Author

Bill Brioux

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Bob Newhart made me laugh so many times over the years, especially on his first hit TV sitcom, The Bob Newhart Show (1972-78). I’ll never forget, therefore, the one time I made him laugh. It was at a Television Critics Association Awards presentation, at least a dozen years ago. I believe our group were bestowing

Judas Priest. Not Lieutenant Hunter as well? The rash of former TV stars who have passed away in the last few days is alarming, especially considering another former reality show star came within a half inch or so of joining them. Passing away Friday, July 13 was James B. Sikking, part of the large and

What to make of Richard Simmons? Born in New Orleans in 1948, he was an overweight teen who shed pounds through diet and exercise. This led to his own weight loss clinic in Beverly Hills, Slimmons. The successful business was profiled on the TV show Real People and Simmons himself became something of a national

As a viewer, my first encounter with Shannen Doherty was on a gentle little NBC drama called Our House. The series aired 1986 to 1988 and starred Wilford Brimley, who specialized in playing grumpy old coots. In this series he played a grandfather who, after his son dies, takes the rest of his son’s family

Swiping left or right had a whole other meaning back when Dr. Ruth Westheimer was in her TV prime. The peppery, diminutive sex therapist, who hosted radio and television sex talk shows throughout the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, passed away July 12 in Manhattan. She was 96. To call Westheimer a survivor is an

FX’s powerful historical drama Shōgun was the big winner Friday night at the 40th annual Television Critics Association Awards. The lavishly-produced, first-year series took home four wins including the Program of the Year Award. It also was voted the 2023-24 season’s Outstanding Achievement in Drama and Outstanding New Program. In addition, it earned an Individual