Sunday, January 4, 2009

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

10 comments:

Linda said...

Michael I am so sad to hear of the demise of the TV Weekly show! I had not realised they were not coming back after the summer break. Because of the show I was able to be introduced to your wonderful stamps and ideas how to use them, I have several of them and more coming! Don't despair, I will still check into your blog and store page for new stamps being released.
I got so much inspiration from the show, I loved it and am also sad it will not be aired again.
Good luck for the future - this could be the start of another whole new venture.

Linda
South Australia

Susan Hurley-Luke said...

I too will miss Scrapbook Lounge. It has become so much a part of my inspiration. It wasn't clear to me today that it would no longer be aired. Thank you for telling us, Michael. I enjoyed your segments tremendously and will also be coming back here to your blog.

I referred so many people to the show! How sad to lose it, but lijke you say, nothing lasts forever.

I'll look forward to the next step in your journey.

Susan
Queensland, Australia

sandyh said...

well, mike, i'm sure we'll be seeing you in other venues...perhaps a cruise???? or maybe i'll make it back to another great yosemite stamp escape!
the lounge will be missed! it was exciting to see what you and tricia and judy would come up with time after time.
yes, it was sad to see the last of carol's shows. and now the lounge is following suit. too bad for us....but nothing lasts forever.
with blogging being so pervasive now, it is easy to watch video tutorials and challenges etc, from many people all over the world. this might just be the next wave to come along. although there is nothing like a good "face to face" (even if you couldn't see me!)
it's nice to have your new yahoo group and hetty is a wonderful moderator. pop your head in now and again so we know what is going on with you!
looking forward to seeing your next incarnation,
sandyh
sandyha@comcast.net

Viki Banaszak said...

I tried yesterday to leave a comment and got an error message, but i wanted to thank you for sharing your story with us. I realy enjoyed the show and will miss it. I sure hope there is something great lurking around the corner.

Allie Gower said...

Dear Michael,

I did not watch often, but I very fondly recall an episode of yours that got me crafting again after a hiatus.

I enjoyed your work, and now that I have found your blog, all is not lost!

I am sorry to see the show go, but keep up the good work!

Allie Gower
Croppinsville

Anonymous said...

I am so SAD to hear there will be no more. I just loved watching it every week. And I learned a lot, too!

CraftyRia said...

I have enjoyed watching you on Carol Duvall and on Craft TV Weekly. I am hooked on your stamps and eventually wish to collect all of them.

I hope to see more of your videos and projects using your stamps.

This makes me very sad!

Justme said...

Hi Michael, Where else might we find episodes that you've done, I have some of you on Carol Duval I put on disks but that is it!
Love your ideaology, site, stamps and presentations.
Thanks!
Donna
donnalb@newsguy.com

Anonymous said...

Michael, I guess I'm slow. It has taken me weeks to find out that Scrapbook Lounge is no more. The last few days Ive been trying to find a website or blog that knew what happened. You were my favorite presenter, although I've learned from and enjoyed them all, so I decided to see if your website had a blog. I'm so glad that you gently let us know. I'm sad to see it go. Really, it was the most professionally done free webisodes out there. Thank you for your creative generosity.

Anonymous said...

Michael, I'm a little late learning there will be no new episodes of TV Weekly. How Sad!
I've followed you & your talented crafting since the Carol Duvall shows and will continue to check your blog when I can.
You've been an inspiration to us all!
Vicki R in OH