Category Archives: Television

Awkward Moments in Entertainment History: Arthur Godfrey Fires Julius La Rosa

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Tom Garrett

The television landscape of the 1950’s looked nothing like what we know as the medium today. Putting aside the technological advances of the past half-century[1], the biggest difference between that time and the present is audience fragmentation. Greater choices within … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Television | Tagged Arthur Godfrey, Awkwardness, Commentary, Julius La Rosa, Television | 3 Comments

Revenge of the Nerds

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Tom Garrett

What set Money in the Bank apart from the standard professional wrestling events of the past few years wasn’t the hot crowd in Chicago, or the slick production values, or even the great in-ring work. Every WWE pay-per-view features at … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Sports, Television | Tagged CM Punk, Commentary, I Want Wrestling, John Cena, Professional Wrestling, Punk, Sports, Sports Entertainment, Television, Vince McMahon, WWE | 1 Comment

Freedom (of Gluttony)

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Tom Garrett

As a tip of the cap to our nation’s birthday, as well as to the industrious spirit that made our country great, I present one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen on television. Not “greatest shows” or “greatest competitions.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, General Culture and News, Sports, Television, Videos | Tagged America, Animals, Bears, Commentary, Fourth of July, General Culture and News, Hot Dogs, Kobayashi, Sports, Television, Videos | Leave a comment

The Axis of Ego Podcast: Better Late Than Never

Posted on July 1, 2011 by The Axis of Ego

For the first time in a while, we delve into podcast territory as a follow up on the ongoing saga of C. M. Punk. Tom and Mike discuss the angle and reminisce a bit about sports entertainment days gone by: … Continue reading →

Posted in Podcasts, Sports, Television | Tagged C. M. Punk, Podcasts, Pro Wrestling, Sports, Television, WWE | Leave a comment

The Artisan

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Tom Garrett

It’s all too easy to dismiss professional wrestling as a mongrel form of entertainment that achieves neither the excitement of legitimate competition nor the imagination of true performance art. Yet, I’ve always thought those who try to pigeonhole the endeavor … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Sports, Television | Tagged Art, CM Punk, Commentary, Kayfabe, Monday Night Raw, Money in the Bank, Pro Wrestling, Punk, RAW, Sports, Sports Entertainment, Television, TV, Vince McMahon, WWE | 8 Comments

Gene Cox

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Tom Garrett

Gene Cox began working at Richmond’s WWBT-12 thirty-three years ago. Today is his last behind the anchor desk. The native Virginian presided over half a lifetime’s worth of news items, big and small, making them all his own. Especially the … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, General Culture and News, Television | Tagged Commentary, Gene Cox, General Culture and News, NBC12, Richmond, RVA, Television, WWBT-12 | Leave a comment

SitCombat: 5/19/11

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Tom Garrett

Tonight marked the much-ballyhooed season finale of the Office as the Carell-less future of the show looms in the fall. Since the Office is the last of the three “SitCombat” regulars to wrap for the year, this also means that … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Reviews, Television | Tagged Andy Griffith, Barney Fife, Commentary, Don Knotts, NBC, Reviews, SitCombat, Sitcoms, Television, The Andy Griffith Show, The Office | Leave a comment

Awkward Moments in Entertainment History: Johnny Carson vs. Charlie Callas

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Tom Garrett

UPDATE (1/27/16) – See the end of this post for some important clarification about what we now know is an urban legend! Johnny Carson’s name means little to most people under 30, but, for folks of a certain generation (especially … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Television, Videos | Tagged Awkwardness, Commentary, Johnny Carson, Television, The Tonight Show, Tonight Show, Videos | 21 Comments

SitCombat: 5/12/11

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Tom Garrett

Akin to age-old queries concerning the sound of one hand clapping or a tree falling in a wood devoid of an audience, we now find ourselves faced with an edition of SitCombat without any actual combat. Well, let me re-phrase: … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Reviews, Television | Tagged Commentary, Dwight Schrute, Rainn Wilson, Reviews, SitCombat, Sitcoms, Television, The Office, TV | 1 Comment

SitCombat: 5/5/11

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Tom Garrett

It’s the dawn of an exciting and frightening new era on The Office, as we’re treated to our first post-Michael Scott episode (although, as I said last week, the real test won’t come until the beginning of the 2011-12 season). … Continue reading →