Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Tonight on PBS: Inventing LA

I have always loved entertainment media, so it surprised no one in 1975 when I declared Radio-Television-Film as my major.

I minored in Journalism. This was also unsurprising, as writing was the one skill I acquired in school that came rather easily to me. As a kid, one of my favorite toys was a little rubber stamp "printing press," which I used to publish a "newspaper" circulated among our immediate family and friends.

And don't forget that this was the Watergate era. J-schools were filling up with idealistic young students like me, who looked upon Woodward and Bernstein as heroes.

By this time, my transfer from UCLA to CSUN was permanent (although I did not realize it for another couple of years). We were fortunate that our faculty included a number of working reporters from local station KNBC... and the Los Angeles Times.

We did have a couple of other papers in the area, including the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and the Van Nuys-based Daily News (which at the time was owned by the Chicago Tribune). But for all intents and purposes, L.A. was -- and remains -- a one-newspaper town. And, as you will see on "Inventing LA," tonight's edition of POV on PBS, the fortunes of the city and its newspaper have been intertwined for more than a century.

This is must-viewing for anyone with an interest in the history of our region and how it came to be.

"Inventing LA" was one of the programs showcased at the PBS press tour back in August, and one of the ones I was most looking forward to. It recalls a period in history when newspapers were nothing less than the lifeblood of the community (which may be hard for younger audiences to fathom, now that the Internet has democratized and globalized news gathering).

But the history of the newspaper isn't just a story about media, or even of a city --  and might make for very dry viewing. What sets this documentary apart is its focus on the heirs of founder Harrison Gray Otis and his son-in-law, Harry Chandler... and is a fascinating portrait of a real-life "Dynasty." For all of the 20th Century, the Chandlers were the most powerful family in Los Angeles. The documentary tells the very personal story of the simultaneous rise of the city and the paper -- and the family feud sparked by third generation publisher Otis Chandler's quest to remake their publication into a paper of record. Otis succeeded, but in the end, the family voted to sell the jewel of their corporate crown to the Tribune Company. It has never been the same.

The documentary features interviews with several family members and former Times employees, including Otis' son Harry Brant Chandler and Tom Johnston, who replaced Otis as publisher in 1980. Both were present to answer reporters' questions at the PBS Press tour.

According to Harry, the documentary (which actually premiered earlier this year at the Santa Barbara Film Festival) "caused a few earthquakes in the family, but nothing that wasn’t anticipated." 

Harry spoke about his father's legacy: "He served well for 20 years as publisher but another side of him had a Harley Davidson heart and he wanted to have his own life. He got tired of fighting the family. I think he finally had enough and stopped fighting. He left and surprised a lot of people."

Tom Johnson agreed with that assessment. "I regret very deeply that Otis allowed himself to be pushed aside," he said. "I think he could have kept the paper from being sold." 

One of the final questions concerned the paper's legacy: Would Los Angeles have been better off if there had been no Chandlers?

Johnson: "I think in many ways this would still be a desert without the Chandlers... Without the power of the Chandlers and the Times and all the interconnectedness, Southern California would not be what it is today with its great strengths as well as weaknesses." 

DISCLOSURE: I do not consider myself a journalist. I did not tape record the press conference in August, so quotes above were taken from my fast notes... and while I believe I came home with a pretty accurate impression of the panelists' answers, they are not a word-for-word transcription.

I did not promise PBS I would write a post about this program and did not receive any monetary compensation for it. As someone with an interest in local history (and a rather large collection of books about Los Angeles), I found the subject matter fascinating and having viewed it already on a screener supplied by PBS, I think it lives up to its promise and is worthy of sharing here.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Los Angeles students finally went back to school yesterday, and as I dropped my daughter off, I felt a lot like the guy in this old Staples commercial:

When I was a kid, September was exciting for a lot of reasons. I was one of those annoying children who actually LIKED school. But what really got me excited was the arrival of the annual Fall Preview issue of TV Guide, which I would devour as if it was a new Nancy Drew book. I'd read up on the new programs, memorize who was who in the casts and map out our family's viewing schedule (strangely enough, my parents let me make those decisions -- probably because they didn't care about it as much as I).

I suppose no one was surprised that I finished college as a Radio-Television-Film major, and ended up working in production. I loved TV, and still do -- although with the expanded cable universe (and my advanced age), I am no longer able to familiarize myself with EVERY new show that comes on the air.

