From nobody Wed Aug 28 18:05:44 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: Problem with "Appartment" episode
References: <akjc6p$5ek$1@newsflash.concordia.ca>
Date: 28 Aug 2002 18:05:42 -0500
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"Deborah Martin" <dak_mar@alcor&Mizar.concordia.ca> writes:

> I don't know if this has ever been brought up but here goes.

> When Matthew goes through his "game show" bit with Dave and Lisa, he
> stops because "it's a tie".  In fact, it's not a tie, Dave is
> leading 2-1 at that point so, unless A&E has cut part of this scene,
> someone goofed.

I think you're right.

Lisa gets a point for "from my own canteen."  Lisa ahead 1-0.

Lisa gets a point when Dave says this is stupid.  Lisa 2-0.

Dave gets a point for "changing my answer to soup."  Lisa 2-1.

Lisa loses a point for pointing out that Judge Reinhold is not a
member of the Brat Pack.  1-1 tie.

Dave gets a point for "if I were an alien, what would you call me."
"Matthew!"  Dave 2-1.

However, I'm not sure that Matthew didn't also award points for the
other "lightning round" questions.  I think he was marking something
with a pencil as he went through them.  If he did award points for
those questions (closest to the answer?) and Lisa got two of them,
they'd be tied at 3-3.

Or, as you suggest, A&E may have cut a question.  Seems unlikely
they'd cut something integral to the rest of the scene like that,
but I guess you never know.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Sun Sep  1 21:01:41 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: Boy, the fifth season is weak
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sjim67@aol.com (James Allen) writes:

> Saw the two parter where Lisa gets married (never saw it before),
> and boy did it typify everything that was wrong with Season 5. Not
> only was the plot stupid (the character of John Johnson was none too
> interesting), but the character of Dave degenerated into just one
> big milquetoast nag, Lisa was an idiot, Jimmy James was a complete
> clown, and Max was just annoying (since this was toward the end of
> the season, it looks like they realized what a dud John Lovitz was
> and they gave him less and less to say.)

I agree with everything you said.  There are good single scenes and
plot points in the fifth season, and even a couple episodes I like
early in the season, but I can't bear to watch some of them.  As
someone else said, "Wedding" is surely the worst.  The one where Max
worries about being too "weird" is good, as is the one where they open
the letters from Bill (the first ep, I assume).

Dave, who was always the central character around whom all the wacky
people revolved, turns into a shadow of his former self.  Gone is Nice
Midwestern Dave, but gone also is Evil Overworked Dave.  All that's
left is a guy holding a coffee cup who's unsure about everything.
Neither of the old Daves would have agreed to be Johnny's best man,
that's for sure.

Lisa just gets stupid.  She was always impulsive, despite her normal
logical attitude, but that can't account for her obsession with Johnny
going on for so long.  A fling would have made sense, but marrying him
after all that time -- and his becoming a wino -- just went too far.

Jimmy goes from being an eccentric billionaire to a loser that hangs
around the office with nowhere to go.  He owns his own jet and took
Dave to Japan for lunch one day earlier in the series, but when the
feds are after him, he hides at Dave's house?  Come on.  He's supposed
to be eccentric, not stupid.

Beth was always neurotic and shrill, but it's like they told her to
just focus on those attributes and leave out everything else.  Almost
every line she has is delivered in a strange voice, either shrill or
with some other affectation.  

> Not to say that these characteristics weren't part of what these
> characters were, but the shadings were all but gone at this point,
> devolving into caricatures. I like the Dave, Lisa, and Jimmy of the
> early shows. Not here, though. Only Beth seems to retain an ounce of
> her old self. (Joe and Matt were always one-notish anyway, so they
> really had nowhere to go, either up or down.)

That's probably why some of the bright spots in season 5 come from
Matthew, like when he goes 'punk' and "Smart Matthew".  (I think that
second one is season 5.)  He was already so bizarre that they couldn't
do much to hurt him.

> I know I'm saying the obvioius here, but it just struck me so (as I
> don't generally watch season 5 anyway.)

