Bowlers Journal International - February 2008 - (Page 60) MEDIABEAT BY TOM CLARK TELEVISED BOWLING IS EVERYWHERE! It's difficult to channel surf these days without running into at least one reference to bowling. WHO SAYS WE NEED MORE BOWLING ON TV? CLICK ON the tube and bowling is everywhere. Plus, it often pops up where you least expect it. You're watching "Family Feud" and one of the questions is, "Name a sport where you have to bend over a lot." The panel flips over to reveal the answer: "Survey says: Bowling!" In the month of November alone, bowling was a part of more than 90 entertainment shows or movies that appeared on television. And more than 250 news stories in local or network news outlets featured bowling. I didn't sit in front of a TV and keep track to get these numbers. But I know about bowling's mark on TV each month because of a service called Critical Mention that the United States Bowling Congress employs to track media coverage of our sport. Mark Miller in the USBC Communications department compiles a log each month that appears on bowl.com. While the sport as we love it lives on the Sunday afternoon ESPN PBA telecasts, in occasional random showings of the Weber Cup from Europe on Fox Sports, and a daily dose on ESPN Classic, those shows just scratch the surface. For example, you say you want a bowling channel? What's up with the Home and Gardening Network? It's practically bowling central. Bowling was mentioned in some way on the following HGTV programs this past November: "Decorating Sense," "Design Remix," "House Hunters," "My House Is Worth What?," "Property Virgins," "Trash to Treasure" and "What's With That Really Expensive House?" I've never seen any of those shows, although "Property Virgins" sounds like one I should probably check out. When it came to news shows in November, turkey bowling was the biggest subject, and why not? It was Thanksgiving and what small town news outlet can't get a few free minutes of pure entertainment gold by having unsuspecting grocery shoppers roll turkeys in the parking lot? Among the other top news stories were charity bowling events and a feature on Ryan Lingholm, a Florida high school youth who overcame physical challenges to roll a 300 game. OK, grab your clicker. Channel surf with me to some highlights of bowling on TV this past November alone: ■ "Alias" (syndicated drama) — Characters talk about whether or not to go bowling to have some fun. 60 bowlers journal international FEBRUARY 2008 ■ "Animal Genius: Hog Genius" (National Geographic) — Story about a pig that has been trained to knock down bowling pins. ■ "Arthur" (movie) — Quote: "One must go to a bowling alley to meet a woman of your stature." ■ "Between Truth & Lies" (syndicated show) — Quote: "He's 35 and has consecrated his life to bowling." ■ "Brain Game" (Indianapolis game show) — "How many frames constitute a game in bowling? 10." ■ "Cheerleading" (ESPN competition) — Featured group mentions they go bowling once a month. ■ "ER" (syndicated show on TNT) — Quote: "Oh, yeah, right. So you guys want to do something after work? He's been talking about this rock & roll bowling alley with glow-in-the-dark balls and lasers." ■ "Girls Next Door" (E! show featuring Hugh Hefner's girlfriends) — Episode where stars go bowling at Kingpin Suite at Palms in Las Vegas. ■ "Henry Cho" (comedy) — Quote: "L.A. freaks me out, man. Too many earthquakes. Too many. I been through seven. Seven. That's a lot. First one scared me to death, 'cause it was my first one. But it helped me, too, 'cause I was bowling." ■ "Jerry Springer" (syndicated talk show) — Featured guest met other person at a bowling alley. ■ "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (NBC) — Guest Billy Bob Thornton invites Conan to join him and his crew bowling. Conan says: "I'd love to see a photo of me and Billy Bob Thornton bowling." ■ "Law and Order" (syndicated drama on TNT) — Quote: "He hung my diploma in his den, right above his bowling trophy. He bowled, too? He could do everything. He was a Superman." ■ "MTV Cribs" (MTV show about lifestyles of the rich and famous) — Points out that NBA player Penny Hardaway has a bowling lane in his house. ■ "Oprah Winfrey" (syndicated talk show) — Guest Celine Dione mentions trying to get her son out of the house by asking him to go bowling. ■ "The World Series of Poker" (ESPN2) — Notes that card player Kenny Tran started playing card games in a bowling alley. Another episode mentions Daniel Negraneau, who plays Wii bowling. ■ "The World's Worst Drivers Caught on Tape" (episode on "Court TV") — Quote: "In Toronto, Canada, freezing conditions turn highway 401 into an icy nightmare. But it's really more like a bowling alley. This driver squeaks through the 7-10 split, then along comes another one to pick up the spare and to clear a lane for the next bowler. Here he comes now. Strike!" ■ San Diego TV news story — "If the presidential election was a popularity contest, Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani would come out on top. A new AP-Yahoo poll rates the likeability of the candidates, asking people who they would like to have as a bowling partner. But when voters are asked what qualities are most important in a candidate, they put likeability somewhere at the bottom of the list." http://bowl.com
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