VERNE GAY: Fred Thompson Spills Coffee
Can you imagine how many people spat out their coffee at TNT and NBC this morning when they went to the website of the Washington Post and checked out this front-page story: "Actor Fred Thompson May Run?”
Written by Post staffer, Michael Shear, the piece that caused a veritable Niagara of spilt/spit caffeine, included this observation: "Election law requires that TV stations give all candidates equal time. Experts said Thompson - like the last movie-star candidate, Ronald Reagan - would probably vanish from the airwaves except in news programing. That would probably mean that he would leave 'Law & Order' and that networks would not air his reruns during the campaign."
Of course, this means that Dick Wolf - who also sprayed coffee all over his very nicely appointed office - will have to recast Arthur Branch on "L&O;" no biggie there: Wolf is a master at recasting (and replacing) actors, but the real problem is re-runs (Thompson has appeared in 109 episodes, per IMDB.) TNT depends on them, and so for that matter does NBC. The minute Fred declares, off they go.
Wait (says you), equal time rules don't apply to cable. Right you are! But check out this observation from Shear's scoop:
"The FCC rules have never been applied to cable stations, though several legal experts said cable stations often abide by an equal time guideline in the hopes of avoiding a legal case that would set a precedent."
Of course, there are other possibilities: NBCU, say, could always edit out those scenes with Thompson/Branch. Those ones with McCoy and Branch always walking down the steps of the courthouse? Photoshop a new and even better head onto Thompson! Those others with (say) Connie Rubirosa? Just make it seem like she's talking to someone, but cut out the frames where Branch appears! Easy.
Yup, that gulping sound heard 'round NBC and TNT is not the sound of gulped coffee...
Thanks, Fred: How many of these were spilled, spat or sprayed at NBC and TNT this morning?