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It’s that time of the year when the networks start making plans for the 2004-05 television season. Hopefully it will be for less reality shows but I wouldn’t count on it. I already heard a rumor that CBS is planning a 10-episode reality show to find the next Martha Stewart. Come on now wasn’t one Martha Stewart more than enough. The new show is planning on putting 12 participants in the same house and tests their skills in decorating, cooking and party planning.

I have an idea how about a show to find the prettiest and best prostitute? I bet the ratings would go over the top. If you like reality shows that’s great, but don’t you really think the networks are pushing it a little too far. Personally I hope the networks are putting more effort into producing more family programming, but that would be dreaming.

I’m sorry to keep knocking reality shows; everyone has a different opinion on what’s entertaining to them. I’m one of those senior citizens that remember a time when there was only one television per household and was something the whole family sat down and watched together. Viewers only had three channels so the pickings were thin. Obviously times have changed and family members do there own thing. I have to admit that my husband and I don’t even watch TV together any more. He likes his history channel and naturally sports. I enjoy watching sports when it’s local teams or special events, but not every game that’s on the air. I also don’t appreciate somebody constantly flipping through the channels like my husband does. I enjoy my dramas and I do enjoy family programming but I also like some of the shows that are not so family friendly; that’s why I subscribe to Showtime and HBO.

Recently I received a DVD from Showtime to review one of their original films called “Stealing Frank Sinatra, Jr.” The movie is a dark comedy about the 1963 kidnapping of Frank Sinatra’s son and will air on Sunday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m., CST. David Arquette (“Scream” trilogy), William Macy (“Fargo”), James Russo(“The Postman”), Ryan Browning (“Rent Control”) and Thomas Ian Nicholas star in this film which is based on actual trial transcripts and various public documents.    

I know many of my younger readers have probably never heard of the kidnapping, or are not too familiar with Frank Sinatra, but this is film is a good one. David Arquette is excellent as one of the kidnappers. The funny part of the whole film is how stupid the three inexperienced criminals are and how they actually managed to pull off the kidnapping.

This story happened more than forty years ago in Los Angeles when Barry Keenan (Arquette) along with his two partners, Joe Amsler (Browning) and John Irwin (Macy) put together a desperate scheme to kidnap the son of Frank Sinatra. After planning the kidnapping many times and stopping for one reason or another they successfully kidnapped the singers 19 year-old son from a Lake Tahoe hotel. It was a miracle; they fumbled their way through the $240,000 ransom request, the money drop-off and the safe return of “Junior” kidnapped Frank Jr. Unfortunately for Keenan and Amsler, the three novice criminals were captured a few days later when Irwin turned himself into the FBI.

“Stealing Sinatra” is a fun show to watch, especially when you know it’s based on a true story; I loved it. I just felt a little sorry for the kidnappers; they didn’t look like they would handle jail too well.

I know I’m going to get heat from some of my readers and members of Viewers Voice for watching one of my favorite Showtime television series, because they feel its not a show I should be promoting. The show “Queer as Folk” pushes the boundaries of television and presents a world rarely seen on TV. It offers a candid look at gay life, as seen through the eyes of a group of six young men and two lesbians. The show returns for its fourth season on Sunday, April 18 at 9:00 p.m., CST.

Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and Tony Jonas are the executive producers of “Queer as Folk.” Cowen and Lipman also produced the NBC series, “Sisters” and if you enjoyed that show you might be able to understand why I like “Queer as Folk.” The stories lines of the show are excellent, although I do have a problem watching some of the sex scenes. I truly believe the show could be done without them but then the rating wouldn’t be so high.

One of the stars in the show is a long time friend of Viewers Voice, back from the days of “The Trials of Rosie O’Neil;” Sharon Gless. That was the main reason I started watching “Queer as Folk” and got hooked on the series. Sharon is absolutely great in it.

I was in Chicago, June 9, 2000 to see Sharon in a play by Claudia Allen called “Cahoots.” We had lunch before the show and she told me then that she had a series she was considering doing that would break ground in television. Sharon warned me that Viewers Voice and I probably wouldn’t be too happy with the show but it was a great opportunity for her. That show was “Queer as Folk” and I’ll tell you what I told her then,

“Viewers Voice was not a censorship organization and if viewers didn’t want to watch it they could turn it off.” I definitely wouldn’t recommend it for regular TV but Showtime is a premium channel; you don’t have to purchase it. Viewers Voice will help promote the show but would make sure that the viewers knew it was adult entertainment. It’s not a show to everyone’s liking but then what show is? 

Viewers Voice runs a survey on what you consider your favorite television shows are on their web site (viewersvoice.org) and if you want the networks to listen to what you want to see on television you might want to go over and vote. The survey is open to everyone, so let your voice be heard.