Dumbing Down at KPIX; Donchey-Yamamoto Contrived Drama; Julie Haener Absence (Again) at KTVU Only Nobody Cares; Dan Ashley/Cheryl Jennings Symmetry; Reggie Aqui Destroys Circle7 Heritage; Daetz Status Murky?; The "Gaas" and Wong at KTVU Badda Bingo; Pam Moore Plays Her Card Well; KRON/Nexstar Waits; The Monday Mundane

WHEN YOU YEARN for acceptance and FAIL MISERABLY the conventional method, you then resort to artificial means and forced "look-at me's." Which is what you're watching, the few of you, on KPIX, (CBS News/Bay Area) when you watch PIX's late news, yes, Sara Donchey.

And you too, Ryan Yamamoto.

Donchey, if she just tried to make it real and didn't force her short skirts and flashy blouses on viewers, can actually read the teleprompter and is an above-average anchor. She's good, maybe a bit too LA for some, but she's solid. She has intelligence and she obviously knows her craft which makes the other stuff all the more contrived and forced. With PIX's blessing, she's turned 11 PM into a quasi-SNL skit. Too bad because here's a chance for innovation and exploring new concepts on a newscast. PIX and Donchey chose the cheap route with sex appeal and raw images only it's built on a false premise. Donchey, were she to just do her job and let the other ingrediants blend in, would be fine and dandy. She could, and by extension,KPIX's 11 cast could develop buzz and word of mouth. Make waves without fake elements and unnecessary drama. But instead, we have a freak show at 11 and the only people that watch the news are a bunch of horny male truck drivers from Milpitas who chug Mountain Dew.

Yamamoto doesn't do the 11, which is his only saving grace. Instead he's fumbling and bumbling earlier, either with Liz Cook, or his solo self or an occasional duo with Donchey. He's a zero presence, no matter what. A truly awful, LOUSY anchor with all the substance of a Daly City McDonalds. Yamamoto doesn't excite nor inspire; he's like a week-old donut that you shlep out of the fridge on an early morn after an all-night bender. There's NO there, there.

PIX suits have doubled down with this nothing, apparently feeling as if we see/listen more of him and his terrible voice, we'll accept him.

We won't.

Thus, you have the current crap festival that you have at 855 Battery, a house of horrors with spam masquerading as prime rib.

*The worst thing about yet another, time off (a week), involving KTVU's Julie Haener: nobody at the station seemed to care or notice. In fact, the ratings were up. Haener doesn't care anymore either. She's more immersed in her son's football career and the social scene in Danville.

*When Dan Ashley had a lunch not so long ago with Circle7 retired anchor, Cheryl Jennings, you didn't know Jenning's ex, Duffy Jennings, joked to Dano, "go ahead, make my day." Interpret that as you want but use your, uh, imagination.

*Ashley: still on old deal, advantage, Disney. (Maybe).

*Speaking of 900 Front, the feeling inside KGO: Ama Daetz might be on the outside looking in. Nothing is official but she might prefer a change of scenery.

*ADD KGO: Reggie Aqui, any other place would have lobbed your tuchus out the door many moons ago. And people inside ABC7/SF know it. You DISGRACED the logo and the heritage. You're there only because Disney regards you as an element to its SF brand, (Yawn!)-- That's it. And most of your morning enablers can't stand you, Reg. Every day you read the news, in between your mass IDIOCY, is an INJUSTICE to the Bay Area and ABC7 rep, you are truly an EMBARRASSMENT.

*KTVU's gruesome twosome: Gasia Mikaelian and Pam Cook. Or as a morning, (woman) sage told me, "Beauty and The Beast."

*Gaas and Claudine Wong have begun a new alliance at Channel 2: "The First Wife's club."

*AN INTERESTING MONDAY TIDBIT...a prominent lunchtime duo recently schmoozed at Original Joe's--the two work at KRON and were lamenting the awkward status of Pam Moore, who's either about to split, retire or just plain leave. Moore was one of the lunch patrons and she's leaving KRON in the dark. That might be her intention, take that, Nexstar.