That's why I was so excited when I was invited to attend a blogger event at CBS-Radford Studios a few weeks ago, where we were treated to previews of some of the new series debuting this month on CBS and the CW. One of those shows premiered Tuesday night: the 2.0 version of Melrose Place. It was good trashy fun, like my favorite guilty pleasure, Gossip Girl. GG may not remain at the top of my guilty pleasure list next week, when CW debuts another glitzy soap: The Beautiful Life: TBL, produced by Ashton Kutcher, follows the troubled love lives and careers of gorgeous young models. I can't wait.

I know this sounds funny coming from the person who is always complaining about reality television. I'm not really high-brow at all; I just prefer scripted programs to vote-'em-off-the-island fare.

But I do appreciate terrific drama done intelligently -- and feel fortunate that the folks at CBS previewed the pilot of The Good Wife in its entirety. This looked good in the teaser ads the network has been running all summer. Juliana Margulies stars as Alicia, whose life as a stay-at-home mom is turned upside down when her DA husband is forced to step down. Chris Noth is her disgraced spouse, accused of using public funds to pay for prostitutes (I love that they got the guy who was both Mike Logan and Mr. Big.Talk about perfect casting!)

The wonderful cast extends to the other characters as well: Josh Charles ("Sports Night"), Archie Panjabi (from "Bend it Like Beckham" and the UK version of Life on Mars) and Christine Baranski as the formidable legal partner who promises to "mentor" Alicia when she goes back to work.

However, the actors would be nothing without a great script, and show creators Robert and Michelle King have crafted one that transcends expectation. As Alicia takes a job in a law firm, this show is part procedural drama, part political intrigue -- but also a fascinating look at a woman who is trying to make sense of her world. How many of us watched Silda Spitzer stand behind her disgraced ex-governor husband and wonder what was going through her mind? No matter your politics or ideology, who couldn't sympathize with Jenny Sanford when her husband went famously went missing on Father's Day weekend (and confessed to being unfaithful in Argentina)?

The Kings took those public scandals and have extrapolated what might have occurred in private. The series explores how a powerful man's fall from grace affects his entire family. I loved the pilot and when it ended, I was hungry for more. I'm glad I won't have to wait too much longer ("The Good Wife" premieres on September 22).

For several years now, observers have been predicting the end of scripted programming - at least on the networks. Last year, there were a number of truly original dramas I looked forward to watching each week, including "Pushing Daisies," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Eli Stone." All failed to find an audience large enough to satisfy their network (ABC). Many of the cancelled programs were replaced with cheaper-to-produce reality fare.

This season, Jay Leno's new nightly prime time show on NBC is taking the place of five possible series per week.Where does it end?

Fortunately for viewers, the cable networks have picked up the slack. Over the summer, I enjoyed watching "Royal Pains," and "Drop Dead Diva."  The success of programs like "The Closer," "Saving Grace" and (my favorite !) "Mad Men" proves that there IS still an audience for great drama. So I don't think we are doomed to a steady diet of reality and talk 100% of the time.

But if drama was thought to be a patient in trouble, many critics have concluded that the venerable sitcom is actually dead. Once the building block of a successful prime time evening, the number of situation comedies on the schedule dwindled down to a handful last year. That's why it's heartening to see the networks order some new 30-minute shows for 2009.

I wasn't expecting a lot out of "Accidentally on Purpose," the new Jenna Elfman vehicle about a 30-something woman who finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand with a much younger man... and invites the guy to move in with her.

On the surface, it sounds a lot like "Knocked Up" -- but it turns out that the series is based on a memoir by Time.com film critic Mary F. Pols (adapted by comedy writer - and ex-Knots Landing star - Claudia Lonow). The network's teasers remind me more of "The Big Bang Theory," as the attractive blonde woman has to put up with her baby daddy's slacker friends hanging out in her living room. I suppose it makes sense -- CBS has scheduled the show to run in the slot before "Big Bang" and just after "How I Met Your Mother."

I think it's going to be a great addition to the network's Monday night comedy block, because like those other two shows, "Accidentally" is really funny... and SMART.