I watched them all through once, to make sure I didn't miss anything
good.  Now I just try to keep track of where they are in the series,
so I can start watching again when they start over -- or with the
final ep, which was pretty good.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Sat Oct  5 09:39:49 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: NewsRadio v. Other Sitcoms
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drewwezley@aol.comiserate (Believe the Hype) writes:

> Matthew being a dentist was an odd quirk that had a payoff,
> comedically.

> Having Lisa take the job (even under the auspices of it being as an
> 'undercover reporter') and then KEEP the job was just shameful.

It made perfect sense to me.  Lisa is an over-achiever who always
tries to get the job done right.  When she gets praised for her hard
work, she takes it to heart and throws herself fully into the job --
the nature of the job is irrelevant.

Note that we see her get very little praise for her hard work at
WNYX.  While she's dating Dave, he avoids rewarding or praising her
because of the conflict of interest.  She gets passed over for news
director when Dave is hired, and only gets the job temporarily later
because Andrea PlanB likes her.  She spends most of her time otherwise
doing Matthew's work and dealing with Bill.  It's not surprising that
a little praise in another job would affect her.

Now Lisa's agreeing to marry Johnny -- *that* was out of character.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Sun Oct  6 09:47:13 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: NewsRadio v. Other Sitcoms
References: <60017c04.0210040909.16d3b139@posting.google.com> <20021004203433.07070.00011685@mb-mv.aol.com> <3da1b4b4.119249711@news-server.houston.rr.com> <upuga7a1raiaf7@corp.supernews.com> <3D9F6180.4010901@newsfeeds.com>
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Eeyore48 <eeyore48@newsfeeds.com> writes:

> True! But for my money, the WORST thing a show can do is that
> season-long, tortured, TRYING to have a baby thing.  Mad About You,
> Coach and Roseanne are the ones that spring to mind, but dozens have
> done it.  Total shark-bait - not only is it over-used, it's boring
> and offensive.

Yeah, but those shows were boring and offensive from the start.

(I guess Coach wasn't actually offensive, but certainly boring.)


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Tue Oct  8 06:54:52 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: NewsRadio v. Other Sitcoms
Date: 08 Oct 2002 06:54:52 -0500
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Paul Atreides <atreides@sover.net> writes:

> Man, I thought I was the only one who hated Mad About You. We should
> start a support group.

It's one of the worst things I've ever seen.  I've hated Paul Reiser
from his stand-up days, and Helen Hunt's character is so awful that
her tremendous looks can't make her watchable in this show.  On top of
that, it's got that Woody Allen-ish, "overly self-conscious
insecure-yet-hip New Yorkers running around talking about their
worries in apartments" vibe going on.  Puke.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Tue Nov 26 06:21:29 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: It's about damned time for a poll.
References: <Xns92D1CC0907787atreidessovernet@64.154.60.178> <20021125202157.01555.00005718@mb-mu.aol.com>
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tavie@aol.complaintbx (Tay-vee) writes:

> Unless this questions was just for the guys, in which case, I still
> choose Lisa and Catherine, Lisa for her pouty lips and Catherine for
> her gorgeous rack. :P

Yep.  I'll take Lisa and Catherine for these and those and this and
that.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Tue Nov 26 06:28:56 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: Khandi Alexander SECRET
References: <20021125203247.04435.00000156@mb-fk.aol.com> <Xns92D292A1E429hecubus43hotmailcom@130.133.1.4>
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Rick <hecubus43@hotmail.com> writes:

> > Does Khandi Alexander have breast implants?

> Nope. She has two bald little people who sit on specially made seats
> which she straps over her shoulders to give the illusion of breasts.

"There's a midget under her dress pushing up." "Lucky midget!  Midgets
 get everything." -Tom Servo/Crow, MST3K, 'Quest of the Delta Knights'
 

-- 
Aaron

From nobody Tue Dec  3 06:41:54 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: LateLine
References: <20021202210643.28385.00000219@mb-cm.aol.com> <uuoc7clv8hendc@corp.supernews.com>
Date: 03 Dec 2002 06:41:54 -0600
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kenny@panix.com (Kenneth Crudup) writes:

> >Did anyone watch this Al Franken show?

> No, but I heard it was funny.

