Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2011 February 6

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February 6

Submitting a pilot to PBS Create channel (US)

If one has a cooking show pilot created, and say has put it on YouTube, how would one go about submitting that to the Public Broadcasting Service for consideration for their Create channel ? Also, same Q for other networks. StuRat (talk) 01:08, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

PBS (like most channels) have an area of their website dealing with content submissions here (The BBC's is here). Note that many channels prefer to source from production companies which deal with the creative side (such as Talkback Thames in the UK or Endemol). Nanonic (talk) 01:34, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

The best bet would be to have your local PBS station pick up production of it. If you watch the credits of most PBS programs (and Create is basically recycled standard-PBS series), you'll see that they're uniformly produced by some local PBS station (or foreign producers like the BBC). Major culprits are WGBH, KQED, WHYY, primarily because they're the ones with the most production money, but depending on the show, you'll see other PBS stations from around the country - North Carolina, Washington state, Wisconsin, etc. PBS is more likely to pick up your program for national syndication if it's been successful in a local market. It's also much easier to get a program onto a local PBS market, as they are always looking for content to fill time (some even have dedicated "local" programming time and/or channels). -- 174.24.195.38 (talk) 08:12, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

Thanks, how about at WTVS ? StuRat (talk) 15:12, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

I don't know anything about Detroit Public Television, but their website list several locally produced programs, such as Am I Right or Am I Right?, American Black Journal, Detroit Economic Club Presents, Due Process, Get Up! Get Out!,Leaders On Leadership, and Making Music with the DSO. I'm not familiar with any of them, and it doesn't look like they're picked up anywhere outside of Michigan - I'm not sure if that's because the shows are all Michigan-specific, or if it's a more general reticence to expand. It looks like their productions are focused mainly on current events/politics/social issues, but they may or may not be interested in a cooking show. Your best bet would be to actually contact them and see if they'd be interested. -- 174.24.195.38 (talk) 18:10, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

American Black Journal episodes are available online here and include interviews with national figures like Coretta Scott King, Eartha Kitt, Sun Ra and Berry Gordy. 75.41.110.200 (talk) 14:34, 8 February 2011 (UTC)

Title of a Steven Seagal Film

Hi Guys, can you help me yet again with a film title please?

Steven Seagal - once a super-honcho (SEAL or some such) and now a chef/cook on a ship. The ship gets hijacked and Seagal does his stuff, much to the amazement of everyone except his ex-boss.

I've seen it; I've enjoyed it - damned if I can recall the title though. Gurumaister (talk) 14:27, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

Under Siege.--Michig (talk) 14:29, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

Thanks Michig - but I just happen to be watching the beginning of that film right now. It starts with a sort of space theme and then cust to Seagal meeting his daughter and they have just boarded a train. Are you sure this turns into Seagal kicking arse on a ship? Gurumaister (talk) 14:33, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

Sounds like you may be watching Under Siege 2: Dark Territory.--Michig (talk) 14:36, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

Whoops!!! I just followed your link and you are absolutely right. I am watching the pot-boiler to the first one. Now I know what I am looking for - Thanks again. Gurumaister (talk) 14:40, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

As I recall, the first of the two films had Erika Eleniak popping up out of a cake at a designated time. And when she realized she had an audience of 0, she was frosted. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 14:58, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

superbowl on bbc

It says they're broadcasting live, so what do they do during the commercials? They don't broadcast the American commercials surely? The BBC aren't allowed to do that are they?--91.49.34.5 (talk) 16:31, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

They have Jake Humphrey and a couple of experts in the studio in London for filling time during commercials etc. Hopefully they might actually show the half time show for once this year.. Nanonic (talk) 16:38, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

Presumably they are broadcasting the game live, not just repeating some American broadcast. There usually isn't one single American broadcast anyway, since some commercial time is reserved for local stuff (though I'm not sure if that's true for the superbowl) and varies between different regions inside the US. Staecker (talk) 16:53, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

On American TV, there are usually designated commercial slots where local stations are allowed to substitute their own commercials for the nationally designated one. There probably aren't many of these in the Superbowl, excepting short 5-second "Stay tuned for the local news from Fox 50 after the game) bits which are locally produced. But during normal national television broadcasts, there are certain ads which are "optional" and others that are "mandatory" for local stations to broadcast. --Jayron32 16:26, 7 February 2011 (UTC)

Network sports broadcasts in the US generally have two types of commercial breaks: Network breaks, where all of the content is fed from a central location to all of the network affiliates and which may contain a mix of commercials and network promos, and local or station breaks, where the network does not send out anything but black and the affiliates sell local commercials and local promos to fill that break time. In the case of a BBC broadcast, they would probably cover both types of breaks with their own content. --Thomprod (talk) 22:37, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

A similar thing happens with the Oscars, Eurovision Song Contest and other live events intended in part for advertising-funded television: those channels without advertising must fill in the gaps with studio comment, short features, etc. --Colapeninsula (talk) 16:56, 7 February 2011 (UTC)

Was 'Sanford and Son' actor Whitman Mayo a smoker?

Did Whitman Mayo smoke? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.234.170.202 (talk) 23:51, 6 February 2011 (UTC)

Just a suggestion, but if you explain your overall reason for wanting to know why various people are/were smokers, rather than bringing them up one by one, someone might (no guarantees, of course) be able to point you to relevant information more easily. If you prefer not to say, however, that's your privilege. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 00:44, 7 February 2011 (UTC)

All what we need from great men like him is help