Hip Hop ringtones (as well as ringbacks).

Read more of this in C|net here

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

CBGB’s Closes With Tight Rock Gig Celebration

Country, BlueGrass, and Blues (& “Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers”) — Hilly Kristal made it that and a lot more at the legendary music club.

As David Bryne once said, “This must be the place.” Last night, it was…as gritty as ever.

CBGB hosted its final concert Sunday night, broadcast on Sirius, after a 33-year residence in downtown New York as the iconic, grungy bastion of punk. Although the concert biz has been trending up for the past couple of years, the small club scene has been struggling for a long time.

Talking Heads. Lou Reed. Blondie. Television. Ramones. New York Dolls. And thousands of other bands, from veteran acts to purely local artists with a strong loyal following (Lorraine Ferro!) to young let-me-muster-up-the-courage-to-try-it-once bands.

Count me as someone who’s been there many times, squeezed into the barely-300 seat club to catch some street level NYC music scene. Being tall helps.

The concert, headlined by rock poet Patti Smith, was to be the final note sounded in a drawn-out battle to preserve the legendary club, whose lease ran out after a long drawn-out battle.

But the spirit will live on. “CBGB’s is a state of mind,” Smith said at pre-show news conference. “The new kids have to have their own places.”

As Stephen Colbert commented Monday night, CBGB’s will actually move to a new location in Las Vegas sometime next year. His suggestion? Laminate the bathrooms so they can be hosed down easier for better cleanliness. And don’t be surprised if you see Celine Dion rocking the CBGB mic soon…

Read more here

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy