250-624-2161
March 1, 2005
NoPE
is proposed to be a half-hour, weekly summer series. It’s a seamless mix of comedy and music using the news of the
week as a backdrop for the show’s material.
It’s “The Daily Show” filtered by the editors at “Rolling Stone”.
Writer
and broadcaster, Russell Bowers, working with a producer, will present the show
from Prince Rupert. It will be an audio
snapshot of the world in which we live.
A fuzzy snapshot, with bad red-eye.
But a snapshot, just the same.
The
design is a fast-paced news/comedy/music program where the Host acts as
ringmaster and interpreter. Russell has
a quirky sense of humour and this show will reflect his ability to connect the
most curious of dots. The writing,
music, sound effects, and high production values will all weave together into a
seamless half hour of information and entertainment.
NoPE
(No-Prize of Excellence) takes 4-5 stories from the week’s news and presents
them as though they were nominees in an awards announcement. It’s a fake awards show with made-up judges
and whimsical criteria. The format is
designed to be a fresh and witty take on the News with the Listener engaged by
the entertaining music and suspense for what story we will come up with next.
The
basic facts of each news story are presented and the subject acts as a jumping
off point for the Host to make jokes or comments about the story or to
extrapolate a broader observation about modern society. It’s a format similar to what we’ve seen on SNL’s
Week-end Update, 22 Minutes or The Now Show. Once the 2-minute narrative is done, it
leads to a song that has lyrical content supporting the joke made at the
expense of the news story. Typically,
the bulk of the song would be heard, but it will be faded in or out as
necessary for time constraints.
At
the end of each show, The Host will “present” one of the Newsmakers with
No-Prize of Excellence. Ideally, this
show’s stock in trade is the irony of being an awards show that doesn’t
actually hand out any awards.
The
NoPE Award represents the most mind-boggling / stupefying / astounding / dumb /
inane story of the week, as judged by the non-existent panel of blue-bonnet
judges. In reality, as the content is
generated by the lone writer and producer, the criteria for what story walks
away with No Prize, may seem subjective.
But hey, it’s a comedy show.
It’s part of the joke.
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In addition to stories uncovered by the Host/Writer of the show, listeners will
also be invited to submit stories they find in local or world media. This can be done via regular post, e-mail or
phone message. If their story is read
on the air, the Listener will receive a letter from us informing them, that
they too, have received No Prize. The
letter is suitable for framing and is enclosed with this proposal.
It
is our firm belief that by the end of the show’s run, Canadians everywhere will
compete heartily to receive No Prize from us.
The core values of this show are irreverence, humour and entertainment. The stories we pick will be ones about the great and good doing the odd and bizarre. We’ll also look for stories about accidental fame, the ill-considered press release or small town claims to fame. The eye cast on these stories will be quizzical, slightly jaundiced, a little scornful or greatly bemused, depending on the topic.
Russell
Bowers is a broadcaster of curious interests who’s been associated with CBC
Radio for the last dozen years. Before
his current assignment as Co-Host in Prince Rupert, he specialized in quirky
and original programming for a variety of CBC shows at the regional and
national levels. Indeed, since moving
to Prince Rupert in 2003, he has hosted 3 national programs from the bureau. It marked the first time National CBC Radio
programming originated from Prince Rupert.
See Russell’s
full-bio here.
To
this program, he would bring considerable production skills, a flair for comic
writing and performance and a proven record of delivering entertaining
shows. He will be the main reader on
the program, but may be supported by FTR or tape collected from various media
sources, depending on the story. His
own smart and subtle comic stylings will create an environment for the stories
and music.
With
internet and CBC resources being what they are, it is absolutely technically
possible to complete a series like this from the Prince Rupert bureau. For the national shows Russell previously
produced in Rupert, a producer at a station vetted the scripts and then got a
phone line or studio line to direct the Host during the recording of the voice
tracks. Because of the Host’s advanced
mixing and editing skills, the final cut of the show can also be completed in
the bureau.
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It
sends a great message to the audience and CBC staff alike that diverse
programming can come from any part of the country.
WHY SHOULD CBC RUN A SHOW LIKE THIS?
This
is a Host-driven comedy and information show.
It combines long-time favourites of news and satire for CBC Listeners,
an engaging host, audience participation, and good music. It’s another way of delivering comedy, news
and music to our audience.
