“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY. It can be heard Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moments notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-16 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see? Drop me a line and we can talk.
Program scripts from week of January 4, 2016
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
RIP Jason Wingreen
With
the volume of TV and movies I watch, I regularly hit that moment when
you say “Wait, where do I know that actor from?”. With my
background in radio I commonly do that to the sound of the voice.
Just recently I spent about a half an hour trying to figure out who
was playing the doorman in an otherwise unremarkable movie. Turned
out to be Gavin MacLeod, who played the captain of “The Love Boat”.
the volume of TV and movies I watch, I regularly hit that moment when
you say “Wait, where do I know that actor from?”. With my
background in radio I commonly do that to the sound of the voice.
Just recently I spent about a half an hour trying to figure out who
was playing the doorman in an otherwise unremarkable movie. Turned
out to be Gavin MacLeod, who played the captain of “The Love Boat”.
In
that vein, the name of Jason Wingreen probably means nothing to you.
It didn’t to me when it first came up in my news feed. Wingreen
passed away last week. As I dug into the story I discovered that he
was certainly one of those actors that you know you know from
somewhere.
that vein, the name of Jason Wingreen probably means nothing to you.
It didn’t to me when it first came up in my news feed. Wingreen
passed away last week. As I dug into the story I discovered that he
was certainly one of those actors that you know you know from
somewhere.
For
the younger generation he is being remembered as the original voice
of Boba Fett in “Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back”. An
older generation may remember him as Harry the bartender on the
classic TV comedy “All in the Family” and it’s spin off “Archie
Bunker’s Place”. He had four lines and received no on screen
credit for Boba Fett, while he appeared in more than a hundred
episodes in the Archie Bunker universe.
the younger generation he is being remembered as the original voice
of Boba Fett in “Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back”. An
older generation may remember him as Harry the bartender on the
classic TV comedy “All in the Family” and it’s spin off “Archie
Bunker’s Place”. He had four lines and received no on screen
credit for Boba Fett, while he appeared in more than a hundred
episodes in the Archie Bunker universe.
Now
for a lot of actors that would be a pretty good career. What I found
was that Wingreen popped up in an astounding number of shows over his
long career.
for a lot of actors that would be a pretty good career. What I found
was that Wingreen popped up in an astounding number of shows over his
long career.
Born
in Brooklyn in 1920, Jason Wingreen planned on being a newspaperman
after graduating from Brooklyn College. It was while he was at
college that he caught the acting bug. He would go on to help found
the Circle in the Square Theater in Greenwich Village, and appear
several times on Broadway.
in Brooklyn in 1920, Jason Wingreen planned on being a newspaperman
after graduating from Brooklyn College. It was while he was at
college that he caught the acting bug. He would go on to help found
the Circle in the Square Theater in Greenwich Village, and appear
several times on Broadway.
Television
kept him busy for many years. In the ’60s he had a recurring role on
“The Untouchables”, made three appearances on “The Twilight
Zone”, and six appearances each on “The FBI”, “The Fugitive”
and “Ironsides” playing 18 different characters. Add on
appearances on “Mission Impossible”, “The Outer Limits”,
“Bonanza” and “The Rockford Files” to name just a few.
Television also set him up to be a member of a fairly elite group.
He has appeared in both Star Wars and Star Trek. Wingreen played a
research scientist in the episode titled “The Empath”, during the
original series. His movie work continued with 1980’s “Airplane”,
where he played the Mayo Clinic doctor with the beating heart
bouncing on his desk.
kept him busy for many years. In the ’60s he had a recurring role on
“The Untouchables”, made three appearances on “The Twilight
Zone”, and six appearances each on “The FBI”, “The Fugitive”
and “Ironsides” playing 18 different characters. Add on
appearances on “Mission Impossible”, “The Outer Limits”,
“Bonanza” and “The Rockford Files” to name just a few.
Television also set him up to be a member of a fairly elite group.
He has appeared in both Star Wars and Star Trek. Wingreen played a
research scientist in the episode titled “The Empath”, during the
original series. His movie work continued with 1980’s “Airplane”,
where he played the Mayo Clinic doctor with the beating heart
bouncing on his desk.
