‘Chargers Report’ Skirts the Boundaries of Reality
There is a certain point during each “Chargers Report” show when the mind shifts into neutral. It’s often during the opening credits, a slow-motion montage of Charger players in action set to music that might have been written for “Chariots of Fire.” It’s funny in a warped sort of way, as if watching Babe Laufenberg fade back into the pocket is some sort of mystical experience.
About this time, most couch potatoes are diving for the remote control, praying that “Alf” is still on.
Those that stick with the weekly Monday night show are treated to a transcendental experience, a mind-numbing, pagan tribute to the Chargers, with bubbly Bill Griffith serving as the always-genial host. Of course, it is understood that the program is produced by and for the Chargers, and it is not meant to be entertaining or anything like it.
Things get especially strange after a devastating loss, such as last week’s gut stomping at the hands of the Denver Broncos. The “special guest” was kick returner Anthony Miller--a good choice since he had to return a lot of kickoffs after Bronco scores. The extra-special guest was defensive lineman Joe Phillips, the “defensive player of the game” in a game the Chargers lost 34-3.
“Our defensive coaches had us 100% prepared for that game,” Phillips said.
By the time Griffith got around to introducing the game “highlights,” the average sports fan was probably downing a pint of Cuervo Gold in order to really get in the mood for the event.
Boy, that sure was a great 8-yarder in the first quarter, right before the Broncos scored 17 unanswered points. And that was a great shot of Babe scrambling. Oh, sorry, didn’t have tape of that interception, but, hey, how about that third-quarter punt?
“Talk about burying ‘em,” Griffith said. Let’s see that punt again.
The interview with Chargers director of football operations Steve Ortmayer was at least interesting, in the way interviews with indicted politicians are interesting. At least there was a touch of reality to the questions, though Ortmayer was hardly pressed.
According to KGTV (Channel 10) program director Don Lundy, the station has talked to the producers when the show became a little too “rah-rah.” Chargers head coach Al Saunders’ regime has been “much more open to talk about (negative) things” during the show, Lundy said.
Part of Channel 10’s television package with the Chargers, which includes the preseason games, “Chargers Report” is usually a moneymaker for both the Chargers and Channel 10. The show fills the slot between 9-10 p.m. on Monday nights, its length dependent on how long the Monday Night Football games last.
Even when the Chargers are pitiful, representing the lowest form of NFL team, the “Chargers Report” does relatively well in ratings, Lundy said. That says something about the average television viewer, or perhaps its says something about the other programs on television on Monday nights. Last season, it usually drew better ratings than XETV’s (Channel 6) movie and programming on KUSI-TV (Channel 51). It finished just a few ratings points behind NBC’s Monday Night Movies.
Last year, when the Monday Night games ended early, “Chargers Report” included a live phone-in segment, which often got nasty. This year, if there is time, the shows will also have phone-in segments, so fans can vent their spleens.
Now that sounds like entertainment.
KCST, er . . . KNSD-TV (Channel 39) has decided to emphasize live remote broadcasts during its newscasts, which means viewers can expect to see a lot more nervous-looking reporters doing live stand-ups from shopping centers, accident scenes and anywhere else they can rationalize sending a reporter. It sounds a lot like Channel 39’s old “Live at 5” format, which earned the nickname “Jive at 5” . . .
Some viewers have wondered why Channel 39, amid all its changes, has returned folksy Bob Dale to a position of prominence. It evidently has a lot to do with the station’s desire to be different. “Why take the most memorable person you have on the air and give him a secondary role?” station general manager Neil Derrough said in a recent interview . . .
Clint Eastwood’s upcoming film about jazzman Charlie Parker, “Bird,” which created a stir at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, will premiere in San Diego on Oct. 12 at a special benefit for the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art.
A special cheesy video award of merit must go to Channel 39 and reporter Laurence Gross for interviewing the hosts of “USA Today,” the syndicated McTelevision show airing nightly on Channel 39. . . . Honorable mention for cheesy video goes to KFMB-TV (Channel 8) for making Hal Clement interview fellow reporter Mitch Duncan about hurricanes. Duncan had actually been in a hurricane. They resisted the urge to interview staffers who had actually seen hurricanes on television. . . . It’s not exactly what news people like to hear: At Channel 39’s schmooze event Thursday night at the Hotel del Coronado, Deputy Mayor Gloria McColl, on hand to present the station with a certificate, told the crowd that she liked the station because its reporters “don’t ask too many hard questions most of the time.” A few minutes later, a slightly embarrassed Channel 39 General Manager Neil Derrough challenged his news department to be “not be so well-liked.”