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-   -   TechTV is no more. Will now be part of G4 (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/video-game-talk/354873-techtv-no-more-will-now-part-g4.html)

msdmoney 04-03-04 04:55 AM


Originally posted by BizRodian
I used to think X-Play was a crappy show, but then I watched it a few times and realised how so damn tongue in cheek they are.

They KNOW they're a bargin basement crappy game review show, and the hosts are obviously very smart people, and it's just great seeing them try to let that leak out into their performances, as they purposly play their parts as over the top and silly.

I enjoy X-Play too, although the between review dialogue and skits can definitely go. Sometimes they go so over the top it is painful to watch, but as over the top and silly as they are, I actually find the reviews pretty decent. The way they use their over the top style in reviews is pretty good. Like Adam falling asleep and doing other things while his wookie in swg ran to another location for fifteen minutes, or Adam cussing at everyone in the office to show the overuse of language to sell games in the roadkill review. I think their skits in reviews actually help get the point across. Also Adam seems to have the same views on FF as me so that is a +.

Morgan needs to go, her voice over in reviews is terrible, monotone, and lifeless. And on screen she is just plain unanimated. But she doesn't do it for me like she seems to for so many here so maybe I wouldn't understand then.


Originally posted by boredsilly
I agree with njchris and outlaw that they just seem to pick games to laugh at. If you only have 30 mins to review games why not pick some that you think would have some value? Every game "sucks" or is "worst. game. ever.". That shit just get old fast.
Hmm not sure I see that, I have seen quite a few 5/5's, Ninja Gaiden and Far Cry in recent memory. Maybe it seems that way because they are so over the top when making fun of a game that it seems like they trash more than they praise.

Jackskeleton 04-03-04 05:22 AM


Morgan needs to go
You, sir, have caught the gay :p

No way will they get rid of morgan. she has two things going for her. I don't need to spell it out, but she is the reason why they changed it from extended play to X-(OMG, look at her boobs!)-Play. :)

Derrich 04-03-04 08:15 AM

Without Morgan, I doubt Comcast would have even bid on Tech TV. Sad to see Leo go though, but I think his time with G4 would've been short anyway.

D

Alvis 04-03-04 06:30 PM


Originally posted by Derrich
Without Morgan, I doubt Comcast would have even bid on Tech TV. Sad to see Leo go though, but I think his time with G4 would've been short anyway.

D

So you're saying that Morgan and her breasts were the make or break point for a multi-million dollar deal? :hscratch:

TheMadMonk 04-03-04 06:44 PM

So, you're also saying Leo is gone?

Alvis 04-04-04 12:13 PM


Originally posted by TheMadMonk
So, you're also saying Leo is gone?
He is gone, but I suspect that once Comcast has fully taken over Techtv, that they will bring him back.

Outlaw 04-04-04 05:25 PM

Leo still does Call for Help. I saw him on last week and it was a new episode dated with the current date. However the show is for computer newbies kinda boring IMO. Last time I saw it some guy was asking how to unzip a file.

the kicker is that he was using Windows XP, and windows xp has a built in unzipper. All the guy had to do was double click the stupid file.

Alvis 04-04-04 06:23 PM


Originally posted by Outlaw
Leo still does Call for Help. I saw him on last week and it was a new episode dated with the current date. However the show is for computer newbies kinda boring IMO. Last time I saw it some guy was asking how to unzip a file.

the kicker is that he was using Windows XP, and windows xp has a built in unzipper. All the guy had to do was double click the stupid file.

And I believe last Friday, April 2, was his last day on any Techtv show.

TheMadMonk 04-04-04 07:18 PM


Originally posted by Alvis
And I believe last Friday, April 2, was his last day on any Techtv show.
Yep, it's true. I just checked his web site (leoville.com)...


The reasons for my leaving are complicated. As I posted here a few weeks ago, management and I had come to a very satisfactory agreement about a new work schedule and salary, but at the last minute TechTV's outgoing owner, Vulcan Ventures, insisted that I sign away all claims to shares they had given me some years ago. I was unwilling to do so, and they held my job as hostage.

My leaving has nothing to do whatever with G4 or Comcast. In fact, I'm very sorry that I won't be around to participate in the transition. I've already contacted G4 to let them know I'd be glad to continue working at the new channel once they take over and I hope that I'll get that chance.

HN 04-16-04 06:52 PM

Leo's coming back to Call for Help:

http://leo.typepad.com/tlr/2004/04/t...tml#0001222029


I'm very pleased to say that thanks to your overwhelming show of support and to a strong desire on both our parts to come to an agreement, TechTV has improved its offer and I've decided to climb back aboard the good ship Call for Help.

Derrich 04-16-04 08:31 PM

Damn. I knew Leo had stroke, but that's what I call STROKE!

D

flashburn 04-16-04 08:42 PM


Originally posted by HN
Leo's coming back to Call for Help:

http://leo.typepad.com/tlr/2004/04/t...tml#0001222029

Fantastic news, that is going to be the only reason I watch G4.

