Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Extra Froth: Because CBS Is Displeasing Me

Dear CBS PTB,

Did you think I wasn't going to notice? At some point, it had to occur to someone that either myself, or the fandom might've noticed the reports circulating. Of course, I can see why you might erroneously assume I'd miss your little announcement. Sure, I've had the H1N1, followed by pneumonia and am currently moving at the pace of a lethargic sloth, but there are some things that are still working.

Things like, say my automatic notifications on several sites regarding Numb3rs. Hey, wait, there's a 3 where the e should be in the title? Well, someone should tell Reuters.

So, here you hoped a quiet announcement would result in a lack of reaction? Please, when was the last time I did anything quietly? Did you ignore the 525 days I whined about the sinking of the good 'ship Don/Robin? I may not have much of a voice at the moment (the first person to make a crack about that dies horrifically), but my typing skills are still intact.

Therefore, cutting the eppesode order of Numb3rs from 22 to 16 is definitely going to get this lethargic sloth moving. Over the years of viewing my adorkable professor and the Fedcakes, I have learned a few things about math. For instance, 6 fewer eppesodes means about 252 fewer minutes of Don, Charlie, Alan, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Liz and Nikki, Amita, and Larry's interest in white food. Do not make me bring up how unhappy I will be if you tell me I will no longer have Edgerton in my life.

In case I am not clear, I am completely not cool with this. In fact, I am extremely displeased. One might even say, distinctly perturbed by these developments.

I expect this to be rectified tout de suite. Sorry, you live in the US, so let me use plain old English: immediately. You do not want to earn my wrath.

No love,
Theoriginalspy

PS: I will also inform anyone and everyone that if they would like to write to you to express his or her ire, they can send their grievances to Nina Tassler President, CBS Entertainment 4024 Radford Avenue, Room 3118, Studio City, CA 91604.
PPS: If anyone has a brilliant idea as to what could be sent: hair products, calculators, origami flowers, white food, rulers, please feel free to leave it in the comments.
PPPS: If you have another contact address -- either snail mail or e-mail, please let me know.
PPPPS: Yes, I know the number of PSs in this letter is a little bit middle-school girl passing notes, but I've had H1N1, pneumonia, a lot of medications, and severe exhaustion. I get to include this number of PSs.
PPPPPS: Despite all my recent issues, I'm still tremendously disconcerted by this turn of events. I'm not taking this quietly -- even if I am, technically, taking this lying down because of my illness.

ETA: (Because I was sick of PSs) Look, there's now a petition. *waves shiny object* you will sign it.

20 comments:

  1. I know, I just say TVGuide's announcement on Twitter, and it seemed almost "oh by the way". I have my own little letter about this.

    Dear CBS: Do you remember Jericho? This will be *much, much worse*. I'm not kidding. Spy dictates the level of love (I.e., none), Alex Kost

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for the address, I was checking for one.

    I'm told that sending items is not always a great idea--though obviously it's helped before.

    Count me in if there's a fandom push about this. (Rob Morrow basically called for one on his Facebook page, which entertains me greatly.)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Les Moonves: 818-655-1600

    Nina Tassler: 818-655-1400

    ReplyDelete
  4. My idea: pink erasers... Appropriately mathy and cheap to buy AND mail.

    ~Merci

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm so irked by CBS' decision. We should send them boxes of chalk!!! RM also posted on the fanrush forum calling all fans to write into CBS about their decision.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I found the address as:

    7800 Beverly Blvd
    Los Angeles, CA 90039-2112

    and the phone number as: 323-575-2747. Not sure if these are the most recent though!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree. We need to do something NOW. Maybe we need a page to place all found addresses and info. Sending chalk sounds like a great idea I think. I'm from Belgium and I'll be sending a letter as soon as possible. I think that the big part of starting a campaign is getting enough people realize what's going on and getting them to write. I mean, Numb3rs has enough fans, right? I think we can do this if we can find enough people to actually write letters to CBS.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Spy, first, I hope that you are feeling better.

    Second, if you want to comment on CBS's decision to cut the number of episodes for Numb3rs, you can also go to
    http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.php
    and leave a message. (Just mark Numb3rs in the Regarding pull-down menu.)

    ReplyDelete
  9. @Alex: Did you send that -- to CBS?
    @Anon (all of them): Do those address, forms, numbers, work? Seriously. Convalescing has given me a lot of time on my hands to shit-disturb about this.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sometimes, it actually does. I remember writing CBS about Due South (when it aired here) sometime during Due South's season two, asking them not to cancel the show, and it seemed to have worked. The network had renewed it for another season. Also, Jericho fans sent in peanuts along with their letters.

    On another note, maybe we should send in blackboard erasers and markers in honor of our favorite math professor if anyone wants to replicate Jericho's fanbase's response.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I haven't written a letter before and asked advice what to write on fb and only advice was to say I'd never watch CBS again. I don't think idle threats would do anything. I thought about sending cut-out numb3rs. For cost, conscious people this might be an easy way. As they take the letter out, little numb3rs could fall out all over the place. I have a co-worker who likes putting confetti in birthday cards so I've seen the effect. Back to the advice, short letter or longer letter?

    ReplyDelete
  12. @Aunt Cole: I love the cut out number idea! Anyway, I went with short (for me) as I figure they won't read them anyway, just record the number of fans who express their displeasure.

    I didn't make any idle threats. Just went with the dismay at losing the eppesodes and how I do not see the logic since nothing's come close to competing with Numb3rs for a long time.

    I prefer rational to ranty -- when writing letters.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I signed the petition and sent a complaint to CBS on their feedback forms. Hope it does some good. I would also vote for cut out numbers as more likely to pass through security.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh and the feedback form says they read every message. So, maybe everyone should write in there too -- the more avalanches the better.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I signed the petition and send some online feedback over at Numb3rs. We need more Numb3rs. We do.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Petition is going well, currently standing at 440 and I only put it up there last night! (What? It was 'last night' over here, okay? And we invented time zones, so we should know what time it is...)
    Tell everyone, get them to sign (at gunpoint if necessary) and as for sending stuff to CBS - um, not such a good idea. Tends to set alarm bells going off in the anti-terrorism department. But the cut-out numbers is a great idea! Will keep you all posted as to the petition's progress (hmmm, the long-awaited sequel to 'Pilgrims Progress, methinks?)
    Kes

    ReplyDelete
  17. @Anon & Stephanie: Apparently, while the feedback form is a start, the network pays much closer attention to actual letters, so send a letter / or a postcard, expressing your displeasure. Aunt Cole suggested sending along cut out numbers, and I think that's a brilliant idea.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm sending my first hard-copy letter tomorrow, with a flash card in it. Keeps the focus on the math, they're cheap, and they fit easily into a letter or card. And you can always make your own with 3x5 cards.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Quick update on the petition FYI; now busted through the 2000 mark at 2022 (bit of a flurry last night while I was zedding) which, yeah, okay, is good, but can be so much better. I'll be letting the petition run until the end of season six's run in the US in February, then closing it down, printing off the sigs and mailing the whole bally lot to Herself at CBS. Then another petition will start up and we'll keep the whole damn thing going until we know one way or the other.
    Cheers,
    Kes

    ReplyDelete