This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about possibly pregnant anchors on WTAE, ABC's "Eyes" and the appearance of Rick Schroder on Lifetime.
As always, thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming.
Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor
Q: Are WTAE's Wendy Bell and Shannon Perrine pregnant?
-- Just curious, Turtle Creek
Through WTAE news director Bob Longo, Perrine says, "Yeah, I think it's pretty obvious in my case. I'm a little more than seven months pregnant. I'm due in September."
As for Bell, Longo said she prefers to keep such matters private. Bell did not respond to an e-mail.
Q:I watch WTAE news in the morning. I would like to know where Kelly Frey is? I haven't heard anything about her.
-- Lili-Anne Gricus, McKeesport
OK, folks, say it with me, "TV PEOPLE GET VACATION TIME, TOO!" Frey returned from vacation Monday. If someone leaves or is fired, we'll report it. Otherwise, assume they're on vacation.
Q:ABC only showed the first five episodes of "Eyes" even though 13 episodes were filmed. Are there any plans for them to show the remaining eight episodes? Also, are there any plans to release the entire series on DVD?
-- Bill Slattery, Robinson
So far ABC has no plans to air the remaining "Eyes" episodes and Warner Bros. has not slated an "Eyes" DVD release. Don't hold your breath.
Q:Everyone I know told me I should watch "Desperate Housewives." I never did. I started watching the repeats from the beginning and set up a TiVo season pass so as not to miss any of the reruns. Do you know if all the episodes that aired during the regular season will air this summer/early fall before the season premiere this fall? My friends were right. ... I love it and want to be caught up when they start the new season.
-- Amy, Mt. Washington
ABC began rerunning "Desperate Housewives" from its first episode in late May after the regular season ended. Episodes air at 10 p.m. Sunday and will continue to do so all summer. I'm not sure if there are enough weeks to rerun every episode, but most of them will air. In case they don't all make it on again over the summer, the first season will be out on DVD in September.
Q:What is the name of the new Rick Schroder TV program? When is it on and what channel? Or have I missed it already?
-- Joan Grubbs, Pittsburgh
The series is "Strong Medicine" on Lifetime and it airs at 9 p.m. Sunday, although it appears to be pre-empted this weekend and will return July 10. It's not a new show, but the new season with Schroder in a leading role began last month.
COMMENTS
A follow-up FYI to today's "Ed" question. I just read yesterday on www.stuckeyville.com that June 30th will be the last "Ed" on TBS, so the show won't be on anywhere until someone else picks it up.
-- Rob Radzanowski, State College
Thanks, Rob! "Ed" creator Jon Beckerman said he has no knowledge of another network picking up the show.
CRAZY CALL OF THE WEEK
We get many crazy phone calls here at the TV desk and I think it's about time I start sharing some of them with you.
This week's winner for most paranoid comes from a man who didn't identify himself who railed against what he perceived as political correctness in last week's coverage of demographic ratings on local stations.
In that story, I highlighted the ratings for persons 25-54 and women 25-54, which tend to be the demos many advertisers are most interested in. This caller accused us of political correctness for using "persons," but that's the terminology Nielsen uses for men and women. We didn't look at the demo ratings for men 25-54 because that's a group of lesser interest to advertisers.
The cranky caller went on to rant, "Man will always be above the woman!" and derided the Post-Gazette and TV in general for "ridiculing the man." And you thought all I did was sit around and watch TV all day? Would that this job were so simple.
First Published: July 1, 2005, 4:00 a.m.
