This is what I’m thinking:
It was Buffalo Night on “The NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” on Wednesday.
Two very positive news stories set in Buffalo aired back-to-back at the end of the 30-minute newscast.
The first story reported by NBC News correspondent Anne Thompson concerned an experimental vaccine developed at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center that in early trials extended the life of people with the deadliest form of brain cancer. Thompson gave a preview of the story on WGRZ-TV (Channel 2) with Michael Wooten in the station’s 5:30 p.m. newscast.
The story, headlined “Vaccine Hope,” featured interviews with the two Roswell Park scientists who developed the vaccine, Dr. Robert Fenstermaker and Dr. Michael Ciesielski.
The second story, headlined “Snowstorm Reunion,” reported by correspondent Jesse Kirsch, gave an uplifting end to the newscast. It concerned the Williamsville couple, Alexander and Andrea Campagna, who opened their home to nine tourists and their bus driver from South Korea during the December storm.
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In the update, the couple were treated to a 10-day vacation in South Korea by a Korea tourism organization in which they visited with six of the people they helped.
A promo during Sunday’s Tony Awards for the next season of the CBS reality series “Big Brother” briefly featured Niagara Falls native Britini D’Angelo, who appeared in the program two summers ago. “Drum roll please,” said D’Angelo.
It made one wonder if D’Angelo, a Niagara University valedictorian, will be coming back for a second time even though it has been reported this season will have all new contestants when it begins Aug. 2.
That’s a month later than the series usually premieres. CBS hasn’t announced this summer’s cast.
The network is likely holding the program to have it continue in the fall since the writer’s strike is likely to prevent scripted shows from airing until late fall at the earliest.
Even without writers, Sunday’s Tony Awards on CBS was a treat for Broadway fans. One highlight was former “Glee” star Lea Michele performing a tune from the revival of “Funny Girl.” She was so spectacular playing the role of Fanny Brice originated by Barbra Streisand that it made you wonder why she wasn’t nominated for a Tony. She was ineligible because she didn’t originate the role in the revival. Bonnie Feldstein, who played Monica Lewinsky on the FX miniseries “Impeachment,” originated the role and received mostly negative reviews.
One Tony Award disappointment was that former University at Buffalo theater professor Stephen McKinley Henderson, a favorite for his role in “Riverside and Crazy,” lost out to Sean Hayes as best lead actor in a play. Hayes ("Will & Grace") plays Oscar Levant in “Good Night, Oscar.” Old-timers may remember Levant, a concert pianist and composer, as a frequent late-night talk show guest in the 1950s who often put hosts in stitches with his offbeat, cutting humor. I can still hear my late father laughing at his performances.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is taking in the Big Apple experience. Rodgers, who has dated actresses Olivia Munn and Shailene Woodley, was in the audience of the Tonys with a teammate. Meanwhile, Tom Brady was in the crowd at the French Open men’s finals won by Novak Djokovic. When the two sports heroes embraced after Djokovic’s recording-setting 23rd grand slam title, NBC’s Dan Hicks appropriately said of the two greatest champions in football and tennis, respectively, “GOAT to GOAT.”
Speaking of great calls, CBS’ Jim Nantz had an all-timer Sunday when Nick Taylor sank a 72-foot putt for an eagle to become the first Canadian to win the Canadian Open in 59 years in a playoff. “Glorious and free,” said Nantz, referencing the Canadian national anthem.
Treat Williams was the backbone of “Everwood,” one of my all-time favorite shows on the old WB Network that also introduced viewers to future movie star Chris Pratt. Williams’ character was the epitome of what a great father should be like. Of course, that show and Williams’ performance in “Hair” were mentioned in his obituary after his tragic motorcycle accident in Vermont. But my final TV memory of him was as a guest star playing the good friend of Police Commissioner Reagan (Tom Selleck) in “Blue Bloods.” He added class to every episode he was in.
I’ve been impressed by NBC legal expert Laura Jarrett, who came to the network after working at CNN and has been prominent in the network coverage of former President Trump’s legal problems. She is the daughter of Valerie Jarrett, the chief adviser to President Obama and now the chief executive officer of the Obama Foundation.
Of all Sundays for NBC’s “Meet the Press” to be off, this past one had terrible timing since it was a few days after former President Trump’s federal indictment. NBC’s coverage of the men’s championship of the French Open preempted “MTP.”
Speaking of being off at an inopportune time, “Saturday Night Live” writers and performers must be kicking themselves that the show was off during May due to the writers' strike and now for the summer during all the news about Trump’s latest indictment.
ABC and ESPN’s Lisa Salters once again proved after Denver’s NBA title win Monday night that there is no one better at doing post-championship interviews.
Play-by-play announcer Mike Breen had another solid NBA Finals. Al Michaels didn’t like it in 2006 when I wrote that I preferred Breen to Michaels on the NBA. But as terrific as Michaels has been in a Hall of Fame career covering the NFL and the Olympics, I think my call on Breen, who also does New York Knicks games, stands the test of time.
Had to laugh that Pro Football Talk thinks Latavius Murray, “who played his high school football in the Buffalo area, is hoping to bring a championship to his hometown team.” He played his high school football in the Syracuse area, which is more than two hours away. Heck, Toronto is closer.
Who knew? Jack Smith, the special counsel who finally got some TV time on the day Trump was indicted, also is from the Syracuse area. He graduated from Liverpool High School, SUNY Oneonta and Harvard Law School. I guess by PFT’s standards, Smith is from the Buffalo area.
Buffalo native Matt Wilson, who made it to the final 20 of this season’s “American Idol,” tells me he will sing at the “Taste of Country” on June 23. More on Wilson’s post-“Idol” experience next week.
Once again, WIVB’s (Channel 4) Tara Lynch impressed when she received some national exposure Monday on “The CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” covering the tragic boat tour accident in Lockport. CBS also carried a Lynch report during last winter’s snowstorms here.
