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Are Talk Shows a Dying Breed? Do We Care?

Anastasia Tubanos — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:20:43 +0000

First Oprah announced the implausible. The impossible. She’s going off the air. I always knew I would see it happen someday, but I never expected it would happen so soon.

So then, I naturally thought “who’s going to take OVER for talk shows?” I love The View, but clearly not quite the same with the ensemble of women (and let’s be honest, as brilliant of a career as Barbara Walters has had, she’s pretty much the weakest link on that show in terms of entertainment value. She’s a little DRY to watch.)

There’s the Ellen DeGeneres Show, but as knee-slappingly, can’t-breathe-because-I’m-laughing-so-hard funny as she is, she doesn’t offer the same kind of serious and in-depth journalism Oprah occasionally offered her viewers on her show. Nor does she unveil some of the most provocative and poignant books I’ve read in the last decade. Or offer a slew of incredibly useful info through carefully selected experts. I love Ellen, but let’s be honest – her show’s fluff.

Rachel Ray isn’t even on my radar because, as sweet as she is, I can’t STAND her voice. Not the accent, the tone of it. I find it grating. Although my mother says she’s a fan of Ray’s recipes, which I suppose stand for something.

Then there’s Tyra Banks with The Tyra Show who clearly strives to be just like Oprah, except interviews people like Tila Tequila and has already proven to the world, quite gleefully might I add, that she’s gone bonkers. I thought “Well I can’t stand her talk show, but she’ll probably try to fill Oprah’s shoes, right?” And then, about a month later SHE decides she’s retiring from talk shows to produce movies.

Not sure where the talk show landscape is going. Being in the industry, I know that talk shows are a wonderfully strippable format (meaning a solid format you can easily “fill in the blanks” with as a daily show) that networks are seeking out. But WHAT kind of talk show is going to resonate with viewers these days?

Similar to the way the Internet has become the domain for niches to flourish and find their audiences, talk shows seem to be moving in that direction. Sort of.

Look at the recent launch of The Dr.Oz show and his focus on health. Or Dr. Phil with his focus on relationships and mental health (please note I can’t stand this man either). Rachel Ray has her cooking niche deeply integrated into her talk show. And even Maury Povich serves to entertain the former Jerry Springer audience (that’s a niche too!).

Should the next talk shows that pop up be more general, topical and offer that journalistic angle Oprah did so well, along with her hefty dollop of compassion?

Perhaps the biggest question is, is there even a need for that kind of talk show anymore?

Anastasia is a TV/new media producer, host, interviewer and saucy minx and is best known for her shows Your GEEK News, BSGcast, Naked Wine Show and Your Greek News. Anastasia is a classically trained pianist, an avid reader of memoirs, a hot yoga addict and loves to travel. Find out more about Anastasia’s hijinks at www.AnastasiaTubanos.com.
Photo Credit © Andres Rodriguez | Dreamstime.com

Love Incorporated Launches on Slice

Anastasia Tubanos — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:58:31 +0000

Justin Parfitt is a charmingly British 40-year-old “workaholic” who’s eager to expand his singles-event empire around the world.

Annabelle Parfitt is a 25-year old entrepreneurial vixen from Australia who’s simply ready to nest and raise a family. A BIG one.

They are the stars of Slice Network’s latest real-life adventure series, Love Incorporated; newlyweds facing the challenges of running a rapidly expanding speed-dating enterprise, FastLife, while trying to build a “normal” marriage.

And of course, when you mix the ups and downs of an uber-ambitious, recently married couple with hundreds of singles trying to find love in the most colorful matchmaking scenarios possible, hijinxs of the best kind ensue.

The viewers first meet the couple in a transitionary stage when they arrive in Toronto to check-in on their business in North America. Justin and Annabelle hit the ground running with not only having to move into their new downtown apartment, but also scrambling to pull off one of the busiest days of the year for a company in the “love business” – Valentine’s Day.

FastLife certainly seems to differentiate itself from competing speed dating companies and throughout the 13-episode season viewers can expect to see a slew of rather uniquely-themed events for singles to meet and mingle like a lingerie fashion show and schmooze, a chairlift speed date, a wine-lovers soiree, a doggie-walk and talk, and an event the company calls one of its hottest where “older women are paired with younger men.” (Go cougars go!)

Love Incorporated delivers in terms of humor, spontaneity, and satisfying your curiosity of how speed dating events REALLY work. The banter is cheeky, the scenes fast-paced and the characters titillating. Viewers are brought into the edge of the most intimate of moments like a very sensually-dressed Annabelle presenting Valentine’s Day dessert to the love of her life, to painfully funny, and awkward, instances like Justin getting his butt waxed by a very intimidating looking esthetician.

