By John Katsilometes
I guess C-SPAN just couldn’t pony up the cash.
Sashaying in the wrong direction if it ever expects to return to network television, on Monday the Miss America Pageant finally announced its new cable partner: TLC.
That network used to be known as The Learning Channel, but now goes by the acronym so it isn’t pinned into a name that might imply there is some educational programming being aired (CMT used similar reasoning when shedding its Country Music Television title, the type of move that frees these offshoot cable channels to sign on with beauty pageants). TLC’s best-known shows are “Little People, Big World,” “Miami Ink” and “Trading Spaces.” It is also airing the movie “Diana: Last Days of a Princess.” So the pageant will serve as TLC’s counter-princess programming, in a sense. The show will again originate from Las Vegas, from the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts, on Jan. 26.
At least the Miss America Organization – which some day might have decide if, when and how it will announce that Lynette Boggs has been lopped from its board of directors – won’t have to worry about seeking another cable partner for a while. TLC has committed to airing the pageant through 2010 (CMT did not exercise its option with Miss America to air the pageant next year). That network scooped up the show after ABC dropped it following the low-rated 2004 show. Since, Miss America moved the spectacle from its Atlantic City home to Las Vegas, where both years it has been staged at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood (that hotel’s president, Mike Mecca, is an Oklahoma grad and only jokes when he says the two shows in Vegas were fixed to ensure Miss Oklahomas prevailed each time).
When the show returns, it will again give Mayor Oscar Goodman a chance to pose with the beauties at the hotel and maybe even lead a parade down Fremont Street. Miss America’s shift to Vegas was to infuse some new energy into the pageant, which last year tied a behind-the-scenes reality show to its coverage while simultaneously returning to its roots with the Miss Congeniality Award, a concept that dates to the pageant’s infancy. Miss America wants it both ways, to be old and traditional and new and hip. But even record ratings for CMT didn’t create the buzz the show needed to return to must-see status – or even keep pace with the more salacious Miss USA pageant. Miss America is still attractive to a lot of fans, still well-meaning and hard to dislike, but long past her prime.
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Before “American Idol” there was “Star Search,” the late-’80s and early-’90s competition show hosted by Ed McMahon. Sam Harris was the male vocalist most fans of that show recall, for good reason: Harris went undefeated a record 14 weeks and was the 1984 series champion (most recently he appeared onstage with Liza Minnelli at one of her free “gypsy” shows at the Luxor).
Harris’ female counterpart was Linda Eder, who was unbeaten for 13 weeks and was crowned the series champ in 1988. Eder is in town this month at the Suncoast Showroom, performing there through Sunday. It is her first headlining gig in Las Vegas (she has appeared with Michael Feinstein at the floating stage at Lake Las Vegas). Eder has a unique view of the shows that followed “Star Search,” specifically the wildly successful “American Idol.”
“I do watch ‘American Idol,’ some seasons more than others,” she said in a phone interview from Central Park before she flew out to Las Vegas. “I don’t like the meanness of the show. It’s a good launching pad for some people, but it has also damaged some people. On ‘Star Search,’ it was hard enough to lose, and to be judged so harshly, vocally, is difficult. ‘Star Search’ judges weren’t allowed to speak. It was much kinder.”
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After living in Las Vegas for 11 years (and exceeding the posted speed limit for a good portion of those years) I finally received my first speeding ticket. It happened last week, Tuesday night. I was corralled after a short, low-speed chase on Rancho Drive just north of Washington Avenue, at about 8 p.m. I was doing 50; the posted speed limit there is 35. The officer said that stretch has become a point of emphasis because many drivers, such as myself, mistakenly believe the speed limit there is 45, and it does become 45 about nine feet north of where I was pulled over. I spotted a half-dozen Metro units on Rancho the night I was tagged.
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I took in “The Simspons Movie” and agree with the critics who say that if you like the show, you’ll like the film. It’s a long “Simpsons” episode, essentially, with a brilliant cameo by Tom Hanks at the Grand Canyon. One scene reminded me of just how ingrained this family has become in our culture. If you haven’t yet seen the movie – spoiler alert! – Marge informs Homer via videotape that she has finally run out of patience with his behavior. As she lowers the boom, having recorded her message over the couple’s wedding video, I felt a sense of melancholy. Could this really be the end for Marge and Homer? Then I remembered, it’s a cartoon, John.
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Vegas moment: Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been working on a story for Las Vegas Weekly about the Commercial Center on East Sahara. I stopped into the Green Door to talk to its manager, Jeff Lutz, and picked up a business card and tucked it in my wallet. It remained there until Monday afternoon, when I visited the bank to cash a check. I pulled out my ID and the Green Door card spilled out. That was one bemused teller …
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On our menus: In the description of its demonic Blooming Onion, Outback claims to employ a “Bloomologist,” who prepares the high-calorie appetizer.
PL8 in my head: 4GVNNLV on a gray four-door Altima. Forgive and live? Forgive in LV?
Fabulous Las Vegas appears at this Web site. John Katsilometes can be reached at 990-7720, 812-9812 or at [email protected]