My Own "TV Land"

I was worried about myself there for a minute.

A few weeks ago, I wasn't as excited about the new TV season - or even receiving the new Fall Preview edition of the TV Guide. Truth be told, it's just not the same as the little digest format.

Then, I thought, "Have I grown-up? Matured? Lost passion for the industry?"

Well, of course I've grown up and matured. And yes - maybe in recent years I became a little jaded as certain creative projects that never transpired. But I tried to keep up my spirits.

Then, this morning - something wonderful happened. After watching a few TV ads and looking through the reworked TV Guide, I did get a little teeng and tinge of excitement - just like the ol' days...when I was a kid...or my twenties...or just last year.

So, I'm now looking forward to the new TV season...the new shows...and of course, shows like the new Bionic Woman.

Yes, I'm now a man in his forties - a mature soul with a child's heart...one who, down deep, will always appreciate the miracle of communication...and how the great invention of television may ever somehow, someway always provide a positive "outlet" for good programming - beyond PBS and The Discovery Channel.

And that isn't to knock those networks, but I think television works best when the viewer sits down in front of it, and is entertained by a quality, scripted regular "TV show," be it a drama, sitcom, adventure of 90-minute Movie-of-the-Week. That's one of the reasons why I created my TV & Self-Esteem Seminars - the lecture series that I bring to schools, colleges, and community and business organizations. These Seminars set out to fill the gap between pop-culture and academia, to prove that television, popular television, in particular, can be educational - in a fun, informative and productive way.

In many ways, television is an uptapped resource for education. And I owe my career to it.

That all said, someday, I hope to repay the favor - with a hit show of my own, one that is fun, somehow educational, family-friendly and, more than anything - entertaining.