I went to the new NBC website and had to think about my dearly departed friend, Brandon Tartikoff. It is hard to believe that Brandon passed away 11 years ago.
Brandon was a man of honor, good humor, style, grace and compassion. He was creative, silly and full of life and energy. He was the best network TV programmer ever. I miss him.
I have to wonder what he would think of a lineup for NBC that included Celebrity Circus; The Baby Borrowers; Nashville Star; American Gladiators; and America’s Got Talent as the key primetime deliverables of the network. “Must See TV”? I think NOT.
He was a great. Our home is now primarily cable programming (there are a FEW network shows I find entertaining). Must See TV was incredible. His contribution will never be matched.
The guy greenlighted Saved By The Bell. He even did an anti drug spot with the cast in one episode. The reason? Johnny Dakota (star) was caught smoking pot in the bathroom and at his swanky Hollywood party. The gang told Johnny to get out of town and they didn’t need him in the commercial. Mr. Belding was able to rely on his old friend Brandon Tartikoff to complete the anti drug spot.
It’s funny you should mention him. I thought of him and his greatness last week when Estelle Getty passed away. To think his creative genius was responsible for things that ranged from Hill Street Blues to Highway to Heaven. His vision to believe that a sitcom about 4 female retirees would be funny speaks to it. He understood that an audience had to get to know the world you created for them. Sadly, today broadcast TV (and as you well pointed out NBCs ‘illustrious’ lineup) has lost sight of that. I never knew him, but as a fan of television, film and great writing – I miss him too!