Or Ugly Betty, Smallville, My Name is Earl, or any other show that airs at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday nights. That’s because, most likely, they won’t be on the air with new episodes. That’s thanks to none other than President Bush.
The outgoing President has decided to use one of the busiest nights and time slots of primetime television to say “so long, and thanks for all the fish” to his fellow Americans. This is probably the umpteenth time the President has interrupted a heavy night of television with a silly address about the economy, the war in Iraq, or his “near death” experience with a pretzel. Obviously, the man does not watch a lot of television. It’s not like he’s the leader of the free world or anything.
My question is who is advising the President to pick these times to address the nation? Is it someone secretly working for FOX? Maybe he’s whispering some suggestions into the President’s ear:
Advisor: Mr. President, maybe we should delay your last address until Thursday.
Bush: Thursday? But, that’s when 30 Rock is on. That Tina Fey sure is funny.
Advisor: Yes she is. However, to be honest, it would be the perfect night. I mean, do you really want to take away America’s pleasure of watching 24 and American Idol on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights?
Bush: I like 24. That Jack Bauer reminds me of a young me.
Advisor: Yes, you’re practically twins. Come on, Mr. President. As your last act, and as an apology to the rest of the nation, address the nation on Thursday. Frankly, Americans need to watch 24 and American Idol to drown their other worries about economic failure, global warming, and nuclear proliferation.
Bush: All right, you sold me. Hey, why didn’t I name you Vice President instead of ol’ Dick there?
Clacked by Richard Keller 
on Jan 14, 2009 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
You know, I kind of wish Bush would just do what presidents in the past did before him – gracefully allow the new president to take the spotlight. I have a feeling Bush is going to give a speech justifying his actions, criticizing his criticizers and reiterating that ‘history will treat him with a fairer eye.’ It’s fine if he feels that way, but he’s already had 8 years to say it. We get it. I don’t recall Clinton, Bush Sr, or Reagan giving exit speeches, so I kinda wish Bush jr. would follow that path and let me watch my TV in silence . . .
I have no interest in yet another attempt to try to make the rest of the country believe his delusion that he’s had a great, successful 8 years of peace and prosperity. From his press conference, he’s clearly bordering on an actual mental condition as far as the depths of his denial go.
But I should point out that “Smallville” will probably air uninterrupted nearly everywhere, since CW stations don’t generaly have news teams or cover national news events.
All presidents give a good bye address, that’s how it works.
However the president normally speaks at 9pm, Bones is on at 8pm/7pm central, so what’s the problem with Bones?
From what I understand, it’s only going to be a 10 minute delivery, so I am hoping networks will just delay and work around the interruption.
Hell, the networks probably told him to do it then rather than interrupt the last few crappy nights of television. American Idol and 24, apparently, rule (just not my world).
Yeah but Im willing to bet he will go over the ten minutes and of course the news teams will yak about what he said probably afterwards too.
Thank God the CW doesnt cover breaking news events so I can enjoy my Smallville in peace.
I haven’t heard anything about The CW bumping SMALLVILLE, and MY NAME IS EARL will be on at 8:30. KATH & KIM is being bumped off the schedule this week on NBC. The networks (ABC, NBC, FOX) are plugging in reruns to join in progress while CBS will run its schedule in its entirety beginning at 8:15 with a CSI rerun. Here is how the schedule currently looks, according to The Futon Critic:
ABC – Thursday, January 15
8:00/7:00c – “Presidential Address”
8:15/7:15c – “Scrubs” (Repeat, Joined in Progress)*
8:30/7:30c – “Scrubs” (Repeat)
9:00/8:00c – “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00/9:00c – “Private Practice”
CBS – Thursday, January 15
8:00/7:00c – “Presidential Address”
8:15/7:15c – “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (Repeat)
9:15/8:15c – “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”
10:15/9:15c – “Eleventh Hour”
FOX – Thursday, January 15
8:00/7:00c – “Presidential Address”
8:15/7:15c – “Kitchen Nightmares” (Repeat, Joined in Progress)*
9:00/8:00c – “Kitchen Nightmares” (Season Finale)
NBC – Thursday, January 15
8:00/7:00c – “Presidential Address”
8:15/7:15c – “My Name Is Earl” (Repeat, Joined in Progress)*
8:30/7:30c – “My Name Is Earl” (Special Time)
9:00/8:00c – “The Office”
9:30/8:30c – “30 Rock”
10:00/9:00c – “ER”
Ya know, if it was a frakkin football game, they would just delay 15 minutes. What’s the worst that could happen? It rolls into the infomercials at 2AM? Big deal. This just really pisses me off. I’ve been awaiting a new Bones for months.
WYet another reason to hate Fox News and Bush!
You know Fox News will go on about how wonderful Bush is and how he “kept us safe” and all that bullshit.
But you are forgetting that Bush talking is an infomercial.
You know what my favorite part about President Bush leaving office is?
That society will have to find someone else to blame EVERYTHING on.
I mean, I’m not saying the man is without blame, and hasn’t done a lot of things very badly, but sometimes I expect to turn on the RSS feeds and see “Peterson Blames Bush for CSI Exit.”