Rachel Dratch, SNL Almuna extraordinaire, is slated to appear in NBC’s new comedy, Lady Friends. When I heard about this yesterday, it made me happy. That’s right - happy. Very happy. You see, there are two types of SNL cast members: the ones who go on the absolute greatness, and the ones who (regrettably) fade into the shadows. Rachel Dratch, for the longest time post-SNL, faded into the shadows. 

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(Source: oncriticism)

A few days ago, I found out one of my favorite shows, House, hit the chopping block. This both made me sad and happy. I stopped watching the show at the start of the 8th season after never missing a single episode. House was one of the first shows I watched on TV, I grew up with it.
The apparent dispute over cutting their budget lead to a mutual decision to cut the show from Fox’s fall lineup after it’s run this season. It’s ratings, however, were far from dismal. In fact, House was doing pretty well.
But no matter how much it pains me to say so, I must thank Fox. House has had a good run, a great run, and leaving while they are relatively on the top (as opposed to circling the drain) is a smart move. Now, viewers can look back on the show on a high note.
After all, we can all agree that House was a great show with funny and sharp writing, intelligible to both the least educated and highest educated. The show’s consistent structure allows for the classic (and not to be easily dismissed) plot conflict and resolution that worked well for the show. House drew viewers who would watch it if they found it on tv and those that would loyally wait for it to come on.
So a great show hits the chopping block. Fox and the producers made a smart move - they cut the show before it really hit the ground. 8 seasons is, after all, a fantastic run. So good for you, House, for going out on top. You will be missed, but your end is a new start for another show. Rest in peace, old friend.

Quite a while back, or maybe it wasn’t so long ago, I read a piece on NPR about a journalism intern who’s faith and spirit in the business was revived after buying and reading a newspaper. 

That got me thinking a few months ago. Even then, I did not spend much time reading news that did not dwell online. 

Now, months later, here I am. Today, for my writing for communications class, I was told to bring the Boston Globe and Boston Herald to class. After four straight hours of classes and four more to go after lunch, I ran around campus, trying to find either of the papers. They were all sold out. Instead, I picked up The New York Times. 

I’ve been reading The New York Times since I was old enough to realize that I wanted to be a journalist. On my first trip to New York City, our bus drove by the office. Before I saw the Christler building or Rockefeller Plaza or The Statue of Liberty, I saw The New York Times office, glowing in the night. 

I remember placing my hand on that window and just staring out at the building and sending a million and a half different prayers up there, hoping that I could some day walk through the hallowed halls of The Times as a staff writer. That was all I wanted, and it is still all that I want. 

For a long time, I forgot about how pure and ambitious I felt that day. Today, when I picked up The New York Times and tucked it into my Stephen Colbert book bag, I did not expect to read it. I pick up newspapers almost every other day - there is a collection, and my roommate can attest to that - but I rarely sit down and read them. My intentions, although noble, always fall through and The Wall Street Journal just sit there in a sea of lost ambitions. 

But today, I picked up my copy of The Times and I opened it. I read it. I didn’t only read the lead, I read the news section and I read the arts section. 

Contrary to expectations, I did not feel silly when reading my paper newspaper. It felt right. I felt like I was doing something not many people do - trusting the journalistic field to unfold as it will. Despite what they say about the newspaper industry failing, I have faith. I have faith in journalism. 

So when people tell me that majoring in journalism is a dumb mistake, that the industry is dying, I think I will save my breath. I’ll chuckle, for they are naive. Journalism is not dying. Journalism is changing, evolving, like any field would. The world needs journalists like the world needs politicians. 

Journalism is not going anywhere, and neither am I.