As
described earlier, its production philosophy will embrace some of the new
styles of presentation we are hearing on CBC shows like The Wire, Definitely
Not the Opera or on BBC shows like their 6 Music Documentaries. Russell has used this style in other
programs and documentaries he has produced for CBC Radio in the past. Audience reaction to his work has been very
positive over the years.
|
|
THE HEADLINES!
A
man in Sussex, England decided to see how high he could throw a brick in the
air at 2:30 in the morning. Police
found him unconscious some time later after the inevitable effects of gravity
and darkness impressed themselves on the man.
Alcohol is believed to be a factor.
(SONG: “I’ve Been To College” – Sean Panting)
An
unidentified man in Prince George, BC is being investigated for writing a
threatening letter to a dog. Apparently,
talking to the humans who owned the dog was a bit beyond his grasp. (SONG: “Everything Reminds Me of My Dog ”
– Jane Siberry)
A woman in Wales is getting a divorce from her husband
because, alas, he is not Bryan Adams.
Jennifer Evans believes that his songs are secret messages to her. Evans is looking forward to her Summer of
’69. (SONG: “Run To You” – Jaymz Bee & His
Orchestra)
What
a terrible thing rock and roll has been for Johnny Halliday, France’s biggest
music star. He’s suing his record company
for ₣20 million because they gave him ₣10 million. Yes, if it wasn’t for the fact they gave him
the money to live his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, he would have never been so
miserable.
(SONG: “Born to Lose” – Leonard Cohen & Elton
John)
|
I’m always on the watch for
signs that society is collapsing around our ears. Thankfully, it’s an easy observation to make. Some days, it’s simply a matter of waking
up.
However, this past week, I
found two new pieces of evidence that individuality is getting out of hand.
In my friendly neighbourhood
mystery meats section at the supermarket, I found innovation in the world of
Spam. Yes, that most non-perishable of
food stuffs now comes in individually wrapped slices! We no longer have to be mired in the quandary of having opened an
entire can of Spam, only to realize we can’t bear to eat it…all.
MUSIC IN: MONTY PYTHON’S “SPAM SONG” FADES IN UNTIL CLIMAX OF TRACK.
And there was more good news
in the meat department. Especially, if
you like beefcake. This week saw the
Premier issue of…
Sly Magazine!
MUSIC: ABRUPT END.
S/FX: CROWD GOES “AWW” IN DISAPPOINTMENT
Yes, Sylvester Stallone has
joined the ranks of the vanity fair with a magazine dedicated to him and all
things Sly. How we get the nick-name
“Sly” from a name that doesn’t actually include that particular order of
letters, might well be one of the articles.
This all seem to start with
Martha Stewart and her “Living” magazine.
It may not, of course, but if didn’t I don’t know about it and it
doesn’t serve my argument to find out.
However after Martha, we moved on to “O” for Oprah. “Rosie” for Ms. O’Donnell. Trump The Magazine became available at the
local news-agents. And now “Sly”.
So, what next? Well, it’s obvious. I have to have my own magazine. Clearly, vanity mags are a trend, and if I’m
not trendy, then my name is Russell Bowers.
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So, I’m inviting you to
become a charter reader of my new magazine, Russell-Mania. Why have your own issues, when you can
subscribe to mine? Just send $49.99 in
small, unmarked bills to the address you see on your radio dial.
And what will you get each
issue? Well, there’s a Top Ten list on
why Cadbury Crème Eggs make awful omelets.
Articles about curling widows.
Hear my thoughts on why we should preserve the 1920’s definition of a
“gay” marriage. And recipes for poutine
that swap out the cheese for things like turkey stuffing and salmon.
Don’t forget to ask for the
Winter Parka issue and your free whiffle-ball cellphone.
Tell me what you like,
I'll print it all
You need laughs,
'Cause you don't need misery
Just tell me what you want,
I print it all
You need help,
It's a sick society
Just tell me what you need,
I sell it all
Who needs friends
I'm collecting enemies
My magazine
I'm talking about my magazine...
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Dear __________(Recipient)__________ ,
in association with the Steamed Judges of the
No-Prize
of Excellence
hereby grant upon the possessor of this document
Please keep in a warm, dry place out of reach of children and small pets.
Our motto:
Catapultam habeo.
Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis,
ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
By order of
Her
Excellency, Madonna Parsons
General
Governor, the Duchess of Duckworth
Richard
Ivanhoe Phayreclought
Concubine
