02-10-2009 'HARRAH'S LUCKY BREAK' GOES OFF THE AIR Sometimes viewers are frustrated, upset and angry when their favorite TV show goes off the air. That likely will not be the case with the recent demise of the "Harrah's Lucky Break" show that aired on Saturday nights on KMBC-TV9. It recently came to a merciful end after nearly three years reportedly for financial reasons. The show highlighted a variety of karaoke singers who genuinely felt they had some talent. In fairness, a handful did. Also in fairness, most didn't have a lick of talent and probably sounded much better when they (and their friends) were drunk. That was also true for Saturday night viewers. Watching the show (which was taped on Tuesdays) was more along the lines of watching a train wreck. You knew it was going to happen, but you just couldn't turn away. While you could respect the guts it took to sing in front of a TV audience, you also wondered why no one would tell an obese hair stylist that she really was not the re-incarnation of Loretta Lynn. The unique aspect of the show was that not only were the contestants generally odd, but nearly every week a new crew of judges and radio folks were brought in who were sometimes equally odd. While some were fairly recognizable to KC viewers like Craig Glazer and radio guy Chris Stigall, others were unknown comedians, a KC Speedway PR guy and a soccer player. (See Jason Harper of the Pitch in the video above. He has also written a hilarious piece about it (LINK): "In its three years, the show drew not only from the area's abundance of talented, hopeful and desperate would-be singing stars but also from the plenitude of wise, judicious and earnest critics, comedians, media professionals and other authoritative types who were willing, on camera, to diss vulnerable, innocent people for a couple of free drinks. I proudly count myself among the latter group."
A blogger may have best captured the essence of the show: "I am ashamed to say this stupid show has become one of my favorite shows. I never knew Kansas City had so many untalented people...or maybe I did. I don't see how some of those people can actually get on stage and expect to be anything but humiliated. I shocks me."
FEEDBACK (02-10-2009): "I have noticed that most local production values in the TV world are horrible. Whether it's Harrah's Lucky Break or After Dark Kansas City... the on-air product is just plain awful. In the case of the latter in the premier episode there was an inadvertent shot OF THE FLOOR that was not removed in post processing. Just one more hint. It's called REHEARSAL and SHOT BLOCKING. If you don't have time or money for that, just skip the whole thing." ---David Remley
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