S08.E13: Local News

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Main topic: Local News

Also: Supreme Court adjudicating Mississippi abortion law; Texas abortion law; Larry Krasner wins primary for Philadelphia District Attorney; Other candidates - Mark McCloskey, Andrew Giuliani; San Francisco City Council Meetings' Public Comments are a Joy to Behold  

Original air date 2021.05.23

[Annber03]

"THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

Holy shit, I died XD. That was hysterical. 

Can we play that clip for all these creepy men who keep trying to pass these draconian anti-abortion laws? I know there's been a lot of talk about whether or not this administration would expand the Supreme Court...maybe now would be a really good time to start looking into that idea again and, if possible, trying to add another judge or two to the courts. 'Cause, uh, yeah, this insanity needs to stop, like, right now. 

(And these politicians are the same ones who throw temper tantrums about wearing masks 'cause "PERSONAL FREEDOM!". Guess it just depends on whose personal freedom matters, huh?)

And speaking of creepy politicians, god, I hope that every single one of those people John mentioned who are planning to run for various offices next year lose, and I hope they lose hard. Enough with this kind of nonsense already, for the love of God. 

As for the main story, so, basically, local news outlets are running infomercials at this point during the newscasts. Those ridiculously long infomercials we see during commercial breaks on some channels jut weren't enough, no, now they have to insert the ads into the programs themselves. I don't want to watch an ad while I'm watching a TV show, and I really don't want to watch a freaking infomercial. Especially one with sketchy (at best) information in it. 

I always love these ads, too that promise to treat and even cure things like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's or other awful diseases of that sort. So, all these medical scientists who've been working for decades on treatments and cures for this stuff couldn't solve the problem, but sure, you with your little item in your infomercial apparently suddenly has the magic cure. And instead of sharing that information with said medical experts and scientists, you're going to hawk your product on TV and make people pay through the nose for it. Mmkay. That doesn't sound shady as hell at all, nope. 

Seriously, if there were significant treatments/cures for those kinds of diseases, they would be HUGE news, not something you'd have to learn about on some faux infomercial on a local program. It amazes me how so many people don't think about that rather obvious fact. 

Speaking of products, seems like the guys who buy that rocket/Phoenix item and the women who use that thing that sunburns their vaginas should start meeting up. "Hey, your genitals are burning? So are mine!" It's a match made in heaven!

Loved John testing out this experiment for himself, to show just how easy it can be to do this sort of thing. I wonder what the people who saw those segments must've thought :p. 

[paigow]

I cannot believe John did not buy a Rocket / Phoenix and test it on Gritty

[ebk57]

Nazi-era fuck blanket.

 

That is all.

[scarynikki12]

I will give anything for the “Ollie snapping his fingers and bringing on a George Clooney cameo” thing to be a forever recurring bit.

Of course they created a fake product and went on local stations to show the bullshit co-signing that’s going on. The woman they hired to play Erica was top notch. I hope she gets a bonus.

I was hoping the New York news lady would show up. 

[ebk57]

Actually, that is not all.

There was also George Clooney.

And, John's tie was turning weird colors when he leaned forward.

 

Now, that's all. 

[ahisma]

Holy cow. I had heard about Giuliani Junior’s weird “parts of five decades” speech several times from various news/commentary sources. I had not heard before that he was the least-liked member of (what I’m guessing was) the least-liked reality show. I thought obnoxious golfer was an oxymoron. Can’t shut up? And apparently can’t stop self promoting? A chip off the old block, for sure.

Slight correction for the LWT caption writers: There is no San Francisco City Council. The city and the county have the exact same boundaries, so there is a county board of supervisors and a city mayor. 

The main story with the paid hucksterism was awful. (Except for the George Clooney cameos.) The FCC needs to regulate the wording, size, and duration of notification of these paid segments, because that tiny type is invisible.