Broadcast and cable television networks have been doing blogger outreach for a while, and I think they've had some success utilizing the Internet to create buzz for their new series. But I have a feeling the outreach is about to get even more direct -- that is, if ABC's Labor Day holiday experiment bears fruit.

On Friday, an email went out to users of ABC.com with a link to a preview of their new sitcom, "Modern Family." The pilot was available on the site for the holiday weekend only. I had about 30 minutes to kill, so I pulled it up... and spent the next half hour laughing. This show was so good, I ended up viewing it two more times, as I forced my husband and daughter to check it out.

The series is done in mockumentary style, a la The Office, and follows a day in the life of three very different nuclear families. My favorite moment is where the "cool dad" played by Ty Burrell explains the vagaries of texting and defines "WTF" as "Why the face?"

You'll recognize Married with Children's Ed O'Neill as the guy trying to keep up with a much younger second wife and stepson, and Julie Bowen (last seen on Boston Legal) as a tightly wound suburban mom. You may not remember the names of executive producers Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd (the writer, not the actor) -- but you've seen their work before on shows like Frasier and Just Shoot Me.

Modern Family is a winner. Check it out when it debuts on September 23.

Starting the School Year with the New Electric Company

I'm tired of writing about my home renovation. I'm tired of living with it. And I'm sure you are tired of hearing about it. So this week, I'm beginning a series of posts about the new television season.

But of course, if something happens in the home that I just HAVE to write about, that will be here too.

The producers of PBS' revamped Electric Company are on a mission.

"Literacy rates for 6 to 9 year-olds are alarming," said Karen Fowler at last month's PBS press preview.  "One-third of 4th graders not reading on level."

Statistics show that if a child isn't reading on level by 4th grade, he or she may not achieve literacy by adulthood.

That's one of the reasons why the folks at The Electric Company -- designed to help bridge elementary kids' literacy gap -- were able to get the funding for an increased second season of shows. As of tomorrow,  they will be on the air every day.

"As a nonprofit media education company, our mission is to get to as many kids as possible so as many viewing as possible is necessary," said Fowler.

Scott Cameron, director of education and research for Sesame Workshop (which produces the program) pointed out how today's Electric Company differs from its old incarnation from the 1970s. 

For one thing, they employ three major platforms – television, the Internet and what PBS terms as "outreach" through schools, museums and other local entities throughout the country.

"The online component is pretty spectacular," Scott said. "We have a rich website with 10 educational games that touch on different styles of learning; beatbox tunes that teach phonics, example."

As of last month, the Electric Company site had achieved 4 million visits. "Many kids are coming five or more times, and we've only been on since mid January," Cameron said.

Additionally, as of August 1, Electric Company videos had been viewed 11 million times. And 16 episodes were streaming online.

The site also features special content, like behind the scenes stuff and outtakes. Cameron said these "are super fun for kids" because they are really interested in how the shows are put together. He said he's often surprised at how sophisticated today's kids are.

"I've been interviewing kids and 7-year-olds will ask me if something is green screen," he laughed.  –

Part of the Electric Company curriculum is vocabulary, so each episode teaches five words related to a common theme.

""New research shows that kids in lower income homes come into kindergarten knowing fewer words than their contemporaries. If kids don’t know what words mean, at a certain point in the paragraph they are going to get discouraged," said Fowler.

"We know from a lot of literacy research that the best way to teach new words is to relate to what they know, so a narrative storyline stretched to 30 minutes helps kids to remember the new words," she said.

The robust PBS website also has a section for parents and educators, where you can access a program viewing guide and download printable activity sheets for both you and your kids.

Our humongous Los Angeles Unified School District finally starts the fall semester on Wednesday, and thanks to the monumental state budget deficit, we'll have fewer teachers and larger class sizes. This is just adding to the concerns we parents have had about the quality of our kids' education here. Most of us are on the lookout for positive tools we can use to supplement the lessons our children are getting in class. This looks like an excellent place to start.

Lassen National Park: "A Mount-a Mount-a Burning Love"

Earlier this week, I promised to spill the details of my recent camping ordeal trip. That post is now up over at 50-Something Moms Blog and Los Angeles Moms Blog. (If you do mosey over to the read post, you must click on the photo taken by my niece... you will see my sister and me sitting by the campfire, with the crankiest looking faces ever. We were cold.)

