Goodbye TV Weekly

Hi everybody,

I've had a few days to digest the news about the demise TV Weekly and today is the first day I feel like I can express what's in my heart. We all know that nothing lasts forever. Even so, knowing that we will not be doing the shows any more with the TV Weekly Dream Team is a sad loss. I'm old enough to know that things happen for a reason and I look forward to and I will embrace what's just out of sight over the next horizon.

My association with TV Weekly (then called Craft TV Weekly) began about 3 1/2 years ago. My dear friend Cherryl Greene showed up to take a card making class from me at Stampin' On Cloud 9 in Monrovia California. It had been a while since we had seen each other. As you know, Cherryl was Carol Duvall's creative partner and an executive on The Carol Duvall Show. When the show ended, we didn't see each other as much so it was a great joy for me to have her in my class. She was so excited to tell me about her new job producing a show called The Scrapbook Lounge. She said "I want you for the show" and I answered "but I don't scrapbook" and she said, "I don't care, you're doing it!" and that was that. I guess I can best express how I feel about my TV Weekly experience by telling you about my first taping.

It was about a month later that I was on TV Weekly creator and director Mickey Corcoran's set in Burbank ready to tape my first episode "All Dressed Up". I had done many shows with Carol Duvall so I knew my way around a set pretty well. The three cameras, the hot lights (my poor make up artist always patting down my shiny head!), the microphones and the wonderful professional crew, just like on Carol's show. The thing that was different (and terrifying) was that I was on my own. On Carol's show, we just chatted with each other while doing our project. Carol was an expert at bringing out the best in her guests. She made it so easy. We just chatted while we did our projects and she would know just what to say or do to speed things along if need be or to ask the perfect question if we messed up or missed a step. What a pro!

Now it was just The Camera and me. It was a new challenge for me to remember that on The Scrapbook Lounge, we were supposed to engage the viewer by looking at the camera frequently, something we were forbidden to do on Carol's show. Poor Mickey, always having to cut and remind me to look up. He helped me by placing a tennis ball between camera 1 and camera 2 and calling it Jason. Mickey would say, "remember to look at Jason!" about 100 times per shoot. The whole crew is so patient with me but I felt terrible. I knew it was my first and last show for them. Everyone kept saying it was fine but I knew better.

About two months later, the episode aired on TVWeekly.com. I was NOT going to watch it. Later in the day after many wonderful phone calls and e-mail messages, I got the nerve to sit down and look at it. I was amazed! I didn't stink! Somehow, Mickey and his editing wizards pulled it all together to make me look good. The work they lavished on that little 6-minute show proved that there was no better creative team in TV, period! After 15 more shows, my feelings have never changed. I will be forever grateful for having the opportunity to work with such an exceptional group of people.

The memories I have from doing the shows will be with me forever. Am I sad? Yes, but now I have my treasured TVWeekly family and that makes me happy.

Thank you Mickey Corcoran, Ann Corcoran and all the little Corcorans. What a stupendously gifted and generous family you are.

Thank you Cherryl Green for being my friend and for being the hardest working most exceptional Executive Producer in TV.

Thank you Tricia Morris, as a presenter, the gold standard to which we all aspire and my dear friend.

Thank you Judi Watanabi and Rob Bostick, husband and wife and the geniuses behind Team JudiKins. Your friendship is a treasure for Carla and me.

Thank you Jami Petersen, my smart, funny friend and colleague.

Thank you Tamara Berg, my friend and effortlessly perfect presenter.

To the TV Weekly crew, thank you all! I learned so much from your endless professionalism.

Finally, Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our wonderful viewers who faithfully tuned in every Friday to see what the Scrapbook Lounge family had lovingly prepared. It was all for you and we loved doing it!

Michael Strong