Philadelphia Phillies
America
November 21, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
God bless America.
Take a look at a program schedule from the last few years.
Patriotic fever apparently strikes television executives.
America’s Next Top Model.
America’s Most Wanted.
American Chopper.
American Masters.
American Hot Rod.
America’s Next Producer.
American Justice.
America’s Got Talent.
American Experience.
American Inventor.
American Idol.
American Dad.
What accounts for these allusions to the red, white, and blue in television program titles that we might expect during an anniversary year, like a bicentennial?
First, size matters.
America is a pretty big, powerful, and awesome place. With a version of the word America in the title, the program naturally targets a mass audience -- all of us.
Second, success matters.
American Idol is popular, so subsequent offerings borrow from the name as well as the format
Models meet American Idol = America’s Next Top Model.
Inventors meet American Idol = American Inventor.
Third, pride matters.
America gives the audience a sense of pride -- the show could not take place anywhere but America.
For example, American Chopper is a series about the prototypical American success story of a family business -- Orange County Choppers. But success does not come easy for this upstate New York business focused on making one-of-a-kind motorcycles. It is a result of hard work, dedication, and passion.
Paul Teutul started Orange County Choppers in his basement because of his passion for building motorcycles. The business ballooned into a marketing, licensing, and television juggernaut.
Although Made in the U.S.A. fever seems to be contagious given the numerous America-based titles, we’ve actually seen the use of America throughout television history.
American Gladiators.
Good Morning, America.
America’s Funniest Home Videos.
American Dream was a short-lived series in the early 1980’s centering on a family’s move back to the city from their quiet home in suburbia.
American Dreamer took an opposite premise. This early 1990’s sitcom stars Robert Urich as a widower who trades in his globetrotting journalism work for a quiet life in Wisconsin with his family and a job as a newspaper columnist.
Amerika was a 1987 miniseries on ABC that depicted life ten years after a Soviet takeover. Robert Urich also starred in this offering along with Kris Kristofferson.
Americathon was a 1979 tv-movie showing what the country would be like in 1998 -- America is bankrupt, the president is a skirt chaser, and the oil supply is facing depletion. Were the writers prescient or was the plot line simply a coincidence?
The title comes from a telethon to save America.
American Bandstand starred eternally youthful Dick Clark from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. Clark capitalized on the American Bandstand brand and library with American Dreams. This NBC show enjoyed a three-season run -- 2002-2005. It showed us life in the 1960’s through the Pryor family, specifically Meg Pryor. Meg was an All-American teenage girl in Philadelphia who faced the trials and tribulations of growing up as she fulfilled her dream of being an American Bandstand dancer.
Finally, Love, American Style used an anthology format and featured guest stars in love stories that were varied, funny, and somewhat realistic.
Coincidentally, except for American Dreams and American Dreamer, many of the shows mentioned appeared on ABC -- American Broadcasting Company.
david@davidkrell.com
God bless America.
Take a look at a program schedule from the last few years.
Patriotic fever apparently strikes television executives.
America’s Next Top Model.
America’s Most Wanted.
American Chopper.
American Masters.
American Hot Rod.
America’s Next Producer.
American Justice.
America’s Got Talent.
American Experience.
American Inventor.
American Idol.
American Dad.
What accounts for these allusions to the red, white, and blue in television program titles that we might expect during an anniversary year, like a bicentennial?
First, size matters.
America is a pretty big, powerful, and awesome place. With a version of the word America in the title, the program naturally targets a mass audience -- all of us.
Second, success matters.
American Idol is popular, so subsequent offerings borrow from the name as well as the format
Models meet American Idol = America’s Next Top Model.
Inventors meet American Idol = American Inventor.
Third, pride matters.
America gives the audience a sense of pride -- the show could not take place anywhere but America.
For example, American Chopper is a series about the prototypical American success story of a family business -- Orange County Choppers. But success does not come easy for this upstate New York business focused on making one-of-a-kind motorcycles. It is a result of hard work, dedication, and passion.
Paul Teutul started Orange County Choppers in his basement because of his passion for building motorcycles. The business ballooned into a marketing, licensing, and television juggernaut.
Although Made in the U.S.A. fever seems to be contagious given the numerous America-based titles, we’ve actually seen the use of America throughout television history.
American Gladiators.
Good Morning, America.
America’s Funniest Home Videos.
American Dream was a short-lived series in the early 1980’s centering on a family’s move back to the city from their quiet home in suburbia.
American Dreamer took an opposite premise. This early 1990’s sitcom stars Robert Urich as a widower who trades in his globetrotting journalism work for a quiet life in Wisconsin with his family and a job as a newspaper columnist.
Amerika was a 1987 miniseries on ABC that depicted life ten years after a Soviet takeover. Robert Urich also starred in this offering along with Kris Kristofferson.
Americathon was a 1979 tv-movie showing what the country would be like in 1998 -- America is bankrupt, the president is a skirt chaser, and the oil supply is facing depletion. Were the writers prescient or was the plot line simply a coincidence?
The title comes from a telethon to save America.
American Bandstand starred eternally youthful Dick Clark from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. Clark capitalized on the American Bandstand brand and library with American Dreams. This NBC show enjoyed a three-season run -- 2002-2005. It showed us life in the 1960’s through the Pryor family, specifically Meg Pryor. Meg was an All-American teenage girl in Philadelphia who faced the trials and tribulations of growing up as she fulfilled her dream of being an American Bandstand dancer.
