1. “Daily Show” in Iran. I agree with critics who noted that Jason Jones's satirical remotes from Tehran and Qom before the election and crackdown could not have been more poorly timed. But as a launching pad for a serious discussion of Iran, it was another step into the world of real news — which is where the country's leading fake newscast deserves to be.
2. Late night's tight fights. Conan and Dave are running neck and neck in the ratings … and doing some of their best shows in years.
3. Bleeped “Borat.” I'm just not sure I can watch that chase scene with the naked guy again, so I'll take the black circle that USA Network's planning to use when it airs “Borat” at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday on USA.
… AND WHAT'S NOT
1. DTV hysteria. Proof that FCC chairman oversold the digital transition: in the end, few even noticed the shutting down of analog TV.
2. MSNBC. It passed on Iran, and before that Mumbai. As reader Paul Rodriguez wondered this week, will this be the weekend that America's cheapest news channel finally pre-empts its slate of prison documentaries to cover actual news?
3. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, RIP. I suddenly feel a lot older with three inescapable personalities of my TV upbringing now gone from the scene.
MSNBC did stay with the Michael Jackson mania for a long time Thursday evening
Posted by: Jim | June 26, 2009 at 07:40 PM