Comedy on the Weather Channel

Ksyrup · 11-09-2005, 08:46 AM

Yet another example of blurring the lines between the presentation of news and entertainment on TV...

Your new weatherman: Lewis Black

The Weather Channel experiments with celebrities

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Weather Channel forecast: a high-pressure system of comedy.

The cable channel will feature Lewis Black -- known for his rants on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" -- in a handful of segments starting Wednesday night.

He's the first in what the Weather Channel hopes is a series of celebrity guests.

"We're going to try a few segments to spice things up a little bit," said Terry Connelly, the network's senior vice president and general manager.

Black gets the chance to try out some of the network's forecasting maps and chat on camera with weathercaster Dave Schwartz. He also gets to deliver a few comic riffs on global warming and airport delays, Connelly said.

Connelly quietly put out the word recently, asking celebrities to drop by if they're near the company's Atlanta headquarters. Black, a closet weather fan, was quick to reply.

The Weather Channel hopes occasional celebrity guests liven what's often a staid presentation. The network has begun experimenting with a weekend morning show that puts the weathercasters on couches instead of behind desks, and is considering a weekday show that Connelly called a cross between "The View" and Martha Stewart's daytime program.

The Weather Channel does well in the ratings when, say, there's a hurricane, but needs a boost for days of more sedate weather.

"Lewis Black on the Weather Channel is unpredictable," Connelly said, "and we're in the business of predictions."

sachmo71 · 11-09-2005, 08:51 AM

Good luck with that. It's the weather guys...nothing you can do will change that.
As the old saying goes...You can put a party hat on a pig, but it's still a pig.

Just stick with nice face people, and pray for bad weather.

Maybe rain dances?

Joe Canadian · 11-09-2005, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sachmo71

You can put a party hat on a pig, but it's still a pig.

But it has a freakin' party hat on... he may still be a pig, but he's one cool ass pig!!!!

QuikSand · 11-09-2005, 09:10 AM

Ten times more charming than that Arnold on "Green Acres."

WSUCougar · 11-09-2005, 09:13 AM

I think they'd do better with additional hot weather babes.

rkmsuf · 11-09-2005, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Black, a closet weather fan, was quick to reply.

what the hell is a closet weather fan?

Raiders Army · 11-09-2005, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

I think they'd do better with additional hot weather babes.

Agreed. But for warmer weather, they'd do the news in bikinis...for colder weather, they'd do the news in...ah screw it, bikinis.

Ksyrup · 11-09-2005, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

what the hell is a closet weather fan?

Someone who didn't have the courage to admit he enjoyed watching coverage of the weather until he realized he could get a paycheck.

Pumpy Tudors · 11-09-2005, 09:20 AM

Until reading the part about Lewis Black being a closet weather fan, I was about to say that one of the things he rants about is the Weather Channel. I guess he takes shots at it because he likes it. I like Lewis Black, and if I remember to watch this, I will. The thing is, I probably won't remember because I don't really give a flying start about the Weather Channel anymore. When I was a kid, I enjoyed watching it while I was waiting for Australian Rules Football to come on ESPN, but I watch TWC for specific information only now. I don't care if the weather forecast is being announced by a meteorologist or a comedian or a pig. I'll watch when I need to know something.

I think the only person who could get me to tune in just to see them give a weather report (naked hot chicks notwithstanding) is James Brown.

sachmo71 · 11-09-2005, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Canadian

But it has a freakin' party hat on... he may still be a pig, but he's one cool ass pig!!!!

If you give a pig a pancake...

rkmsuf · 11-09-2005, 09:23 AM

unless there is a hurricane or something who watches the weather channel for anything other than 5 minutes and their local forecast?

I could give a crap what the temperature is in the east bum crack dakota.

Joe Canadian · 11-09-2005, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

unless there is a hurricane or something who watches the weather channel for anything other than 5 minutes and their local forecast?

I could give a crap what the temperature is in the east bum crack dakota.

Maybe they'll go the ESPN route... air eveything except weather, and just have a weather ticker on the bottom of the screen... and air WeatherCentre in the morning. I think I might be on to something... they could have a Top 10, a blooper real... man what an awesome idea!!!

rkmsuf · 11-09-2005, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Canadian

Maybe they'll go the ESPN route... air eveything except weather, and just have a weather ticker on the bottom of the screen... and air WeatherCentre in the morning. I think I might be on to something... they could have a Top 10, a blooper real... man what an awesome idea!!!

you might have something there

Pumpy Tudors · 11-09-2005, 09:30 AM

I must say that news networks (and, I would assume, weather networks) have hilarious blooper reels. If they played weather bloopers, I'd watch it nonstop.

Ksyrup · 11-09-2005, 09:47 AM

Maybe they can show clips of David Letterman from the 70s.

JeeberD · 11-09-2005, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

unless there is a hurricane or something who watches the weather channel for anything other than 5 minutes and their local forecast?

