((((((((((((((((((((((((( Leoville Blog Update )))))))))))))))))))))))))

January 24, 2002


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http://www.leoville.com/mt/archives/000277.shtml#000277



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I've concluded yet another whirlwind tour of New York - my fifth
since August. I flew in on Monday night for rehearsal for Live
with Regis and Kelly on Tuesday. I usually stay in the theater
district, but this time I decided to try a hotel within walking
distance of the ABC studios. I stayed at the ultra-trendy Hudson
hotel. This place is so with it there's no sign out front. Just
a big yellow facade with an eternal flame and a doorman in black
slacks, white shirt, skinny black tie, and black pullover. The
room was teensy - little bigger than the double bed - but the
design is exquisite. I brought a video camera to put up a
spycam, but the hotel didn't have the advertised high-speed
access in the rooms, so I didn't set it up. If I had you would
have seen the lovely wood-paneling and the table lamps with
people's faces on them. You would also have seen me trying to
squeeze past the toilet to get to the shower. The bathroom was
the size of my closet at home. Literally. Next time it's the
Tribeca Grand. I don't mind small rooms, but I've got to have my
high-speed Internet access!

The folks at Live neglected to tell me Regis was on vacation. I
guess they have to keep it a secret or guests would bow out. It
was a disappointment, but Kelly was very nice (she kissed me
twice!) and it was interesting to meet her husband, Mark
Consuelos, who was filling in for Reeg. The real disappointment
was that I had 13 items to show and they only gave me four
minutes to do it. I really had to hustle to try to get them all
in, and I still missed a few. But the producers loved it and
said I can come back any time. I think it'll probably end up
being something I do every three months.

The real bonus on this trip was a visit next door to the ABC
news studios. At the last minute TechTV PR had booked an
interview for me on World News Now, ABC's overnight show. I went
over Tuesday afternoon and got a tour of the facility, including
the mailslots where the anthrax was found, the World News
Tonight set, and Peter Jennings's emergency staircase from his
desk to the studio, for breaking stories. The highlight? I got
to meet Peter Jennings and show him a couple of products. When I
was doing Tech Live I studied Jennings - he's the best anchor on
TV - so it was a real thrill meeting him. I tried not to gush.
He sits in a place they call The Rim. It's a big round table
with seats for the upper-level news editors. Each has a computer
workstation behind him. Jennings was sitting there, right out in
the open, working at his terminal. I showed him the Guy keyboard
with keys layed out for hunt and peck typists, and Sony's new
tiny Handycam. He played with the Sony for a while and really
liked it. (Note to Sony: send Peter a camera.)

I taped the interview with WNN's anchor, Alison Stewart, at
around midnight for airing at 2:30am. It was a good interview
and I had plenty of time for the six items I had brought.
They've posted the video on their web site.
(http://abcnews.go.com/onair/popoff/WorldNewsNow/
020123wnn_laporte_popoff/index.html) I think I'll be doing more
with World News Now. They're very interested in tech, and the
Executive Producer is a real fan of The Screen Savers. She even
owned a copy of my book! They gave me a big plug for the book on
the web site. Thanks, Sharon!

I flew back last night and got in late. Fortunately, no one
noticed the taser in my checked bags. Darci had put a big sign
on the case saying "this is not a toy." I had visions of being
dragged off in handcuffs. I tried to declare it but no one
seemed to know what I was talking about.

These trips are still a lot of fun, but to be honest, I hope I
don't have to go back to NYC for at least a couple of months. I
love New York, but I'm looking forward to staying home for a
little while. I miss my bed, and I miss The Screen Savers!