To be honest, I am still recovering from your underwhelming response to last week’s photo blog.  When I last looked, there were just 4 comments, mostly from friends.  Let’s face it, that was a risky blog and I’m very lucky that some (though not all) of my colleagues have a good sense of humor.  My good friend David Kleeman had the decency to step up and guess (correctly) at the faces in the mash-ups and thereby save me from complete humiliation. 

Thank you, David.  The check is in the mail.

I did get a few responses to the blog in my personal e-mail from various colleagues this week.  Here’s an example and I have omitted the author’s name to protect my career from any further damage.  

“I may never speak to you again after that mash-up photo you did!!!!!  The very thought of it gave me nightmares last night.”

Well, all I can say is:  so much for games involving the faces of high-powered television executives.  Perhaps I should have known that this wasn’t the smartest thing for an independent producer to do during a global economic downturn.

Live and learn.

So this week I will return to my usual fare of sentimental ruminations on preschool TV and self-help pointers on nurturing one’s own creativity.  As Sam Walton said, “Give the people what they want.” 

Today I am heading to Brazil where I feel very honored to have been invited as a speaker at an International Training Program for Brazilian TV Producers.  I don’t know exactly what to expect from the conference but I do know that my best friend and mentor, Cathy Chilco, will also be there so I anticipate samba dancing and caparinhas between sessions.  And if Cathy spreads a little reiki around the hotel who knows what will happen.

As I write this, I am actually on a TAM Airlines flight from New York to Sao Paulo.  (I have been trying to figure out what TAM is short for.  “Total Airborne Madness?”  “Tomato And Mozzarella?”)  I will say that I have never been on an airplane with less space between the rows.  Every time the guy in front of me puts his seat back, I fart. 

And to take my mind off the global pandemic, I begin to ruminate on this week’s blog.  Usually I have a topic or two in mind before I start writing but today, dear readers, I have to confess, I got nothing. 

So, instead, to fill my 500-word quota (and to entice you to write your 4 measly comments), I will share with you a few of the unfiltered blog topics that are running through my mind as we speak.

Possible Blog Topics, w/o 5/4:

–  Greg Childs, does he like me or hate me?

–  My own proposed names for the recently announced Discovery/Hasbro children’s channel:

            Disco Bro

            Recovery

            The Toy Channel

–  Would Fred Rogers be proud of the state of children’s television or would he throw a shoe at us for selling our souls to the licensing business?

–  Why there are more children’s channels in Australia than there are children.

–  Can I use Skymiles to help me cover Little Airplane’s overhead?

–  Things to see and do in Salford.

–  My own proposed names for the recently announced partnership between Hulu and Disney:

            Hiney

            Desilu

            The Toy Channel

–  The rumor that Kidscreen Magazine will soon have a “personals” section.  (I just started that rumor.)

Well, that’s it!  500 words.  I’m done.  Next week I’ll give you the full report from Brazil.  I have spent some time with the Brazilians in New York and Cannes and I must say they are an amazingly talented and passionate group of producers.

So, what about you?  What are you thinking about these days? 

Write a comment.  Now.  Or I quit.

Lovingly,

Josh