I could give a crap what the temperature is in the east bum crack dakota.

My best friend's father used to always have the Weather Channel on. It fascinated him for some reason, and he always wanted to be on top of the slightest change in weather...

rkmsuf · 11-09-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeeberD

My best friend's father used to always have the Weather Channel on. It fascinated him for some reason, and he always wanted to be on top of the slightest change in weather...

JeeberD · 11-09-2005, 09:55 AM

I think you're right. I mean, the man was a vegetarian for god's sake. A man that don't eat meat has got something loose in the head...

JonInMiddleGA · 11-09-2005, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeeberD

My best friend's father used to always have the Weather Channel on. It fascinated him for some reason, and he always wanted to be on top of the slightest change in weather...

TWC is a biggie for a lot of Men 55+ (my dad being a prime example). I don't understand it exactly either, but it's definitely something you can find pretty easily.

st.cronin · 11-09-2005, 11:42 AM

I probably watch the weather channel more than any other network. I will change the channel if I see Lewis Black, though.

Solecismic · 11-09-2005, 11:45 AM

TWC jumped the shark when they kept airing its usual 45 minutes of commercials per hour during the hurricanes, when even the news networks had stopped airing commercials. It's useless for local weather, and the national is too infrequent.

sterlingice · 11-09-2005, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

I could give a crap what the temperature is in the east bum crack dakota.

I could give a crap what the weather in New York and Boston is but I can't seem to find my weather on the weather channel because they're like any other media outlet in that they focus on the northeast corridor and California.

SI

rkmsuf · 11-09-2005, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I could give a crap what the weather in New York and Boston is but I can't seem to find my weather on the weather channel because they're like any other media outlet in that they focus on the northeast corridor and California.

SI

Local on the 8's man. Learn it, live it, love it.

sterlingice · 11-09-2005, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Local on the 8's man. Learn it, live it, love it.

Oh, I know. It's all I watch on there. Even if we're getting our run-of-the-mill tornadic weather, that's better done by the local guys on Topeka and KC stations.

SI

MrBigglesworth · 11-09-2005, 12:24 PM

"Fall is here and all I have to say is: fvck fall."

If he did that part of his routine on TWC, I'd watch it just to the faces of the other anchors.

11-09-2005, 09:13 AM	#5
WSUCougar Rider Of Rohan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Port Angeles, WA or Helm's Deep	I think they'd do better with additional hot weather babes. __________________ It's not the years...it's the mileage.

11-09-2005, 09:20 AM	#9
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	Until reading the part about Lewis Black being a closet weather fan, I was about to say that one of the things he rants about is the Weather Channel. I guess he takes shots at it because he likes it. I like Lewis Black, and if I remember to watch this, I will. The thing is, I probably won't remember because I don't really give a flying start about the Weather Channel anymore. When I was a kid, I enjoyed watching it while I was waiting for Australian Rules Football to come on ESPN, but I watch TWC for specific information only now. I don't care if the weather forecast is being announced by a meteorologist or a comedian or a pig. I'll watch when I need to know something. I think the only person who could get me to tune in just to see them give a weather report (naked hot chicks notwithstanding) is James Brown. __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

11-09-2005, 09:23 AM	#11
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	unless there is a hurricane or something who watches the weather channel for anything other than 5 minutes and their local forecast? I could give a crap what the temperature is in the east bum crack dakota. __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

11-09-2005, 09:30 AM	#14
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	I must say that news networks (and, I would assume, weather networks) have hilarious blooper reels. If they played weather bloopers, I'd watch it nonstop. __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

11-09-2005, 09:47 AM	#15
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	Maybe they can show clips of David Letterman from the 70s. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

11-09-2005, 08:51 AM	#2
sachmo71 The boy who cried Trout Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: TX	Good luck with that. It's the weather guys...nothing you can do will change that. As the old saying goes...You can put a party hat on a pig, but it's still a pig. Just stick with nice face people, and pray for bad weather. Maybe rain dances?

11-09-2005, 09:10 AM	#4
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Ten times more charming than that Arnold on "Green Acres."

11-09-2005, 09:55 AM	#18
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	I think you're right. I mean, the man was a vegetarian for god's sake. A man that don't eat meat has got something loose in the head... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

11-09-2005, 11:42 AM	#20
st.cronin General Manager Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New Mexico	I probably watch the weather channel more than any other network. I will change the channel if I see Lewis Black, though.

11-09-2005, 11:45 AM	#21
Solecismic Solecismic Software Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Canton, OH	TWC jumped the shark when they kept airing its usual 45 minutes of commercials per hour during the hurricanes, when even the news networks had stopped airing commercials. It's useless for local weather, and the national is too infrequent.

11-09-2005, 12:24 PM	#25
MrBigglesworth College Starter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: PA	"Fall is here and all I have to say is: fvck fall." If he did that part of his routine on TWC, I'd watch it just to the faces of the other anchors.

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