With Al Franken?  Seems unlikely.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Tue Dec  3 13:57:36 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: LateLine
Date: 03 Dec 2002 13:57:36 -0600
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kenny@panix.com (Kenneth Crudup) writes:

> Wha? Al Franken cracks *me* up, anyway.

I'll admit his Stuart Smalley bits on SNL were usually pretty funny,
but everything else he does leaves me cold.  I don't mind political
humor, but I prefer not to be bludgeoned with it. (see: Bill Maher).


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Thu Dec  5 17:50:23 2002
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: Difference between NewsRadio and other Sitcoms, part II
References: <3DEEA30F.3040506@baerana.com> <65612c80.0212051313.2cf7a685@posting.google.com> <3DEFE15D.7010005@baerana.com>
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Eeyore48 <eeyore48@baerana.com> writes:

> > There's a bit in "Zoso" where they fail on this. How does LISA
> > know about Fat Albert characters?

> Yeah - OTOH, I know a bit about it - never seen an episode but a
> friend of me made jokes about it - some stuff like that you just
> pick up

And we just know that Lisa's parents didn't have TV.  We don't know
that she never saw the Cosby Kids at a friend's house some Saturday
morning.  


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Sun Jan 26 07:56:45 2003
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: Your Choice for Phil Hartmann's replacement
References: <JGBY9.15791$LA4.1269165@news1.west.cox.net> <3e3339f5$0$30793$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au>
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"Jason Smith" <jason@unction.com> writes:

> I don't really know about other actors, but I agree that Jon Lovitz
> was just horrible.

I thought the problem with Max was that they ran out of ideas for him
pretty quickly.  His first couple episodes, where he's worrying about
being fired and being too weird, were good.  In fact, the interaction
between Max and Dave was very good, because Max got on Dave's nerves
-- although in different ways than Bill did.

But after a few episodes, Max became this giggling, vaguely effeminate
blob.  Dave pretty much faded into an ineffectual nothingness once the
truly awful Lisa-Johnny plot started, so there was nothing left of the
Dave-Max relationship, which was all the character of Max had going
for it.  A strange sort-of-crush between Max and Beth couldn't replace
it, either.

Max does have one of my favorite lines, though:

Beth: Mr. James, I represent the entire staff.
Jimmy: Max, does Beth represent you?
Max: No.
Jimmy: And you're helping her because...?
Max: She's a cute girl with red hair.

That pretty much sums up the male experience, as I see it.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Sun Feb  2 16:00:42 2003
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: Best Episodes??
References: <20030202131456.24456.00000409@mb-ck.aol.com> <3E3D634B.4010409@baerana.com>
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Eeyore48 <eeyore48@baerana.com> writes:

> The one that always springs to mind is "security door" I'm the only
> fan I've ever heard say that, but I could watch "Security Door" 10
> times a day.

Yeah, that's one of my favorites too.  Dave's getting fed up with the
crew is hilarious.  The bit with the drawings of how to use the door
are the best, when Matthew raises his hand, and Dave's already got a
picture drawn to answer what to do if a wizard comes along.  And the
picture of them all on fire.  I chuckle just thinking about that
scene.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Mon Mar 10 14:27:36 2003
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: FBI
References: <17116-3E6B4CBB-618@storefull-2335.public.lawson.webtv.net> <Xns9339B3FDD2697atreidessovernet@64.154.60.178> <GZSaa.136870$XB3.12925@news1.west.cox.net> <Xns933A8D539F2A8atreidessovernet@64.154.60.178> <3E6CE5D1.9000709@baerana.com>
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Eeyore48 <eeyore48@baerana.com> writes:

> Why is no one still discussion Profiler, but there is a hard-core
> group in here still discussing NewsRadio?  Is it the quality of the
> show?  Or is it because the people in here have a closer
> relationship to each other?  Or what?  What do you think is the
> difference?

I can't say about Profiler specifically, but in some cases, it's
because of alternative places to discuss the same topic.  There are so
many web-based bulletin boards these days, and newcomers to the
Internet are more likely to find them than Usenet (most people never
do find Usenet).  

