You would reason that's to be expected but it's overwhelming the folks at Jack London Square. "I've heard that's all they've been calls for," said the contact to me. I asked the source if the buzz was as big as the Asiana fake pilots names fiasco. "No, but close," I was told.
PUT ASIDE for the moment whether you love Somerville or not: here's the deal: KTVU doesn't have anyone to REPLACE him and that's no knock on anyone there (necessarily) it's just plain fact. Somerville has been at the place since 1991; he got the #1 visible 10 PM gig to replace Dennis Richmond, largely because of his chops and look. I often teased Frank he was KTVU's "Ron Burgumdy." When you become defacto face-of-station it's not so much whether you're exactly good or great, (Somerville is in the middle) it's a responsibility.
So yeah, while there's plenty of people that could fill-in temporarily, there's no one that FOX (KTVU) thinks (and I agree) that's a long-term candidate.
*I'm getting heat because I'm talking about this non-stop as if there's so much else to talk about. Look, it's what EVERYONE is talking about be it via your own life or the conversation in most every Bay Area newsroom and that's TV, radio, Internet, etc. I suppose I could talk about KQED wine and cheese shows but I'd be killed more so than I am now.
*Frank will recover, trust me. He understands his situation and he's gonna get his life together --first and foremost, his REAL life, not TV life. Which is the only thing that counts.
*Now that I've gone into Dr. Phil territory, I'm officially tired.
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I love Frank and never think of him as Burgundy. But he has the gravitas an anchor needs. I hope he comes back real soon
ReplyDeleteIf by gravitas you mean santimonious pomposity I agree.
DeleteFrank needs to speak up and get in front of this. Rumors are flying and he should set the record straight. He'll get much more respect if he admits he has a problem and is getting treatment. By keeping quiet, people are wondering if it's alcohol, drugs, a stroke, etc. Yes, his health is his business, but he's a public figure. By not publicly acknowledging what happened, it appears he is hiding something.
ReplyDeleteLiterally ANYONE sober can replace Frank.
ReplyDeleteAny time I watch KTVU (which is maybe twice in the past 5 years) I expect to see snowflakes falling in the background. They haven't been relevant in years.
ReplyDeleteAs sympathetic as I am for Frank, from a business perspective, I can't see him returning. For one thing, if they let him go, Fox will save the 600K they're paying him. They probably have a clause in his contract that allow them to fire him under these circumstances without buying him out. And he's not going to sue for wrongful termination -- at trial, all they have to do is show the jurors the tape of last Sunday's show and the case is over.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, you've got to be able to trust that your top guy isn't drunk on the job. Frank's blown that trust.
Third, KTVU has a strong bench and a 10 p.m. co-anchor isn't as important to a station as it once was. If he disappears, the ratings are going to stay the same. Anchors don't drive the ratings like they once did. So I think his career is done.
Would you board an airplane if you saw Frank in the captain's seat? There's your answer.
ReplyDeleteI have known frank since high school (Berkeley High). He was always a ladies man and the younger the better. In college, he used to hang out at the junior high school to pick-up the junior high girls.
ReplyDelete6:06,totally agree. He reads the news. That's it. He's awful when he has to ad lib or ask questions to guests or reporters. I wish him nothing but the best and hope he gets his life back on track but it's time for KTVU to unload this baggage.
ReplyDeleteJoo lee, sum ting wong.
ReplyDelete