2. In mid-2006 I began posting videoclips on YouTube (as Zoomsteinhoff) regarding the fact that every episode made of the TV show "Monk" (give or take a few) includes inside references to my material. I attribute this to the fact that the first person who told me of the college I went to (CalArts) used to run USA Networks, which makes "Monk". "Monk" continues these references in every episode to this day. Meanwhile, where I am employed at Kaiser Permanente's Southern California regional headquarters, this is the second year I am in charge of (organizing) the providing of an opportunity, for all Southern California employees, to spend two full days in December watching a special rebroadcast of a two-day satellite broadcast of an IHI (Institute for Healthcare Improvement) event. The relevant thing here is that this year this IHI broadcast will include a play performed specially for this event by three actors: F. Murray Abraham, Tony Shaloub (star of "Monk") and Brooke Adams (Shaloub's wife).
3. Last night's "Saturday Night Live", as usual, included references to my material, though this time not in the opening (see my October 19th blog). Specifically, the "Vincent Price's Halloween Special" sketch referred in several ways to my SNL sketch idea, "Peek-a-Boo, ICU" (see my September 28th blog and the last paragraph of my October 17th blog). In my sketch idea, to improve onscreen visibility someone is asked to move something to the left but instead that just makes it worse, as in last night's SNL sketch. Furthermore, last night's SNL sketch has the Kristen Wiig character stopping in front of the camera, irritatingly blocking the view, as in my sketch and the resultant moment in the second presidential debate. To understand why I am certain on this, one might need to have experienced the long history of such things, wherein the first similarity tips one off that another similarity to the same material is on its way later in the sketch, and sure enough, without fail, there it is.
4. My new SNL sketch idea, entitled, "The Weight":
THE WEIGHT
A comedy sketch idea by Jonathan D. Steinhoff 10/26/08
This sketch is designed to be presented throughout the show in one-minute segments, in the same way that the SNL “McGruber” segments are presented throughout the show in short segments.
It is Election Night and, as we eventually hear in Wolf Blitzer’s rationalization to one of the guest political pundits for all of the bruises he’s receiving, CNN had to come up with a gimmick, as competition for viewers on Election Night is tremendous. With all of the mishaps, however, Wolf eventually wonders publicly if it really was such a good idea. The space capsule circling the Earth, causing the political pundits to be floating around in a weightless state while having their discussion, that was good. But maybe the trampoline floor, walls and ceiling might have been going too far. James Carville is complaining that he feels like he’s a pinball in a pinball machine, and Andrea Mitchell was knocked unconscious when she was dramatically catapulted across the capsule into a sink just as she was explaining why it was the economy that was making Florida look increasingly like it was going with Barrack. Andrea Mitchell continues floating around after this, only is now unconscious for the duration. Wolf occasionally calls to her to see if she’s revived yet, then says, “Nope, she’s still out. I wanted to ask her…. Oh well.” Periodically John King floats by as if he has mastered the trampoline-enhanced weightlessness, coming out of the bottom left corner of the screen, floating towards the upper right corner, while simultaneously calling out a new state going for Obama with each appearance: “And CNN is now projecting Iowa for Obama.” Wolf, off-camera, says, “Does it say that? Because I’m upside-down right now, but I thought it might be saying that.” John King, off-camera now, says, “That’s right, Wolf.” For a while no one is on-camera. Wolf, whispering loudly, says, “I’m being told no one is being picked up by the camera right now. James, do you think you can fling yourself over there? How about you, Hitchens? Hitchens! Hey, has anybody seen Christopher Hitchens? I’m trying to get there myself but I keep somersaulting around, I’m not quite sure where I am, I’m a little dizzy in fact.” James Carville, also speaking in a loud whisper, says, “Don’t ask me, Wolf, I’m like a pinball in a pinball machine, absolutely no control where I’m going. I would, however, like very much to say something about McCain’s dirty tricks backfiring during the campaign. Can I do that without being on-camera?” “Sure, go ahead. You know, I thought this would work, the space capsule idea, and then Campbell kept saying, ‘And with trampolines! With trampolines!’ I told them that would be overdoing it, nobody listened. Had to be a HUGE gimmick, right?” John King flies by on-camera announcing another state for Barrack. Wolf resumes, “And we all know how fierce the competition for viewers is on Election Night. I should have argued more.” James Carville says, “I’m getting all bruised up here, Wolf. Maybe if they had let us practice just with trampolines before they put us here.” Wolf says, “Sorry to hear about your bruises, James. Okay, well, let’s return to Campbell Brown in the studio for now. We’ll be returning up here a little later on in the show. And we’re out. There’s no way Christopher Hitchens could have accidentally floated out of the space capsule, is there? Good, no, I didn’t think so, I was just checking, because nobody’s seen him for a while. Look behind where?” James Carville says, “Ouch!” Wolf asks, “Are you okay, James?” “Nothing. I just banged my head again. I think it says Wisconsin went with Barrack. Of course, we all expected that.” Wolf says, “Yeah, that was pretty much predicted.”
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