[swanpride]

Between that and the past segment about right win companies buying up local news channels to slip in their toxic messages, I guess one should really avoid local news in the US. Which is a shame, because local news should be a force for good, not selling fake Nazi-blanket (honestly, not sure if I should be flattered that claiming that something was engineered in Germany is apparently a selling point or angry about someone misusing the Made in Germany label that way).

Is it bad that the segment with all those idiots misusing their opportunity speak up in behalf of the community really angered me? It is stuff like this which makes it so much harder for serious issues to be heard. 

Regarding the first segment...still infuriating. I really don't get this obsession to control women reproduction rights. 

[ottoDbusdriver]

The paid rep for Venus Veil did a really good job at selling this faux product.

The Venus Veil web site is really well done -- complete with the video clips from the 3 local TV stations, stock photos of older couples hugging each other, animated graphics, and 4 testimonials (by paid actors).

I think I recognized one of the testimonial actors -- it looks like Jeff McCarthy who, amongst many other roles, played Roga Danar on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and played the original human ship's doctor on Star Trek: Voyager.  I think it's the hair that looks familiar.

[JustHereForFood]

7 hours ago, swanpride said:

Is it bad that the segment with all those idiots misusing their opportunity speak up in behalf of the community really angered me? It is stuff like this which makes it so much harder for serious issues to be heard. 

 

I know, right? I'm surprised that they hadn't shut the whole practice down after few cases of that. Don't they have enough open mic nights in San Francisco? Or maybe they need some during the day, so that those people have a place to sing or whatever without missing their curfew.

Is there even any time left for actual news on local news, between those crazy political ads and ads for BS products?

[Quickbeam]

Once I came into the room and asked my husband west he was watching....”the news”......and I had to tell him it was one of these creepy paid ads. Same set, same people. There ought to be a law. The disclaimer was in teeny font for a second.

As a nurse, I see patients daily who have been swindled on scam medical products, often by these ads. It’s an outrage and I was so happy LWT shed light on it. 
 

ETA: I love Sue Simmons! She was an anchor in the NY area when I lived there.

Edited May 24, 2021 by Quickbeam

[RedbirdNelly]

I feel like I should have known they would create their own product and get it on  the local news, but that still surprised me. And not just 1 but 3 stations actually aired that trash. Talk about embarrassing. That was beautifully done.  I mean it was one thing to buy ad time for Trump to watch, but getting a fake product on the local news was awesome. 

The George Clooney cameo was also wonderful--just the right amount. 

[TexasGal]

I stumbled on one of those infomercials in the middle of a DFW morning newscast not too long ago.  It was the main anchor, and I feel like an air conditioning service company.  They did have some kind of disclaimer because I was confused for a second and then noticed "sponsored" and was like wow - anchor lady is making infomercials?  I almost never watch local news (I have a subscription to local paper) unless there is bad weather coming in, so I had no idea this was a regular thing.  

[wonderwoman]

would be nice to see this lead to the fcc (i think that’s the correct agency) to revisit this issue, though i’m not not holding my breath that the media will pick up how easy it was for the local stations to be duped.

[peeayebee]

Nowadays I watch LWT on HBOMax Monday morning, but for some reason it wasn't there yet so I had to watch the show elsewhere. Unfortunately, that 'elsewhere' edited some stuff out -- opening title sequence, a couple of clips, end credits -- so I hope I didn't miss too much.

 

10 hours ago, ahisma said:

The FCC needs to regulate the wording, size, and duration of notification of these paid segments, because that tiny type is invisible.

This is something I may have missed. Has the FCC changed this requirement at all, or have TV stations just found a way around it, following the law in the least way? In any case, the FCC should amend the law to specify that the disclaimer come at the beginning, be present on the screen for at least, oh, 30 seconds, in a font size that's a certain percentage of the screen, etc.

 

9 hours ago, swanpride said:

Is it bad that the segment with all those idiots misusing their opportunity speak up in behalf of the community really angered me? It is stuff like this which makes it so much harder for serious issues to be heard. 