Wingreen
acknowledged that it was the Archie Bunker roles that allowed him to
retire. That was steady money over seven years that gave him the
chance to put a little money away. When he did it was after a career
that many an actor would have paid for the privilege to work.
acknowledged that it was the Archie Bunker roles that allowed him to
retire. That was steady money over seven years that gave him the
chance to put a little money away. When he did it was after a career
that many an actor would have paid for the privilege to work.
Jason
Wingreen was 95 years old.
Wingreen was 95 years old.
Future of Magazines
Haven’t
really talked abut print in awhile. A quick look shows that the news
isn’t getting any better it appears.
really talked abut print in awhile. A quick look shows that the news
isn’t getting any better it appears.
Taking
a look at the numbers for magazines, it’s increasingly grim. I came
across two different ways of looking at the subject and both of them
look ugly. The future of magazines as we have always known them is
decidedly uncertain.
a look at the numbers for magazines, it’s increasingly grim. I came
across two different ways of looking at the subject and both of them
look ugly. The future of magazines as we have always known them is
decidedly uncertain.
One
of the classic standards is newsstand sales. Overall the industry
showed an over ten percent drop in sales from the third quarter of
2014 to the same time period last year. The numbers show a decline
from just over 128 million copies to just over 115 million copies.
The financial front wasn’t any better with the dollar value of the
sales dropping almost ten percent as well. The conventional wisdom
says that it will be the small to medium sized magazines that suffer
but even the largest publishers are suffering. Time, Inc dropped
13+%, American Media, Inc, which publishes titles like Soap Opera
Digest, Men’s Health and the National Enquirer, saw sales drop about
the same and the Hearst company got even worse news, as their sales
dropped by nearly twenty two percent. All these figures come from
MagNet, a company that tracks retails single issue sales for the
industry.
of the classic standards is newsstand sales. Overall the industry
showed an over ten percent drop in sales from the third quarter of
2014 to the same time period last year. The numbers show a decline
from just over 128 million copies to just over 115 million copies.
The financial front wasn’t any better with the dollar value of the
sales dropping almost ten percent as well. The conventional wisdom
says that it will be the small to medium sized magazines that suffer
but even the largest publishers are suffering. Time, Inc dropped
13+%, American Media, Inc, which publishes titles like Soap Opera
Digest, Men’s Health and the National Enquirer, saw sales drop about
the same and the Hearst company got even worse news, as their sales
dropped by nearly twenty two percent. All these figures come from
MagNet, a company that tracks retails single issue sales for the
industry.
Looking
at it from the audience side doesn’t show a whole lot more light.
The GfK MRI company specializes in magazine audience ratings and they
show continued declines there. Their figures only include print and
digital editions, so anyone who reads the content on the website
would not be included. Decreases range from Family Circle and Better
Homes & Garden’s declines of around seven percent, to the
nineteen plus percent drop in audience at Entertainment Weekly and
the more than twenty one percent drop at Maxim magazine. If the
industry is hoping that digital will save them, there’s a lot of work
to be done there. For most titles the digital audience makes up well
less than five percent of the total audience. Add in the movement of
advertising dollars away from print to online and the future grows
increasingly dark.
at it from the audience side doesn’t show a whole lot more light.
The GfK MRI company specializes in magazine audience ratings and they
show continued declines there. Their figures only include print and
digital editions, so anyone who reads the content on the website
would not be included. Decreases range from Family Circle and Better
Homes & Garden’s declines of around seven percent, to the
nineteen plus percent drop in audience at Entertainment Weekly and
the more than twenty one percent drop at Maxim magazine. If the
industry is hoping that digital will save them, there’s a lot of work
to be done there. For most titles the digital audience makes up well
less than five percent of the total audience. Add in the movement of
advertising dollars away from print to online and the future grows
increasingly dark.
So
what is the future for magazines? There have been some interesting
discussions on that topic the last couple years. What I find most
encouraging is that much of that discussion is actually about better
serving the reader. Using the technology to personalize the products
that we get, providing faster and better service. I was truly
fascinated by two points. First, that consumers are tired of the
airbrushed, impossible people magazines have peddled for decades. We
want real people. The other is that print is actually still viable.
