Navy: A Global Force for Good

Very cool Navy TV spot.

Mormon "Swashbucklers" Spot Gets Award for Best PSA

This is fun.

One of the recent "Homefront" ads from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was recognized thusly,

Swashbucklers was recognized by community service directors for its relevance, high production quality, and exceptional combination of excitement, humor, and warmth. “The Swashbucklers PSA had a great message about parents spending
quality-family time with their children,” said Jana Gordon of WAVY-TV, Portsmith, VA’s NBC affiliate. “It was incredibly well-produced and the concept was so different than many of the other PSAs the station receives. I really enjoyed sharing that message with our viewers.”

They're Not Laughing Now

Peter Schiff, a tv financial analyst, appeared to be the lone voice of truth in the days leading to the financial meltdown. Watch as he is jeered and laughed at.

When you listen to what he's saying, he words are painfully clear. But back in 2006-07, people were enjoying their borrowed wealth to much to listen. Once again, I'm glad to be among those who've been taught to live within their means.

Relevant quote:

“All too often a family's spending is governed more by their yearning than by their earning. They somehow believe that their life will be better if they surround themselves with an abundance of things. All too often all they are left with is avoidable anxiety and distress” --Joseph B. Wirthlin

New Romney Spot

Freaks and Geeks Makes a Happy Father's Day

I was extremely happy this Father's Day to get the complete series of Freaks and Geeks. Sure, it ran for only a season, but was the funniest, most realistic coming-of-age show I've ever had the pleasure to watch. "Dramedy" doesn't begin to come close.

Let me put down a chunk of the letter from Paul Feig, the creator of the show:

For me, this journey started back in 1998, when I was driving around the country with a very low budget independent feature film I made called Life Sold Separately. As I was out on a long college tour with the film, driving around from state to state in the Midwest, I decided it was time to write something I'd been wanting to write for a while: a one-hour TV show about my experiences in high school while growing up in Michigan. I wanted it to be about the real people I knew, the people I had never seen portrayed accurately on TV or in movies. I wanted to write about the burnouts, or freaks, who were always getting in trouble an yet who seemed to be questioning the world around them more than the school system apparently wanted them to. And I wanted to write about my friends.

I'll be honest. My friends and I didn't consider ourselves to be geeks back then. We knew kids who were nerdy, who were the super smart kids who knew they were going to be valedictorians and eventually run the world, and yet we weren't really a part of that group. We simply weren't that smart. But we didn't exclude them from our group, since our group didn't exclude anyone. Because we never really were a group, at least not as far as we were concerned. We were basically awkward, slightly immature kids who didn't fit in to any other clique. Looking back, I guess that made us a group, which I then chose to call "geeks" when I started writing the script (and, hey, it rhymes with "freaks," right?).

By the way, Paul Feig has made quite a name for himself since Freaks and Geeks, and has had a hand in many projects including directing Arrested Development and The Office, and playing a bit part in an episode of Facts of Life.

If you've never had the chance to watch it, rent it--and then buy it.

Dancing with the Stars Is Back

For me, Monday is the new Thursday in terms of good TV. There's my beloved Heroes (returning April 23) and now Dancing with the Stars, which returned last night.

Off the cuff, I'd say the "stars" aren't quite as gifted as some of last season's but it should still be a fun ride. My early favorite is Apolo Anton Ohno, the Olympic Gold Medalist in speed skating. He seems talented, and obviously has the focus he needs to succeed. The downside: he has an inexperienced partner, Julianne Hough. I'm sure she's a great dancer and all, and very beautiful, but at only 18 years old, she's the youngest pro ever to compete on Dancing. Time will tell if she has the teaching and choreography talent they need. Coincidentally, Julianne appears to be Mormon (born and raised in Utah with 10 siblings, etc.)

And who should be voted off? Billy Ray Cyrus, hands down. He was just a shade better than Tucker Carlson from last season. But with his name recognition and good looks, I'm thinking he'll stay around for a few more rounds.

Mitt Romney's First Campaign TV Spot

About a year before the primaries, and Mitt is already running this in select markets. Go Mitt!

Heroes: Awesome

I came onto the Heroes scene about three episodes into the series. Ever since, I've been hooked. It takes a lot for a TV show to do that to me, but Heroes delivers in spades. And last night's episode was the best by far.

Go to the NBC Heroes page to watch all the episodes if you haven't yet. You won't be disappointed.