Yeah, I found it somewhat amusing, but I was also irritated that these sorts of shenanigans are tolerated and even indulged. I bet the council is as well.

 

2 hours ago, ottoDbusdriver said:

The paid rep for Venus Veil did a really good job at selling this faux product.

The Venus Veil web site is really well done -- complete with the video clips from the 3 local TV stations, stock photos of older couples hugging each other, animated graphics, and 4 testimonials (by paid actors).

Thanks. I'll have to check out the website. And, yes, I was also impressed with the Venus Veil actor. I imagined her laughing the first time she read the script. One line she used that I loved was that the blanket was "designed with the hope..." Just another one of the empty phrases that too many people mis-hear as being meaningful. Amazing that the person on the morning show did not bat an eye at "technology that was pioneered in Germany about 80 years ago."

"Nazi-era fuck blanket" is one for the ages, along with "The FUCK are YOU doing?"

I don't know how anyone can take Andrew Giuliani seriously, esp when he, a 35-yr old, really thinks he spent 32 years in politics.

I was sitting here gagging at the Velvetta Liquid Gold fountain. Then I was cracking up at John saying ingested Doritos Loaded chips would be forcibly ejected from whatever orifice they're closest to.

Edited May 24, 2021 by peeayebee

[PrincessPurrsALot]

One of our local stations has has a weekend morning news show that is almost entirely infomercials.  They don't even change - local plastic surgeon (You will look so refreshed! Have you considered a mini lift?), roofing company, kitchen remodeler.  They are really blatant.  At least none are claiming to cure a medical condition beyond sagging jowls. 

I have spoken at the SF Board of Supervisors meeting. The vast majority of people are there to state a reasonable case on a important subject.  Then you get the folks with their soap box issue.  Finally you have your oddballs.  I was doing a project for a rural county in Wisconsin.  They had a similar mix, just in much smaller numbers. One guy reeeeeeeeally hated his neighbors dog.  Seems he showed to every session to complain. When he didn't show one time, they sent a deputy out to do a health check.  

[paigow]

3 minutes ago, PrincessPurrsALot said:

 One guy reeeeeeeeally hated his neighbors dog.  Seems he showed to every session to complain. When he didn't show one time, they sent a deputy out to do a health check.  

Did they check on the dog also?

[xaxat]

When the Utah medical correspondent introduces the representative for the Venus Veil she's pretty enthusiastic about the product. Then John showed a clip from later in the interview and I swear she has a "WTF have I gotten myself into?" look on her face. I checked the ABC4 website and it looks like they scrubbed the interview from their site.

My grandmother lived about four blocks away from were the Philly DA candidate grew up. I doubt they were acquaintances. In addition, he blew the joke! He should have said he played basketball against West Philadelphia's favorite son Will Smith/not that Will Smith.

[peeayebee]

I was wondering if LWT told the shows that the product was a gag. Well, they certainly know now.

[DoctorAtomic]

I have to commend my local news. I watch at 6 and sometimes 9,and there's no paid ads. 

The Veil wasn't even trying to con anyone. 80 year German technology? You're inviting them to call you out. Come on. 

[Kromm]

I think after a few initial successes, they should have changed the script a bit to make it even more ridiculous and seen if it still succeeded and got put on air. 

I'd have put images of cats on the blanket, but kept the BS vagina health details, and named the product "pussy power blanket". 

[Gulftastic]

Who knew that Parks and Recreations was underselling what the public are like at town hall type meetings?

And Clooney, stop getting more handsome. It's simply not fair.

 

[JustHereForFood]

18 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I was wondering if LWT told the shows that the product was a gag. Well, they certainly know now.

I think they probably wouldn't care, as long as they get paid. I mean, they must think some of the other products are complete BS and that the people that present them know it. I wonder whether they sometimes joke about it with them off camera and laugh about the people that will buy it. 

