Back Before I Was a Movie Star

Congratulations to Mr. Andrew Tuegel for correctly naming "The Scientist" by Coldplay as the Tuesday Song of the Day.


As Jonathan Smith can tell you, my hometown (well, semi-hometown) of Tyler, Texas has a curious way of finding its way into the national spotlight. Whether that comes from the kidnapping of a baby at a local Wal-Mart or a Tyler area mother murdering her three sons because of an order from the Lord Almighty, it seems that the Rose Capitol of America is located somewhere near the nexus of the universe.


Now, I'm afraid that Tyler will not necessarily be known as the home of the Tyler Rose, NFL Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, but as the shooting location for "Anchorwoman". I was not sure whether I should laugh or cry when I heard the premise for the new Fox series, but I can tell you this, I will almost certainly not be tuning in to view the bumbling adventures of Ms. Lauren Jones in the 903.

Anyone could tell you that the series is simply a rating ploy, but then again, isn't that the aim behind almost everything that you see on the tube? What I, as a Tyler insider, can tell you is why this specific CBS affiliate would film a show that would eventually be used on a rival network, in this case Fox.


For the longest time, the only networks that had evening newscasts in the Tyler area were NBC and ABC. With that said, the NBC local newscast is the equivalent of your local minor league baseball affiliate with new names constantly arriving and then departing. On the other hand, the ABC affiliate is a model of continuity. My dad has a running commentary on the personality flaws of the local weatherman, but I'm pretty sure our TV is not equipped with a two-way feature that allows the weatherman to feel the sting of my father's verbal barbs, but I digress.


In a move to gain a larger share of the growing East Texas television market, CBS recently opened a Tyler affiliate, known to you and I as KYTX. Here's the problem: As I mentioned earlier, KLTV, the local ABC affiliate, holds the lion's share of the local viewing audience and KYTX has found hard sledding in its first few years in the Rose Capitol and surrounding areas.


Knowing that it needed some kind of gimmick or spark to grab the attention of the East Texas public, KYTX decided to go the buxom blonde route and allowed Ms. Jones and Fox to film the series at the station in hopes that East Texans might tune in, even if it is to scoff at Ms. Jones's antics. I'm not sure if the show is going to make it past the initial episodes, but I do know this, Tyler has once again found its way into the national spotlight, even if it is for another not-so-stellar reason.