The post is a pretty accurate description of our weekend in the mountains -- but it misses a key component: That aside from all that pesky nature, Lassen Volcanic National Park is a really cool place to visit... especially if you are a professional geologist, like my husband.

Just note the park's name: It's an active volcano, folks... the only one in the lower 48 states (aside from Mt. St. Helens) to have erupted in the last century.It was also one of the first areas to be designated in the legislation that created the National Park Service back in 1916 - while the volcano was still smoldering.

Scientists don't expect the mountain to erupt again any time soon, but the USGS keeps a close eye on it, just in case. There is still plenty of volcanic activity to observe among the park's hydrothermal areas, including one with the poetic name of Bumpass Hell (pronounced "bumpus" and named for a 19th century mountain guide who lost his leg after falling into the hot mud).

This particular volcano is the southernmost member of the Cascades range, which we became quite familiar with on our 2005 trek through the Pacific Northwest (including visits to Mt. St. Helens, Crater Lake, and a pass by Mt. Shasta).

Did I mention that this place was like heaven to my husband?

The park itself is beautiful - well-maintained and not at all crowded. I was surprised to learn that no reservation was needed for our campground. My brother-in-law said that Lassen is not a very well known national park and is kind of under-utilized. I think that's a shame.

All the while I was there, I thought back to the PBS fall TV preview I attended earlier this month, where famed documentarian Ken Burns gave us a sneak peek of his next epic series: "The National Parks - America's Best Idea."

We did not receive a screener DVD on this one, but judging from the short teaser reel we viewed at the event, this is going to be fascinating. In fact, I think watching that and listening to Burns, writer Dayton Duncan and park ranger Shelton Johnson talk about the project probably influenced my decision to stop fighting the camping idea and just go with it. I am anticipating this more than anything I can remember on PBS. The first episode airs September 27.

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Encounters with TV's Biggest Stars at PBS

Longtime readers of this blog know that I love television. I majored in Radio-TV-Film in college and worked in the first two media for several years (including a stint as a PA on the Tonight Show). So I gladly accepted an invitation from the folks at PBS to attend a television critics preview of their Fall 2009 season.

The day began with a sneak peek of Sesame Street's 40th anniversary season... and like all good press junkets, the stars were on hand for a meet and greet.

Yeah, that's me, along with Kimberley Clayton Blaine ("The GoTo Mom") and two of television's biggest stars: Grover and the Cookie Monster. And I confess - I was all over them. I just couldn't resist copping a little feel.

These Muppets are the real deal. Up close, they look like my kid's most beloved, aged plush animals. Their handlers were real, too. They infuse these characters with so much personality, that you tend to forget they're there and talk directly to the puppets.

I told Grover my daughter was going to be jealous when she saw the photo.

"Why didn't you bring her," he asked.

I had known that some of the Sesame Street characters would be there and had asked my daughter if she wanted to come and pose for picture with Big Bird -- but at 13, she's at an age where she's trying to distance herself from little kid stuff. I decided not to tell that to Grover. "She wanted to sleep in," I said.

"Grover wanted to sleep in, too," he cried.

I was also admonished by Cookie Monster, because I did not bring him any sweet, chewy treats. Protesting about my diet didn't help.

Someone had actually brought a toddler to the event, and it was fun to watch a room of hardened TV critics being charmed by the sight of the little girl's delight at meeting Sesame Street's Abby.

It's easy to forget how artful the Muppeteers are. The three at the event (Leslie "Abby"Carrera, Eric "Grover" Jacobsen and David "Cookie Monster" Rudman) were impressive comedians and improvisers, and meeting them was a highlight of a day that also included stars and luminaries like Ken Burns and Alan Alda. The event continues today, with appearances by Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Jonny Lee Miller, and David Tennant (who is following up his stint as "Doctor Who" as the new host of Masterpiece Contemporary).

I've opted not to go for the second day. I came home yesterday with more material than I can handle, all of which needs to be written up for publication closer to the shows' airdates.

When my daughter saw the photo at the top of this post, she became dismayed. "You didn't tell me Cookie Monster would be there," she cried. "I would have gone if I'd known he was going to be there!"

So maybe next time, I'll be able to convince her to come with me. I'll have to remember to bring some cookies.

