APRIL
2, 2004 --
LPR is pleased
to provide a photo of Three Park Avenue, where the newly-formed
anti-Bush radio network, Air America, broadcasts its weekly tirades
against President Bush, his administration, and conservatives.
The tirades are aired (erred?) from the studios of WLIB, until
March 31 a broadcast source for the Caribbean community in the
metropolitan area. (There have been reports the switch to Air America
has not pleased members of this community.)
LPR almost did
not get this photo. A security person from the building questioned
this writer about using his camera to photograph the building.
On learning that this writer had just come from WLIB, the guard
permitted the photo, possibly under the impression that it was
being taken for Air America.
Actually, LPR
is not convinced that Air America would have permitted this outside
photo. I did not - through Al Franken's publicist, a young woman
taller than this writer - permit a photo of Mr. Franken, at the
conclusion of his second show, April 1. Mr. Franken, whose program
airs Monday to Friday, from noon to 3 P.M. - directly opposite
Rush Limbaugh - had just interviewed Senator Hillary Clinton (at
one point he called her "Hillary"). Among other things,
he said that he was wondering if he should run for U.S. Senate
in Minnesota, explaining to the Senator that he is from Minnesota.
Perhaps she replied "I know." If there was a frosty tone
in her voice, could she have thought Mr. Franken had called attention
to the fact that she is not from New York?
LPR thought it
would have no problem getting a photo of Al Franken, at WLIB perhaps
even in his broadcast studio. Wrong. The many articles about the
launching of Air America did not mention that Mr. Franken is a
man of the publicist, first, and perhaps later, man of the people.
On reaching WLIB, on the 41st floor of Three Park Avenue (soon
to be a media shrine for United for Peace and Justice?) LPR was
informed there could be no photo of Mr. Franken without the okay
of his publicist. LPR did succeed in being taken to the 31st floor,
perhaps where the Air America studio is located and where this
writer's photo request was given a "just not right now" ruling
by Naomi the publicist. Oh well, off to the west side…
…Where
LPR got a parking spot right in front of the Ed Sullivan Theater,
home to "The Late Show with David Letterman." (LPR did
not know that Mr. Letterman was going to tell his audience about
some difficulties with CNN concerning a report of a yawning boy
next to the president.) LPR took some photos of the line of people
waiting to attend the show's taping, including these of a Late
Show waiting line warmer-upper, and of a couple from Austin, Texas,
at the end of the line.
Interesting that
citizens are permitted to park in front of the Letterman location,
on Broadway. LPR spotted a couple of no parking-because- of -tv-
program signs earlier in the day, and the day before. First, on
March 31, a spin-off of the Law & Order empire – SVU,
was on location in northern Manhattan, with part of the curbspace
given to traveling dressing rooms for cast leads. Apparently one
of the cars connected with the show, given parking privileges for
the day, originated in California, with a license plate equal to
the task.
On April 1, LPR
spotted another Manhattan TV no parking sign, this for a new Fox
program, "The Jury." The sign indicated that parking
would be banned from 8 P.M. on. The orange cones were in place
hours before - - suggesting that the Fox people jumped the gun
on their no parking privileges. LPR spotted no "No Parking
- Air America" signs outside the LIB studios. One of Mr. Franken's
opening day guests was Michael Moore, whose career got off to a
terrific start with the documentary about his inability to get
an interview with a CEO named Roger. LPR now wonders if Michael
Moore also has a publicist, and, of course, how much longer citizens
who are not part of the media will be permitted to park on the
streets of Manhattan.
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"Authorized" double
parking?
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