Trio TV Does It Again

Laura Zalaznick's Trio TV, the channel for the sophisticated media junkie, takes on awards shows in December. The Award Show Awards Show is their latest contribution to their particular brand of refined media navel gazing.

Zalaznick's strategy is to stay within Trio's modest budget by conconcentrating on its special programming, which is essentially, orignial narration by media insiders on some of the greatest moments in television. Not a bad idea; and not expensive.

This particular show -- focusing on awards -- is narrated, with wonderful ironic effect, by the delicious, if slightly bitter, Tatum O'Neill, Oscar's youngest-ever winner in a competitive category. As a child star who was discarded by Hollywood as past expiration, Tatum is the one to discuss awards.

O'Neill developed an ulcer at 7, when her parents divorced; chased in vain after alleged pedophile Michael Jackson; married and divorced tennis star John McEnroe. So you know she has got the world weary voice and battle scars that are needed to delve into this world of glitz and glamour and profit and perfect gaudiness; Tatum is particularly compelling as an analyst of America's fascination with awards shows.

Frasier Morre at the AP writes:

"In 1974 (O/Neill) walked the red carpet as a 10-year-old Oscar nominee for best supporting actress in her first film, Paper Moon.

"She even practiced weeks beforehand with her father and Paper Moon co-star, Ryan (O'Neill).

"'He wanted me to rehearse,' she recalled in a recent chat with a reporter. 'I remember him dressing me up and letting me wear platforms, which I always wanted to wear, and we pretended to walk down a red carpet.'

"But on that April 2, when she became Oscar's youngest-ever winner in a competitive category, neither parent was present. Her grandparents brought her.

"'For years I didn't think about it,' said O'Neal, 40. 'Now, today, it makes me sad.

"'Winning was a great honor,' she added. 'But the truth is, I had no idea what Oscar meant. I just knew there was a lot of people and it was gonna be a long time that I was sitting in that seat.'"

Trio is so definitely in the cut; Laura Zalaznick still feels the Boomer idealism.