Jun 2008
Q&A: June 24 (updated on Regent Ducas question)
24/06/08 12:24
Question: Any word on when The Shield's sixth season will come out on DVD? It's been an awfully long time.
Swede Hanson
Answer: The sixth season set is due on Aug. 26th, a week before the seventh and final season of The Shield premieres Sept. 2nd on FX.
Question: I couldn't find any information on this anywhere on the net. What happened to America's Port? There's no info on if its season is over or if it's canceled or what.
Cody Sheppard
Answer: America's Port simply ran out of episodes. It premiered on April 6th and was scheduled for eight weekly hours.
Question: What's the deal? I thought Justin Farmer was leaving Channel 8 for another post in another market in May.
Sharon Lowery
Answer: Actually, his contract with WFAA8 expires at the end of July, at which point he'll leave the station's early morning shift and head to WSB in Atlanta, where his father, Don, once prospered. Station management still hasn't named Farmer's replacement, but has been touting incumbent Daybreak co-anchor Cynthia Izaguirre in 30-second commercials and billboards.
Question: I know it's been nearly a year after his firing, but do you know where Regent Ducas is now?
Gato
Answer: Ducas had a stormy 5-month tenure as CBS11 news director before being dropped on Aug. 31st. The station said he intended to "pursue other interests."
He landed at ABC station WLNE-TV in Providence, R.I. as an interim news director brought in to help punch up the station's ratings for last November's "sweeps" period. He remained with WLNE until mid-April, when he was replaced by B.J. Finnell, hired from WOIO-TV in Cleveland, where he had been assistant news director. Ducas also helped re-launch the station's Web site during that time.
"I am not sure what he is working on these days," WLNE vice president and general manager Stephen Doerr said in an email reply. "I know he had a difficult time in D-FW, but he provided a lot of energy, passion and focus when we really needed it here. Great leadership and very well-liked by the staff."
Swede Hanson
Answer: The sixth season set is due on Aug. 26th, a week before the seventh and final season of The Shield premieres Sept. 2nd on FX.
Question: I couldn't find any information on this anywhere on the net. What happened to America's Port? There's no info on if its season is over or if it's canceled or what.
Cody Sheppard
Answer: America's Port simply ran out of episodes. It premiered on April 6th and was scheduled for eight weekly hours.
Question: What's the deal? I thought Justin Farmer was leaving Channel 8 for another post in another market in May.
Sharon Lowery
Answer: Actually, his contract with WFAA8 expires at the end of July, at which point he'll leave the station's early morning shift and head to WSB in Atlanta, where his father, Don, once prospered. Station management still hasn't named Farmer's replacement, but has been touting incumbent Daybreak co-anchor Cynthia Izaguirre in 30-second commercials and billboards.
Question: I know it's been nearly a year after his firing, but do you know where Regent Ducas is now?
Gato
Answer: Ducas had a stormy 5-month tenure as CBS11 news director before being dropped on Aug. 31st. The station said he intended to "pursue other interests."
He landed at ABC station WLNE-TV in Providence, R.I. as an interim news director brought in to help punch up the station's ratings for last November's "sweeps" period. He remained with WLNE until mid-April, when he was replaced by B.J. Finnell, hired from WOIO-TV in Cleveland, where he had been assistant news director. Ducas also helped re-launch the station's Web site during that time.
"I am not sure what he is working on these days," WLNE vice president and general manager Stephen Doerr said in an email reply. "I know he had a difficult time in D-FW, but he provided a lot of energy, passion and focus when we really needed it here. Great leadership and very well-liked by the staff."
Q&A: June 11
11/06/08 15:14
We're reviving "Ask Uncle Barky" and hope to answer your questions at least once a week, depending on volume. So please keep 'em coming!
Question: Has Rebecca Flores replaced Todd Carruth on Fox4 in the mornings?
"Anonoymous"
Answer: Carruth recently left Fox4 as the early morning traffic reporter because he said the hours were killing him. Rebecca Flores lately has taken on that task. Says news director Maria Barrs: "Rebecca Flores is a temporary fill-in, but is also a potential candidate for the position."
Question: Has the NBC show Ed been released on DVD yet?
Ron Ousley
Answer: Officially, it's not available yet. However, bootleg copies of the complete series are being sold on the Internet if you want to take a chance. But I wouldn't take that chance.
Question: I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the CW's Reaper. I've been watching it since its inception based on your recommendation and have found it to be reliably entertaining. Especially Ray Wise. Any info on whether the show will survive for another season?
