In: McDonalds. Unfortunately, economic rough times lead many around the world to turn to unhealthy, greasy and dollar-menu cheap establishments like McDonalds as comfort food. From Reuters:
"The burger chain said its April sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 6.9 percent rise in April. In the U.S. alone, April same-store sales increased 6.1 percent, helped by new coffee drinks and chicken snack wraps.
"Fast-food restaurants have generally held up better in the recession than higher-priced sit-down restaurants.
"But even fast-food sellers have not been immune to the impact of the downturn. The U.S. fast-food industry saw its first quarterly traffic decline since 2003 in the quarter ended in February, according to market research company NPD Group.
"The stronger dollar, which lessens the dollar-value of sales made overseas, led to an overall 1 percent decline at worldwide McDonald’s restaurants, the company said. Sales rose 8.9 percent in constant currencies."
McDonalds is also challenging Starbucks as a purveyor of premium coffee, an "affordable luxury." And they just bought prime time real estate on Hulu to make their argument.
Out: Dick Cheney. Can we call him "Dick"? Cheney, who will appear of Schieffer's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, is all over the news. Can't the former Vice President give the new administration a breather before spewing his brand of intellectual pollution (which probably smells like unfiltereds)? Jonah Goldberg, oddly, named his dream 2008 ticket in an Op-Ed: Cheney-Gramm ("That's right, Dick Cheney and Phil Gramm, two old white guys who would crush our enemies and liberate our economy while shouting, 'You kids get off my lawn!' at the filthy hippies who would inevitably accumulate outside the White House." WTF?!
And Paul Begala lavishes even more attention upon the former creepy Veepee.
In: Aisha Tyler. As soap operas decline so does the rationale for networks paying the costs of huge casts and crews. Talk shows, it would seem, are a sober alternative. Especially if talk shows become hits. For a talk show to become a hit, there must needs be a compelling, funny, interesting host. Aisha Tyler is all of those things. Clearly the suits were watching her well-received "Aisha Tyler is Lit" show at the Filmore recently. From TheHollywoodReporter:
"Aisha Tyler has been tapped to host a talk show pilot for ABC.
"'The Aisha Tyler Show' is described as a hybrid that will incorporate aspects of a traditional talk show with comedic political commentary, produced comedy segments and other elements usually associated with late-night shows. Aimed at a younger audience, "Tyler" is being developed as a fully "wired" concept, with fans being able to communicate with Tyler via Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.
"The pilot is being produced by ABC Media Prods. (formerly Buena Vista TV), which develops and produces nonscripted original programming for syndication and cable.
"There has been speculation that the project might be eyed for ABC's afternoon block, which airs the soaps 'All My Children,' 'One Life to Live' and 'General Hospital.' (CBS recently canceled its long-running soap 'Guiding Light' and will replace it with a game or talk show).
"But ABC sources stressed that 'Tyler' is being targeted strictly for syndication or cable."
For now ...
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