by KAY GARDELLA LOS ANGELES - We
interrupt this column for a special bulletin. The
outrageous, shocking, fearless and funny gang from HBO's
"Not Necessarily the News" is back tomorrow
night at 11 with an all-new, fast-pace, side-splitting
hour called "Not Necessarily the Media."
The
cast's target this time is the media itself - TV, those
"ink-stained wretches" on newspapers,
magazines, you name it. And, of course, commercials
aren't free from their biting, satirical humor.
The hour hugs the headlines,
and because so much involves television, a viewer has no
problem identifying with the material. Writers, led by
Matt Neuman, are sharp.
The ensemble group - Danny
Breen as anchorman Steve Casper, Anne Bloom as reporter
Frosty Kimelman, Lucy Webb as Helen St. Thomas, the
workaholic reporter, and Stuart Pankin as reporter Bob
Charles - work smoothly together, having had plenty of
practice. They're pros, and better organized than their
counterparts on NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
But part of the fun is the
clever way actual news professionals are integrated into
the program, teasing the likes of Sam Donaldson, Dan
Rather, Tom Brokaw and William Buckley.
Long-time NBC news
correspondent Edwin Newman even has some fun in the show.
He's seen making pitches for the Edwin Newman Center in
Palm Springs for "newsaholics." Also, several
newscast nuances are teased, including long closing
credits and man-on-the-street interviews.
This speical is not necessarily
to be missed by anyone who enjoys good satire. Other play
dates are Aug. 11, 14, 19, 24 and 30.
Return to NNTN | Return to
Home Page |