And the growing tension (seemingly healthy so far, I might add) is evident episode to episode between Annabelle’s patient, but unrelenting, desire to make lots and lots of babies (she even dedicates a corner of her house for a baby-making shrine) and Justin’s race against the clock to reach his goal of launching a FastLife office in every continent in two years.

And let’s just say Annabelle might be my favorite part of the show. She had me at “I farted on my first date with Justin.” I don’t think I’ve seen someone on TV be so endearingly forthcoming in a while. It’s refreshing.

The show premieres tonight in Canada at 10p.m. ET / 7p.m. PT on the Slice Network.

Incredible India: The Quest for Darjeeling

Anastasia Tubanos — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:44:20 +0000

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the peak of dawn we made our way over the airport to take our first domestic flight to Darjeeling. We flew Kingfisher – yes, the same company as the beer – to New Delhi before getting over to Bagdogra in the north west, then chartered a jeep through the tea fields to Darjeeling.

It was a painfully long and bumpy three-hours through the switchbacks, but trekking through the trees, rural villages and mountains were refreshingly gorgeous. Unexpectedly, I found myself with tears in my eyes out of sheer awe and appreciation.

The breath-taking majesty of mother nature was sprinkled with corrugated metal shanties labeled with shining signage featuring 7-up logos amidst free roaming cattle and the most adorable goats I’ve ever seen. They were round and pot-bellied and the size of small dogs.

After what felt like the hundredth, twisty, turny switchback, we arrived freezing, exhausted and ravenous at the Queen of the Hills – Darjeeling. What a sight. It reminded me of the first time I saw Santorini, Greece almost a decade ago. A quaint, weathered town sprinkled colorfully across the mountainside, but instead of overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, it was set upon a green ocean of tea plantations.

Our home away from home, Dekeling Hotel, was humble and cozy and exactly what two exhausted adventurers needed, topped off with warm Tibetan butter tea, brothy soups with thick homemade noodles and a dish that easily became my comfort food in a world of vibrantly colored and flavored spices – steamed momos!

Incredible India: From Bollywood to Brain Masala

Anastasia Tubanos — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:01:05 +0000

Right when I started to get comfortable with Mumbai (luckily it really only took two days of adjustment), it was time to begin our journey over to Darjeeling in the north-east mountains of India.

But before then, we had one more day to get our fill of this cosmopolitan city, which included going on a hunt to discover who the gorgeous man, built like a Greek God, in a bunch of commercials and billboards was (he’s easily my latest Bollywood obsession – Hrithik Roshan.)

Luckily we bumped into some new friends at a local eatery (known for the cheapest rotis in town!) who were able to give us a hand…and our first taste of brain masala! I’m told it melts in your mouth like fois gras, but has an Indian masala flavor. I couldn’t tell you first hand though since my adventurous nature doesn’t extend to what goes in my stomach. Fortunately Matt eats everything.

I was also determined to get some local clothing, so we found our way over to Cotton Cottage where we learned about different kurtas and bottoms (like salwars and churidars) and were even dressed by a Sultan’s tailor. Seriously, he used to style the sultan of Oman. Go figure!

Incredible India: Trains, Rickshaws and Automobiles

Anastasia Tubanos — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:29:33 +0000

On our first full day in India, we headed to downtown Mumbai from our hotel in Vile Parle (which happens to be the neighbourhood where the “God of Bollywood” Amitabh Bachchan also lives).

Mumbai, one of the most populous cities in the world with a population of almost 14 million people, was a little overwhelming to say the least. I’ve always been an urban gal, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the sheer chaos of the intricate train system, the gutsy autorickshaws, the never-ending game of bartering down prices and the overall culture shock.

After some intense shopping where I picked up several silk scarves (the first of many!), we went to this darling spot on Colaba Causeway called Leopold Cafe (now infamous for being one of the spots targeted during the 11/26 Mumbai attacks last year).

The restaurant boasted an extensive menu of Indian and Hakka Chinese food. The Paneer Tikka Masala and the garlic naan were so so soooo good. And the tea…oh the tea. Authentic Indian Masala Chai is lip-smackingly divine *grin*

Although I grew to admire and appreciate this fascinating metropolitan by the end of my Indian adventure, it wasn’t really love at first sight for me. It wasn’t the slums that really bothered me or the occasional stench of sewage in the thick air. Rather, it was the sickening amount of pollution that somehow made the inside of my nostrils black (don’t ask me how I found out!). This first day was more about adapting to the extreme change in environment and standard of living than anything else. Luckily, it all went up from there.