DISCLOSURE: I did not receive any monetary compensation to attend the PBS Preview event, nor did I promise to write any positive reviews. I received a PBS Kids branded swag bag containing press kits  and DVD screeners of upcoming programs, as well as paperback books that accompany some of the shows. Attendees had the opportunity to receive a beautiful coffee table book based on Ken Burns' 12-hour documentary on our National Parks, but I did not leave them my contact information for that. The event included a buffet breakfast (which I skipped) and a lunch (which was too good to resist). I paid for my own parking ($12).

We Meet Shawn Johnson... And Contemplate The End

Yesterday afternoon, I was able to treat my daughter to a rare opportunity: a personal chat with Olympic gold medalist and Dancing With the Stars finalist Shawn Johnson.

I was referred to the meet and greet (part of a promotion by Oscar Mayer Lunchables and the Woodward camps) by LA Mom Blogger Elizabeth Peterson, who knows that I blog quite a bit about my daughter's participation in competitive gymnastics.

On Monday afternoon, just as I was getting ready to drive her to her workout, my daughter dropped a bombshell on me.

"I want to quit gym," she said, tears streaming down her face.

I've written a lot about the sacrifices my daughter makes to participate in this crazy sport. I also confess to a bit of smugness about it, because in contemplating the adolescent storm she has now entered, her dedication to gymnastics makes ME feel very secure. If she is spending 20 hours a week at gym, she won't have time for activities that might get her into trouble.

But I also know that the reason she excels in the sport is because she LOVES it. There is NO WAY you can MAKE a child spend all of her evenings and most of her weekends in a hot, chalky gym unless she or he is having FUN. And I have always known that there might come a time when she might not feel that way about it any longer.

The question is: Is THIS really THAT time?

"It's not my favorite thing any more. I'm not enjoying it."

This statement is flabbergasting to me, my husband, my friends and my family, who have all seen my child at home, practicing floor routines (not just hers but the routines of all her teammates). But if it's true -- if she really isn't enjoying it any longer -- she should be allowed to quit.

But exiting gymnastics would leave a huge 20-hour-a week void in her life -- not to mention the fact that I count on her being at gym during the summer so I can work n peace. I absolutely don't want her to spend her days hanging out at home watching TV or prowling the local mall. I don't think she wants that, either. She has too much energy for that.

"If you do quit, you need to find another sport," I told her.

"I've been thinking I might try track and field. Or tennis."

Now that the bomb was dropped, she went out back to sit on our diving board, dangling her feet in our pool. I called the gym to let them know she wasn't coming -- and why. Her coaches weren't there yet. I was told to expect one of them to give me a call.

I started researching summer track and tennis programs in our area.

I hadn't seen any previous indication that she was tiring of the sport. In fact, she was moving full steam ahead: she had been promoted to Level 8 after just three meets at Level 7 (the third was her state competition). She had momentum. Her coach was training her on tough new skills at advanced levels 8-10.

Ahhhh...

"I've been thinking about this since just before state," she told me. About a month. Since her 13th birthday.

"I can't do the double back flip on the high beam, and that's what I've been assigned for the tumble-a-thon. All I do is fall and my coach has to catch me. Every time. I hate it."

Ah-haaaah...

The tumble-a-thon is our new old gym's current fundraiser. It's like a walk-a-thon, where the kids find sponsors... only instead of paying for laps walked, they have to pay for successful performance of assigned skills. Megan's coach probably thought she was encouraging her to try harder at this skill -- but my daughter's perfectionism -- which is an asset for a gymnast -- may also be causing her a major bout with fear of failure.

In hindsight, maybe her coach should have assigned her a skill she's already mastered -- a conclusion I think she now shares, judging from the chat we had when she called.

"I don't want to talk to her," Megan sulked.

I relayed the information.

"She's 13," her coach noted in a way that seemed to say that explains everything. "Put me on speaker," she said.

Megan scowled and turned her back at me when I pressed the speaker button.

Her coach admitted to riding her pretty hard the last couple of weeks. She told her that she was going to lighten up, and ease off on that double back handspring on the high beam. She begged her to come in -- even if just to talk. She said that they would be having FUN that day.

Megan wouldn't hear any of it. She walked away from me and my phone and locked herself in her room. I thanked her coach for calling and told her I'd keep her posted.