Finally, Love, American Style used an anthology format and featured guest stars in love stories that were varied, funny, and somewhat realistic.
Coincidentally, except for American Dreams and American Dreamer, many of the shows mentioned appeared on ABC -- American Broadcasting Company.
When It Was A Game
November 06, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Today, the New York Yankees celebrate a 27th World Series Championship with parade in Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes.
The excitement of the 2009 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees overshadowed the recent steroid scandal.
But baseball has suffered scandals since its beginning.
The Black Sox Scandal of 1919 where the Chicago White Sox suffered accusations of fixing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
The betting scandal involving Pete Rose betting on baseball games, including games played by the team he managed -- Cincinnati Reds.
For a time when the lines were clearer, the heroes were greater, and the myths were bigger, look no further than HBO’s When It Was A Game documentaries.
HBO made three documentaries in 1991, 1992, and 2000 respectively under the When It Was A Game banner.
The musical score, appealing visuals, and artful narration combine for a step into history that even the most casual fan will appreciate.
The musical score’s foundation is its fanfare. It appropriately shows the reverence for the heroes depicted in the documentaries.
The visuals come from home movies -- 8 millimeter and 16 millimeter films shot by fans and insiders from the 1930’s through the 1960’s.
You see stadiums that don’t exist anymore -- Polo Grounds in Manhattan, Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.
You see legendary players -- Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams along with old-timers Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young.
And throughout the When It Was A Game trilogy, you hear wonderful narration from people who love the game of baseball.
James Earl Jones -- Actor.
Robert Creamer -- Writer.
Jim Bouton -- Pitcher.
Maury Wills -- Shortstop.
Frank Robinson -- Outfielder.
Jim Kaat -- Pitcher.
Al Kaline -- Outfielder.
Thomas Boswell -- Writer.
Bob Costas -- Broadcaster.
John Sayles -- Filmmaker.
When It Was A Game recalls eras when legendary players enjoyed unbreakable associations with teams. Fans could count on their favorite players spending most -- if not all -- of their careers with one team.
Roberto Clemente -- Pittsburgh Pirates.
Al Kaline -- Detroit Tigers.
Hank Aaron -- Milwaukee Braves / Atlanta Braves.
Willie Mays -- New York Giants / San Francsico Giants.
Jackie Robinson -- Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bob Gibson -- St. Louis Cardinals.
Harmon Killebrew -- Minnesota Twins.
The eras depicted in When It Was A Game were eras of greatness in baseball. But the bottom line definitely existed. Promotions took place. And owners were hard-nosed in their negotiations with players in the time before free agents, massive bonuses, and free agency.
But the eras enjoyed deep reverence. And that depth shines clearly in the When It Was A Game trilogy.
Before the first pitch of a baseball game was sponsored, before .220 batters got million dollar contracts, and before stadiums were named for corporations, there was indeed a time when baseball was a game.
david@davidkrell.com
Today, the New York Yankees celebrate a 27th World Series Championship with parade in Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes.
The excitement of the 2009 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees overshadowed the recent steroid scandal.
But baseball has suffered scandals since its beginning.
The Black Sox Scandal of 1919 where the Chicago White Sox suffered accusations of fixing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
The betting scandal involving Pete Rose betting on baseball games, including games played by the team he managed -- Cincinnati Reds.
For a time when the lines were clearer, the heroes were greater, and the myths were bigger, look no further than HBO’s When It Was A Game documentaries.
HBO made three documentaries in 1991, 1992, and 2000 respectively under the When It Was A Game banner.
The musical score, appealing visuals, and artful narration combine for a step into history that even the most casual fan will appreciate.
The musical score’s foundation is its fanfare. It appropriately shows the reverence for the heroes depicted in the documentaries.
The visuals come from home movies -- 8 millimeter and 16 millimeter films shot by fans and insiders from the 1930’s through the 1960’s.
You see stadiums that don’t exist anymore -- Polo Grounds in Manhattan, Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.
You see legendary players -- Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams along with old-timers Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young.
And throughout the When It Was A Game trilogy, you hear wonderful narration from people who love the game of baseball.
James Earl Jones -- Actor.
Robert Creamer -- Writer.
Jim Bouton -- Pitcher.
Maury Wills -- Shortstop.
Frank Robinson -- Outfielder.
Jim Kaat -- Pitcher.
Al Kaline -- Outfielder.
Thomas Boswell -- Writer.
Bob Costas -- Broadcaster.
John Sayles -- Filmmaker.
When It Was A Game recalls eras when legendary players enjoyed unbreakable associations with teams. Fans could count on their favorite players spending most -- if not all -- of their careers with one team.
Roberto Clemente -- Pittsburgh Pirates.
Al Kaline -- Detroit Tigers.
Hank Aaron -- Milwaukee Braves / Atlanta Braves.
Willie Mays -- New York Giants / San Francsico Giants.
Jackie Robinson -- Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bob Gibson -- St. Louis Cardinals.
Harmon Killebrew -- Minnesota Twins.
The eras depicted in When It Was A Game were eras of greatness in baseball. But the bottom line definitely existed. Promotions took place. And owners were hard-nosed in their negotiations with players in the time before free agents, massive bonuses, and free agency.
But the eras enjoyed deep reverence. And that depth shines clearly in the When It Was A Game trilogy.
Before the first pitch of a baseball game was sponsored, before .220 batters got million dollar contracts, and before stadiums were named for corporations, there was indeed a time when baseball was a game.