It's the same way in sports newsgroups.  The group for the St. Louis
Blues NHL team is almost completely dead, yet other NHL team groups
may be thriving and busy.  It's not because the Blues have fewer fans;
it's just because a St. Louis newspaper created a web-based board
that's very popular and busy.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Sat May  3 05:58:18 2003
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: Johnny Johnson?
References: <b8vljf$pg0$1@slb6.atl.mindspring.net>
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"wesco" <ganggreen@nest.net> writes:

> A local station runs NR every weekday at 5:00PM & the last few days
> have been the DB Cooper episodes with Johnny Johnson.  Does anybody
> agree that these three episodes are actually a lot better than
> they're given credit for by most NR fans?

I'd say they're the best Johnny Johnson episodes.  The show didn't
really take an ugly turn until it focused on the Lisa-Johnny thing.
(Or maybe that happened at the same time; I haven't seen them in a
while.  In that case, the D.B. Cooper parts were good; the Lisa
lusting after Johnny parts were awful.)


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Mon May 26 09:28:11 2003
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: I just noticed something
References: <20030524111231.09515.00000414@mb-m11.aol.com>
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xxpunkfoleyfanxx@aol.com (Kaitlyn) writes:

> I was watching a few of the NewsRadio episodes I taped and noticed
> something that made me think.  In the office they only have one
> elevator to go down to the lobby but in the lobby they had two
> elevators.  The one episode where Beth's copy cat friend was working
> as a temp, Beth went down and came out of one elevator. Then Dave
> and Lisa came out of the other.  Is it just me or is there something
> wrong with that?  There could be another elevator on the floor but
> I've never seen it.

Obviously Beth was afraid that Nancy might follow her, so she got off
at the 10th floor, waited there a while, switched to the express
elevator that doesn't stop at WNYX's floor, and rode it the rest of
the way down to throw Nancy off her trail.


-- 
Aaron

From nobody Sun Nov 26 11:50:41 2006
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: "Kissing your sister" quote
From: Aaron Baugher <aaron_baugher@yahoo.com>
Organization: Baugher Salvage and Really Wild Stuff Corporation
Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2006 11:50:39 -0600
Message-ID: <86ac2eksgg.fsf@cail.baugher.pike.il.us>
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Can someone help me with this Bill quote?  I think I'm remembering it
about half right, and, amazingly enough, I haven't had any luck
googling it:

Bill:  <something> is like kissing your sister.  Sure, she's a sweet
<something> with a great pair of blouse bunnies, but it's just wrong,
Dave.


-- 
Aaron -- http://www.myspace.com/aaronbaugher

"Take what you need and leave the rest."

From nobody Thu Dec  7 08:35:44 2006
Newsgroups: alt.tv.newsradio
Subject: Re: "Kissing your sister" quote
References: <86ac2eksgg.fsf@cail.baugher.pike.il.us> <1165454349.378953.287430@73g2000cwn.googlegroups.com>
From: Aaron Baugher <aaron_baugher@yahoo.com>
Organization: Baugher Salvage and Really Wild Stuff Corporation
Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2006 08:35:41 -0600
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"rockrevolt" <rockrevolt@mail.com> writes:

> Aaron Baugher wrote:
>> Can someone help me with this Bill quote?  I think I'm remembering it
>> about half right, and, amazingly enough, I haven't had any luck
>> googling it:
>>
>> Bill:  <something> is like kissing your sister.  Sure, she's a sweet
>> <something> with a great pair of blouse bunnies, but it's just wrong,
>> Dave.

> Are you thinking of the "French your daddy" quote from the episode
> where Bill takes beth to the luncheon in "Luncheon at the Waldorf"
> from season 1?  I don't remember the bit about blouse bunnies and I
> know NewsRadio quotes pretty well.

No, although that's a great one.

I'm so ashamed; somehow I got Phil Hartman mixed up with Charlie
Sheen.  The quote I'm thinking of is from the movie Hot Shots (from
IMDB):

  My father used to say that not playing to win is like sleeping with
  your sister. Sure she's a great piece of tail, with a blouse full of
  goodies, but... it's just illegal. Then you get into that whole
  inbred thing. Kids with no teeth who do nothing but play the
  banjo... eat apple sauce through a straw... pork farm animals.

In my defense, it *sounds* like something Bill would say.