"You are going to have to talk to your coaches," I told Megan.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because you can't just leave without having a discussion. They need to know why. It's helpful for you and it's helpful for them."

Silence.

"Even when you quit a job, you have to have an exit interview," I told her.

It was obvious that talking about it any more that afternoon was not going to be productive -- so I grabbed one of the gift cards she received for her birthday and took her shopping, which brightened the mood a little. I resisted the urge to make a stop at the gym, even though we were in the neighborhood.

Monday night, Megan received a text message from her coach. "Shavahn wants me to call her tomorrow after school," she sighed. And when one of her teammates called her after practice, we overheard Megan tell her she intended to quit... "unless Shavahn talks me out of it."

Megan also complained that she learned that Monday's workout had turned into a "fun day" - heavy on silly games and light on conditioning. "I didn't want to miss that! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" she whined.

So there was hope.

On Tuesday, Megan finally talked to her coach.

"What did she say?" I asked Megan eagerly.

"She said that when she was a gymnast, she almost quit five different times -- but always decided to come back. And it all began when she was 13."

"So what are you going to do?" I asked.

"I guess I'll give it a try. She says that we're going to have a lot more fun days. And that in the summer, we'll have days when we do beach trips or go to Magic Mountain."

So she's back at gym... for now. But she says she still feels confused. I guess that's why I couldn't resist asking Shawn Johnson about it (check out the look on my daughter's face when she hears my question):

See the rest of our interview with Shawn Johnson here.

Jon Stewart vs Cramer

It's been a sobering day.

I spent the morning at the home of Erin Kotecki Vest, where Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Stacy Gerlich showed us what we need to do to prepare for the next big disaster (be it another brush fire or an earthquake).

As I left Erin's home to pick up my daughter, I returned a call from one of my closest friends and learned that she's been diagnosed with breast cancer. It's stage one, so that's in her favor. But as I said, it's been a sobering day, nonetheless.

So I'm in need of some laughs - which I got when I viewed the following from Tuesday's Daily Show:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Basic Cable Personality Clash Skirmish '09

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Economic Crisis

The smackdown continues tonight, when Jim Cramer shows up as Jon's guest. After today, I can't wait.

Confessions of a Comedy Geek

Most of the people who come here are aware that I was a production assistant on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show while aspiring to write for television myself.

Of course you know that, because I never stop reminding folks, lest you all think I've always been the 50-Something suburban gymnastics mom you see today. I really was a capable and accomplished young person once, and I may even have been borderline cool.

I think that's why I had SO MUCH FUN at last week's PBS showcase for television critics. For one thing, I ALWAYS enjoy it when my silly little blog is treated with the same respect shown for "real" (traditional) media. But TWO of the presentations dealt with comedy and comedians... and once a comedy geek, always a comedy geek. So I hung on every word spoken by veteran stand-ups Lewis Black and Richard Belzer as they talked about George Carlin and what made his work so extraordinary.

Carlin's daughter Kelly was also on hand to help promote the network's broadcast of the Kennedy Center's tribute to him as recipient of this year's Mark Twain Award (set to air February 4th).

The discussion reminded me of my days on the Carson show (I was the writers' assistant), when the guys would parse jokes and sometimes get into heated (and somewhat academic) discussions about what constitutes "funny."

I became even more nostalgic later that afternoon, when Amy Sedaris took the stage to talk about "Make 'Em Laugh," a six-part series tracing the history of comedy in America, from the turn of the 20th Century. Amy narrates the series, which debuts tonight and is hosted by Billy Crystal. Each episode deals with a different aspect of funny business.

I've seen five of the six episodes already (thanks to the DVD review copy the PBS folks gave all in attendance - like I said, "treated with respect"!) - and the entire series is comedy geek heaven. 

Tonight's program consists of two episodes:

1: "Would Ya Hit a Guy with Glasses?"

Subtitled "Nerds, Jerks & Oddballs," the hour features clips from silent comic Harold Lloyd to Woody Allen, Phyllis Diller, Jonathan Winters to Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Cheech & Chong and Andy Kaufman through to stars of today, like Steve Carell and Seth Rogen. But it's the commentary from admirers like Judd Apatow, Michael McKean, Richard Lewis, Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock that put it all into context.