Mike Beisel
Answer: CW says that Reaper will return sometime in midseason on an undisclosed night. I agree that it's "reliably entertaining," with former Twin Peaks nutball Ray Wise the best thing about the show.
Question: Is HBO planning to bring back Deadwood?
M. Cress
Answer: It's getting more and more problematic, but not impossible. Series creator David Milch currently is committed to the upcoming HBO series Last of the Ninth, a New York cop drama. And Deadwood linchpin Ian McShane, who played profane town boss Al Swearengen, is doing a new NBC series Kings, which is set to premiere early next year.
HBO originally announced two years ago that it planned to make a pair of two-hour Deadwood movies. But nothing has materialized since, making any return of Deadwood seem like a longshot at this point.
Question: Is CBS planning on doing another series of Big Brother this summer as they do traditionally?
Andy Waters
Answer: Yes. The scheduled premiere of Big Brother 10 is on Sunday, July 13th.
Question: Any idea on how long Channel 11 is going to continue this charade of Kristine Kahanek being referred to as the chief meteorologist while they clearly shove Larry Mowry down our throats when the critical weather occurs? It has to be uncomfortable and demeaning for her.
Tony Sanfelippo
Answer: Let's just say that CBS11 wants to re-sign Kahanek to a new contract, but that Mowry clearly is the station's featured meteorologist of the future. Station management loves his work, and feels that he can make a big difference in the pivotal weather coverage competition. I'm not sure if Kahanek considers this demeaning or not, but she probably doesn't miss the late night hours.
Question: Whatever happened to Bonnie Behrend, the WFAA reporter who caused a stir when she did that report on Cozumel and appeared on-camera, snorkeling in a white bikini? Where did she land? Is she doing OK?
Kirby Warnock
Answer: Actually, it was a white one-piece suit, but still eyecatching. We've previously had news about Behrend on unclebarky.com. And she's since posted the bathing suit footage on youtube. Here it is:
Question: Has Rebecca Flores replaced Todd Carruth on Fox4 in the mornings?
"Anonoymous"
Answer: Carruth recently left Fox4 as the early morning traffic reporter because he said the hours were killing him. Rebecca Flores lately has taken on that task. Says news director Maria Barrs: "Rebecca Flores is a temporary fill-in, but is also a potential candidate for the position."
Question: Has the NBC show Ed been released on DVD yet?
Ron Ousley
Answer: Officially, it's not available yet. However, bootleg copies of the complete series are being sold on the Internet if you want to take a chance. But I wouldn't take that chance.
Question: I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the CW's Reaper. I've been watching it since its inception based on your recommendation and have found it to be reliably entertaining. Especially Ray Wise. Any info on whether the show will survive for another season?
Mike Beisel
Answer: CW says that Reaper will return sometime in midseason on an undisclosed night. I agree that it's "reliably entertaining," with former Twin Peaks nutball Ray Wise the best thing about the show.
Question: Is HBO planning to bring back Deadwood?
M. Cress
Answer: It's getting more and more problematic, but not impossible. Series creator David Milch currently is committed to the upcoming HBO series Last of the Ninth, a New York cop drama. And Deadwood linchpin Ian McShane, who played profane town boss Al Swearengen, is doing a new NBC series Kings, which is set to premiere early next year.
HBO originally announced two years ago that it planned to make a pair of two-hour Deadwood movies. But nothing has materialized since, making any return of Deadwood seem like a longshot at this point.
Question: Is CBS planning on doing another series of Big Brother this summer as they do traditionally?
Andy Waters
Answer: Yes. The scheduled premiere of Big Brother 10 is on Sunday, July 13th.
Question: Any idea on how long Channel 11 is going to continue this charade of Kristine Kahanek being referred to as the chief meteorologist while they clearly shove Larry Mowry down our throats when the critical weather occurs? It has to be uncomfortable and demeaning for her.
Tony Sanfelippo
Answer: Let's just say that CBS11 wants to re-sign Kahanek to a new contract, but that Mowry clearly is the station's featured meteorologist of the future. Station management loves his work, and feels that he can make a big difference in the pivotal weather coverage competition. I'm not sure if Kahanek considers this demeaning or not, but she probably doesn't miss the late night hours.
Question: Whatever happened to Bonnie Behrend, the WFAA reporter who caused a stir when she did that report on Cozumel and appeared on-camera, snorkeling in a white bikini? Where did she land? Is she doing OK?
Kirby Warnock
Answer: Actually, it was a white one-piece suit, but still eyecatching. We've previously had news about Behrend on unclebarky.com. And she's since posted the bathing suit footage on youtube. Here it is: