Coming up: Rory goes to college. But first: Hugo's going to hell

Pat Robertson's latest bit of harmless joshing around -- you know, ordering a hit on Hugo Chavez of Venezuela on international TV -- once again brought attention to the bizarre arrangement by which ABC Family, home of the "Gilmore Girls" and "Full House" repeats, continues to air Robertson's show "The 700 Club" three times a day, including an 11 p.m. nightly airing that's wedged between "Whose Line" and "America's Funniest Home Videos."

I've been rummaging through Nexis trying to figure it out. How does a guy get a huge conglomerate to buy his TV channel for some huge sum of money, and get its executives to agree to carry his TV show ... and then get the NEXT owner of the channel to agree to the same terms??

Robertson is once removed from the current ownership of his erstwhile CBN. And yet, through all the changes -- from Family Channel to Fox Family Channel to ABC Family -- "The 700 Club" lives on. (As to why the channel still has the word "family" in it,  ABC was afraid that if they dropped the word, cable operators would drop their channel. A legitimate concern, given the recent ruling that allowed Time Warner Cable to drop AMC because it no longer aired classic movies. Also a moot point, seeing how elastic the word "family" has become in TV circles of late.)

If anyone has more legal insight into how Robertson could compel ABC to continue carrying "The 700 Club" (why it's called that) on a channel he hasn't owned for seven years, I'd love to hear it.

Also, this just in:

• "Third Man Out: A Donald Strachey Mystery" starring Chad Allen (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) premieres on here!, the nation's first gay and lesbian television network, on Friday, September 2nd.  This made-for-TV film centers on gay detective Donald Strachey (Allen) who delves into the seedy world of urban corruption, making enemies as he solves crimes.  He's a tough, cool customer in the tradition of the greatest hard-boiled detectives.  In a ground-breaking move, here! presents the first gay detective ever to be seen on television. (here! PR)  We can't get here! yet, although I've just been told that Time Warner Cable is adding it and the Q Network to local systems. But I have seen the promotional reel for here! and I'm glad to see they're taking this whole gay-network idea seriously. That promo was the campiest thing I'd ever seen.
• This from VH1, promoting its latest attempt at cashing in on a showbiz whack job, "Breaking Bonaduce": This series is a dramatic, honest, and compelling look into the complex relationship between Danny Bonaduce, his wife Gretchen and their two young children Isabella (10-years old) and Dante (4-years old). Meeting and marrying seven hours into their first date, the Bonaduces, who have been together for fifteen years, have faced addiction, infidelity and Danny's “death wish” antics, but can they continue to survive as a couple? Told through the unique lens of their couple’s therapy sessions, nothing is held back and the emotions are all real as they both deal with Danny's descent into drug use, drinking binges, sex addiction and his resulting 30-day stay in rehab. Therapy sessions? Rehab? These people have a problem, and continuing to sell it as a product is not doing them any good. Fifteen years ago, Danny Bonaduce's screwed-up personal life made for interesting radio. Now it's just sad. He looks more strung out as time goes on (currently he looks like he could be Morgan Spurlock's heroin-addicted older brother). Continuing to give Bonaduce national TV publicity is just wrong. Let him earn an honest living in radio or wherever, but VH1, move on!
• Kudos to Paul Harris for keeping the Bob Costas-CNN-Aruba story percolating over the weekend. The New York Times has just now gotten around to covering it.

Update: A lifelong friend of Bonaduce's -- with a surname you'll recognize -- responds on the jump page. Plus: A definitive answer on the "700 Club Til the Rapture" question.

A reader writes:

As a lifetime friend of Danny, I think your comments were a bit premature. Danny has overcome more in his life than most people will ever go through. Unlike most child stars, Danny has come back from the depths of hell and survived the trip. He has an incredible marraige and two great kids. Most child stars are either dead or are working as security guards for places like Wal-Mart. And Danny, unlike the others, has talent. He may have his problems, but who doesn't!! All I ask is that you give this show a chance. I think you'll find it to be one of the best reality shows in recent history. They entered in to this project with hopes of helping other couples who deal with similar situations, and I think they will accomplish that.

My father, James "Scotty" Doohan, had his share of tough times and believe me, he partied too. But, in the end, he raised 7 children and had a pretty good career. Again, give Danny a chance, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Sincerely,
Chris Doohan

Comments

[roy]

Regarding why the 700 Club is still on...

When Robertson sold the channel to Fox, one non-negotiable codicil was that the 700 Club would continue on the network in perpetuity no matter who owned the channel. That codicil devolves on any new owner.

Of course, nothing is non-negotiable, but don't look for the 700 Club to go away soon, at least while Pat is alive. This, of course, will cause discussion among Disney executives about assassinating him, because it will be cheaper than fighting a war with him.

About 10 years ago, Robertson made a major concession by slipping the time slot from 10pm back to 11pm eastern time.

(Thanks to Roy Currlin, who's always authoritative on such things.--AB)

[Todd Elkins]

Aaron, what are the ratings for the 700 Club? It clearly isn't fitting in with the rest of the programing surrounding the 700 Club.

(According to a MediaPost article today by Wayne Friedman, ratings are poor. And of course, ABC Family does nothing to promote the show.--AB)