I love that they went to Bob Hope's comedy writers (Harold Kanter and Larry Gelbart) to talk about the evolution of Hope's material. Of course, the man isn't around to do new interviews, so all that's left are his writers! Still, it's always nice when someone reminds the public that while comics are naturally funny and witty people, most are usually supported by an army of writers.

Most illuminating for me is the focus on how difficult it was in the 50's and 60's for females who aspired to be comics: Jean Carroll, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers and Lily Tomlin are all represented, and they talk frankly about how difficult it was for women to step out of the accepted role of housewife and mother.

Back then, it helped to be unattractive, which Phyllis Diller says was part of her initial success. People (men) had a hard time surrendering to a female commanding the stage.

I think a documentary on female comedians would be a fabulous follow-up to this series.

The second hour of tonight's program is "Honey, I'm Home!" (Subtitled "Breadwinners and Homemakers"). This is an excellent history of the American situation comedy - from The Goldbergs (which is so old even I'd never seen it before!) to the Simpsons. It's got as many clips, interviews and analyses as the first episode -- and is just as interesting. And funny.

The entire series is wonderful relief from the reruns and reality dreck the commercial networks are feeding us this month -- not to mention the fact that the world seems to be crumbling down around us. I don't know about you, but I don't think I will get through the next two years without my fix of The Daily Show and SNL.  (Alas, you will have to wait a couple of weeks to see those shows covered in the final episode on satire and parody. It's called "Sock it to ME?" - and if you're as old as I am, that phrase will mean something to you.)

As the old saying goes, "Laughter is Medicine."

And if you're a comedy geek like me, you'll love it.

Hey! I'm giving away a Superbowl Party pack (valued at $250) over at SoCal Stuff. Find out what's in the pack and how to win it here.

SoCal Weekend: Grocery Shopping with the Stars at 10 Items or Less

Los Angeles is just like other company towns.

In Washington, you are likely to rub shoulders with politicians and lobbyists. In Seattle, you meet a lot of aircraft workers. And in certain neighborhoods in SoCal, you stand in the checkout line with celebrities.

That happened to me a lot when I lived in Studio City. It was no big deal to see Michael J. Fox buying bagels at Art's Deli, or sit beside Journey frontman Steve Perry while sipping coffee at Muffins, etc. (Yes, I'm remembering an establishment from a LONG time ago.) And I have a friend who swears she once saw Paul McCartney - and his entourage - buying groceries at the Ralph's Fresh Fare on Ventura and Coldwater.

But those of us who live several miles north of Ventura Boulevard rarely come face to face with people familiar to the readers of People.

Except for the folks who live near a certain Jons Market in the center of the San Fernando Valley, which doubles as the production offices and set for the TBS series "10 Items or Less."

TV sitcom productions have changed a lot since I worked as a production assistant (my last gasp was back in 1991!) Reality has changed the television landscape forever. Series are no longer stuck on soundstages in front of studio audiences. I love identifying Valley locales that double for the fictional town of Camden on "My Name is Earl," and I confess to wasting more than a couple of hours searching for the nondescript Van Nuys business park that houses Dunder-Mifflin on "The Office." (No luck yet, but I'm pretty sure it's near the former warehouse where my daughter used to train for gymnastics.)

Therefore, I wasn't surprised to learn that "10 Items or Less" is taped in a real, live grocery store in middle-class Reseda. I WAS surprised to discover that they tape their episodes during the store's operating hours... allowing real live shoppers to wander into the same aisles that are serving as their set, doubling as "atmosphere."  A disclaimer is posted at both store entrances, warning customers that their entry onto the premises gives them implicit permission to use their images on TV.

What's On My Mind Today

I have 250 messages in my Inbox - and that's AFTER I pared down everything that came in overnight.

Can you say "over-stimulated"?

I'm taking the day to go through my messages, follow up on those that need a response and delete the ones that are no longer relevant.

One reason it's so full is that we had a gymnastics meet over the weekend that required an overnight stay.

Correction: We COULD have driven back home afterwards (in fact, most of the other families did that). But the meet ended around 6:30 and Megan was famished - as she usually is after four hours of physical activity. Actually, the entire family is hungry after these events, and I've learned the hard way that when it's over, we need to have a meal AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - or I'll get battered in the ensuing battle of low blood sugar between my husband and daughter.