People like having something in their hands. The medium isn’t dead
but the business model is. Figuring out what a new model looks like
could be the Golden Ticket that turns back the gloom.
what is the future for magazines? There have been some interesting
discussions on that topic the last couple years. What I find most
encouraging is that much of that discussion is actually about better
serving the reader. Using the technology to personalize the products
that we get, providing faster and better service. I was truly
fascinated by two points. First, that consumers are tired of the
airbrushed, impossible people magazines have peddled for decades. We
want real people. The other is that print is actually still viable.
People like having something in their hands. The medium isn’t dead
but the business model is. Figuring out what a new model looks like
could be the Golden Ticket that turns back the gloom.
Taking Offense
I’m
going to begin 2016 by taking offense. This will result in some of
you taking offense as well. And that’s just fine.
going to begin 2016 by taking offense. This will result in some of
you taking offense as well. And that’s just fine.
As
the year ended I began to see more and more memes that expanded on a
phrase I saw with some regularity during the year. The meme goes
something like this – “In 2015 people were offended by everything.
In 2016 maybe we can all grow up”.
the year ended I began to see more and more memes that expanded on a
phrase I saw with some regularity during the year. The meme goes
something like this – “In 2015 people were offended by everything.
In 2016 maybe we can all grow up”.
Yeah,
not so much.
not so much.
I
understand where this meme comes from. When the discussion goes from
trying to be sensitive to being told how to think, it’s unsurprising
that some people became, well, offended.
understand where this meme comes from. When the discussion goes from
trying to be sensitive to being told how to think, it’s unsurprising
that some people became, well, offended.
The
unrecognized irony that the people pushing the meme are themselves
being offended by people being offended.
unrecognized irony that the people pushing the meme are themselves
being offended by people being offended.
But
let’s get something straight, right up front. There is nothing wrong
with being offended. In fact, change begins with someone being
offended with the status quo. What this meme, and all the
variations, want is for all of us to just accept things the way they
are. Just go along with the way things are. Don’t make a big deal
out of it.
let’s get something straight, right up front. There is nothing wrong
with being offended. In fact, change begins with someone being
offended with the status quo. What this meme, and all the
variations, want is for all of us to just accept things the way they
are. Just go along with the way things are. Don’t make a big deal
out of it.
In
the end the “Too easily offended” crowd and the “politically
correct” crowd have a common issue. They are trying to shut down
discussion, they’re are trying to deny freedom of speech.
the end the “Too easily offended” crowd and the “politically
correct” crowd have a common issue. They are trying to shut down
discussion, they’re are trying to deny freedom of speech.
Well,
that offends me.
that offends me.
I’m
offended by sexism, racism, and greed. I’m offended by
anti-intellectualism. I’m offended by a society that places more
importance on sports than on caring for the needy in our society.
I’m offended by xenophobia and homophobia and Islamophobia. I’m
offended by t-shirts with stupid sayings on them, politicians using
college bowl games to pander to voters, and, let’s be honest, I’m
offended by the entire Baltimore Ravens football team, and New York
Yankees baseball team.
offended by sexism, racism, and greed. I’m offended by
anti-intellectualism. I’m offended by a society that places more
importance on sports than on caring for the needy in our society.
I’m offended by xenophobia and homophobia and Islamophobia. I’m
offended by t-shirts with stupid sayings on them, politicians using
college bowl games to pander to voters, and, let’s be honest, I’m
offended by the entire Baltimore Ravens football team, and New York
Yankees baseball team.
Some
of those are more important than others. There’s a balance that we
need to be reaching for in our discussions. It begins with
understanding that societies change. That part of that process is
changing how we think and speak about certain issues and ideas. It
means acknowledging that just because WE are not offended by
something doesn’t mean that it may not be offensive. It also means
acknowledging that just because we ARE offended, it doesn’t mean that
society needs to change to please us. American culture, must find a
compromise position. It means that everyone is going to be offended
by something.
of those are more important than others. There’s a balance that we
need to be reaching for in our discussions. It begins with
understanding that societies change. That part of that process is
changing how we think and speak about certain issues and ideas. It
means acknowledging that just because WE are not offended by
something doesn’t mean that it may not be offensive. It also means
acknowledging that just because we ARE offended, it doesn’t mean that
society needs to change to please us. American culture, must find a
compromise position. It means that everyone is going to be offended
by something.
The
alternatives are simply offensive.
alternatives are simply offensive.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2015
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Stories Are My Life 
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