President Barack Obama will give the third primetime news conference of his presidency tonight, thus depriving couch potatoes of some much needed mind-numbing TV entertainment. It also comes during sweeps, which means he’s potentially depriving the networks of some valuable advertising dollars. (Supposedly. sweeps remains a bit of a mystery, especially in this day of online viewing and DVR recording. Theoretically, those ad dollars will still come in, just a week later, right?)
But let’s look at the bright side. If Obama can quell the anxieties that just seem to pile up one after another week after week, (war, financial collapse, and swine flu. What’s next? A meteor hurtling towards Earth??), then that’s probably worth waiting a week for the season finale of “Better Off Ted.” (If you were turned off by the first few episodes, you should give it another try, if only for Portia De Rossi, who is hilarious.)
Of course, we on the west coast won’t actually be watching the Obama Show during primetime. Instead, it will be on at 5 P.M. out here. But since it’s on during primetime in other parts of the country, those pre-empted shows are being delayed until next week. (They include the aforementioned “Ted,” as well as “Scrubs,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and “Gary Unmarried.”) But don’t worry. “Lost” will still air its 100th episode at 9 P.M., (an episode that won’t answer all your questions, so don’t even get your hopes up).
Fox is the sole major network that is holding out, so they will air a new episode of “Lie To Me” at 8 P.M. as planned, much to the relief of its dozens of fans. And “American Idol” will still be sending someone’s ass home at 9 P.M. It just better not be Allison or Adam. America can only take so much trauma.