We had a nice dinner with one of the other families (who decided to eat before they embarked on their own long drive home) and a good night's sleep in our hotel.

But here's the part that I can't shake. I had been shocked at booking the room that even a two-star hotel in this community was going for over $150 a night. I thought about that yesterday morning, while watching Treasury Secretary Henry Poulson on Meet the Press. Our economic sky is falling, and we shelled out $150+ to stay overnight in a community two hours away; living our lives as if nothing is happening.

And we're doing the same thing next week.

I have very real fears about the future. This is bound to impact the lifestyle of our family and that of everyone we know. It already has impacted us; my husband works for a geotech firm which, until this year, was working on a huge slate of housing developments, all of which have dried up. I am even worried for my wealthier friends; I have no idea what kind of investments are in their portfolios or how leveraged they might be.

I'm afraid to sign the catering contract for my daughter's Bat Mitzvah in April. I'm afraid that after all this hard work to keep her in gymnastics, that in the near future we might have to eliminate it from our budget. I worry that our wonderful new gym might go out of business in the near future; not because of any mistakes the owners make but just as fallout from the mess on Wall Street.

But worrying about every possible bad outcome isn't going to prevent it and all it can really do is make ME crazy. If there is one thing I've learned in my 52 years, it's that it is better and healthier to go through life with a positive attitude.

So I'm going to try to put the storm clouds out of my mind. I'm going to continue to live my life. And I'm going to continue doing what I think I can to make the world a better place.

That's why last night's Emmy broadcast was such a welcome diversion. Even though the five reality hosts bit didn't really work, I think the show was a lot better than last year's disaster-in-the-round. I love the look of the Nokia Theatre LA Live (it seems way nicer than Pasadena Civic, the site of the Emmy telecasts I used to attend, back in the day). I loved the way they evoked the sets from the classic programs of the past. And I even liked Josh Groban's manic medley of classic TV theme songs.

And I agreed with the Academy on many of the winners this year (for a change). I was disappointed that Jeremy Piven won again for "Entourage" - NOT that he doesn't deserve all the awards he's received for his work as Ari Gold - I think he's brilliant. But it would have been nice to see Kevin Dillon win for the same show. Or Rainn Wilson for "The Office." Or Neil Patrick Harris for his legendary work on "How I Met Your Mother." And as much as I dislike "Two and a Half Men," I've always been a fan of Jon Cryer. So they are all winners in my book.

I was pleased to see both "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show" honored with Emmys. I swear, Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert and their staffs are doing a better job of reporting the news than the news organizations themselves.

I especially enjoyed tributes to some of my favorite programs of my youth: "Laugh In" was a must-see when I was Megan's age, as was "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." I don't think I got what was happening in Viet Nam back then until Tom and Dick Smothers used the war in their edgy comedy bits on that show. They were brilliant, and it really was a big deal when CBS abruptly pulled the plug on them. For years afterwards, there was a billboard across the street from Television City that translated the network's acronym as "Cancelled Brothers Smothers."

I got a little bit teary seeing Tommy accept his delayed award from 40 years ago. He's a funny guy - when I worked at the Tonight Show in the 1980's, I watched him backstage as he did a perfect impression of Johnny doing his monologue.

I got teary again when Mary Tyler Moore introduced Betty White. Again, in my Tonight Show days, the staff would rejoice whenever we booked her for a guest spot (she sometimes participated in sketches, too). Everyone loved her because she was such a delight to work with. She deserves all the recognition of her peers.

Finally, hooray for Tina Fey! I think Alec Baldwin got it right when he compared her with Elaine May. Tina is brilliant and I'm so happy NBC allowed "30 Rock" to stay on the air. Did you notice that most of SNL's nominations were for the episode Fey hosted - which was one of the few really FUNNY ones from last season? Or that nearly all of the guest performance nominations for a comedy were from episodes of "30 Rock"? Baldwin's own Best Actor win was gratifying too - he may have issues in his personal life, but the man is a brilliant actor, in both drama and comedy.

Finally - I'm jazzed that Mad Men was named Best Drama. Although it was a disappointment to discover that last night AMC aired a rerun (I guess they didn't want to compete for Emmy viewers).

All in all, a good night for the TV Academy. And a decent distraction for me, as I'm already feeling better by thinking about something so frivolous. As if nothing has happened.