[RedbirdNelly]

29 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

I think they probably wouldn't care, as long as they get paid. I mean, they must think some of the other products are complete BS and that the people that present them know it. I wonder whether they sometimes joke about it with them off camera and laugh about the people that will buy it. 

agreed--that medical correspondent person didn't say a word when the actress spouted what was so obviously medical nonsense--no need to reframe or question it. Just smile and nod enthusiastically.

My local station does these 'talk of the town extra" bits that show up right before the 8 am top of the hour stuff comes on. Weight loss junk. It has a tone that to me clearly screams "paid ad" but maybe not to everyone. They don't announce "this was paid" but I've not looked for small type. I'm always making coffee and annoyed I have to listen to that drivel since I want to catch the top of the hour stuff.

[iMonrey]

First of all, how much egg is on the faces of those local TV stations for getting Punk'd by John Oliver and "the Venus Veil?" OMG. I want so badly to know what their reactions are after this aired. They look so stupid now. Heads must be rolling.

Second of all, how cool is it that so many big, high-powered celebs are fans of this show and will do cameos just for laugh? I have new respect for George Clooney. And the rest of them. (Especially you, Adam Driver!)

[Kromm]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Second of all, how cool is it that so many big, high-powered celebs are fans of this show and will do cameos just for laugh?

Or even if they don't, HBO has a big reach (and parent corporation Warner Media even more...) 

[ALenore]

On 5/25/2021 at 6:41 PM, iMonrey said:

First of all, how much egg is on the faces of those local TV stations for getting Punk'd by John Oliver and "the Venus Veil?" OMG. I want so badly to know what their reactions are after this aired. They look so stupid now. Heads must be rolling.

 

It looks like at least some are reviewing their policies…

https://deadline.com/2021/05/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-sponsored-content-sexual-wellness-blanket-1234763343/

[Kromm]

3 hours ago, ALenore said:

It looks like at least some are reviewing their policies…

https://deadline.com/2021/05/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-sponsored-content-sexual-wellness-blanket-1234763343/

Their real regret might be selling themselves out so cheaply ($1750 to $2800).

[paigow]

6 minutes ago, Kromm said:

Their real regret might be selling themselves out so cheaply ($1750 to $2800).

They are probably calling HBO offering to rent their set for $10,000 per show. The void is Utah bound! 

[xaxat]

There are so many episodes where I wish I was in the room when John and the staff vetted the concept with HBO's lawyers. 

"Yes. It's a blanket, it does absolutely nothing. But we want to go on a local news station saying it "heals the vagina." You know, like Goop!"

[Kromm]

On 5/27/2021 at 6:23 PM, xaxat said:

There are so many episodes where I wish I was in the room when John and the staff vetted the concept with HBO's lawyers. 

"Yes. It's a blanket, it does absolutely nothing. But we want to go on a local news station saying it "heals the vagina." You know, like Goop!"

Presumably nobody was ever charged money if they used whatever contact method was given during the infomercial.  Ergo, there's no liability. 

[xaxat]

15 hours ago, Kromm said:

Presumably nobody was ever charged money if they used whatever contact method was given during the infomercial.  Ergo, there's no liability. 

But they may have made false statements to the news stations when they purchased the time. And they used that time to deceive the viewers. Huge reputational cost for the stations. As we saw.

[Lantern7]

Late to the party. I don't know what would suck worse for a new station . . . getting exposed for selling out, getting exposed for selling out so cheaply, or getting exposed for selling out so cheaply by the likes of John Oliver'. The whole "practices used in Germany eighty years ago" should have been a red flag visible from space.Not for those people.

What was Sue Simmons cussing about?

On 5/24/2021 at 11:18 AM, peeayebee said:

I don't know how anyone can take Andrew Giuliani seriously, esp when he, a 35-yr old, really thinks he spent 32 years in politics.

*sigh* I remember watching SNL and cringing as Chris Farley clowned on him. Now I'm cringing for different reasons.

George Clooney knows the proper way to bring a ham to orgasm. Do you think he learned that before he became famous?