John Spartan 04-18-04 03:28 AM

As long as I got a face, Morgan has a place to sit. Yeeehaw!

Also, Jackskeleton's expression in his tuna picture is absolutely hysterical. It's the second (er, technically third) best thing in the picture.

ravan 04-26-04 03:20 AM

Leo was the sole reason i stopped watching screensavers.. He announced the crap out of me.

I dig Kevin, except he gets to do the deed w/ Sarah... Bastard ;)

HN 05-06-04 08:12 PM

Update: (Comcast gives 60 days notice to entire staff of TechTV)

http://leo.typepad.com/tlr/2004/05/comcast_fires_t.html

Is this so the can rehire some under new contracts? I don't know much about corporate business but i would think it'd be better to keep some recognizable/experienced staffers around.

TheMadMonk 05-06-04 09:27 PM

Time will tell, I guess. Just keep Morgan, Patrick, Kevin, and Yoshi. Hell, even keep the Sessler. Get rid of: Josh Brentano, and Dan "Foo".
Most of the other people I don't care strongly either way.

MrMeJW 05-06-04 10:15 PM

Nah, they should keep Dan and like him and Kevin do "the Broken" as a weekly show.

MonkeyG 05-07-04 10:08 AM

Arstechnica has a mention:

Comcast fires the entire TechTV staff

Posted 05/06/2004 @ 7:33 PM, by Ken "Caesar" Fisher

At the end of March Comcast announced that it had purchased TechTV from Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures in order to strengthen the channel and fold it in with their own, largely ignored gaming channel, G4. The future of TechTV was uncertain, but hopeful. Now it appears that Comcast may be planning to gut the network, as they've given the entire staff their mandatory 60-days notice in compliance with the WARN act. News of the notice first showed up in the forums at Leoville and was confirmed shortly thereafter by Leo Laporte, longtime TechTV star (if you can call it that) and member of the cast of The Screensavers and Call for Help.

Such a mass firing is unexpected but not unprecedented. <b>In acquisition scenarios, companies often "fire" their new employees to invalidate their old contracts only to rehire them under new terms. This situation appears more drastic, although the company is still free to resign anyone they please.</b> Still. Comcast and LA-based G4 Media plan to completely shut down the San Francisco office where the show was based, making the prospect of many rehires unlikely. Of the 300+ jobs at TechTV, Laporte says that 100 of them will be "posted." While I've never really watched TechTV (Comcast made it difficult to get when I was with them), many of you do, and you may want to consider dropping G4 Media a line if you're concerned about the future of TectTV's content.

BeckysBoy 05-07-04 10:12 AM

When I lived in my apartment we had G4 and I did watch it with a kind of morbid fascination. Even The Comedy Channel in its infancy wasn't as sad as this. And they haven't really changed anything to make it better since it went on the air. I mean, they ran footage of that God awful Pac Man Adventure game for TWO YEARS.

That's probably the single biggest thing that pissed me off about G4: the whole point of having a network completely devoted to video games is that you can keep your coverage up to the minute. Who would watch MTV if they still had "Oops, I Did it Again" in the buzz bin?

I've only had Tech TV for a few months since we moved into our house and got Charter. I like how it's more mature, but to be honest, I don't watch it as much. One weird thing is that the "basic" cable hookup running directly into the TV in the bedroom has two different TechTV's on channels 97 and 99. They're both TechTV but they're always running different shows. Odd.

I think the merger could benefit both channels (mostly G4, cause God they need the help). When The Comedy Channel and HA! merged it led to a much better channel overall (though I still think they were fools to jettison MST3K). Some part of me has missed G4. I don't know why.

But I think we can all hope and pray that whatever the combined network turns out to be, it features a show where Morgan Webb and Ronilyn Reilly talk about video games as they slowly carress each other.

jrutz 06-08-04 10:34 AM

^ Did anyone notice if G4TTV got bumped from their Time Warner lineups? I looked this morning and it was gone.

I'm in NYC Manhattan, used to be channel 105. But now channel 105 is gone completely from the lineup - it just goes from 104 to 106.

I know G4TTV is now owned by Comcast, hopefully there isn't some sort of distribution problem between the two companies.

Jeremy

jrutz 06-08-04 10:46 AM

Update: Yup, it's gone from TW cable. I just called and they verified. Bastards... :johnwoo:

Jeremy

gcribbs 06-08-04 11:20 AM

So buying TechTv in order to get into more homes really worked :lol:

MonkeyG 06-08-04 01:34 PM

TW in L.A. still carries it.

DLogic 06-09-04 01:35 AM

DirecTV is happily carrying it and has made the changes on my channel lineup. I :crap: on Adelphia... They've been up and down this block for almost a week now for a problem with the lines... I gave them the finger when they wanted to get into my backyard. Hell they should be paying me for the inconvenience. Seriously... if you live in an area that isn't plagued with bad weather, DirecTV is the way to go.


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