TV Q&A: Why does David Johnson change up his eyeglasses?
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Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review.
Q: I noticed that David Johnson on WPXI-TV switches among several pairs of glasses that he wears on Channel 11 newscasts. I’ve seen Lester Holt on “NBC Nightly News” do the same thing. Is that just personal preference or something else?
— Jane via email
Rob: As someone whose eyesight is nearing the point where I need to consider bifocals — for now I just jump from one pair of glasses for distance to another pair for small print — I feel Johnson’s pain.
Johnson said he recently got a new prescription with three levels of focus (distance, mid-level and up close).
“I do switch it up once in a while,” he acknowledged. “The reflection of the studio lights is by far the biggest issue. When I find a pair that doesn’t reflect, I tend to stay with it. That ain’t easy, by the way. Studio lights can easily defeat ‘anti-reflective’ coatings. And sometimes I like a more traditional framed pair of glasses — and sometimes silhouette frames.”
Q: Why does ABC advertise the Sunday morning news show “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” when he is rarely on the show? It is mainly hosted by Johnathan Karl and Martha Radditz.
— Tom, via email
Rob: It’s branding. When it comes to ABC News political coverage, Stephanopoulos is the brand. That’s why “This Week” retains his name.
But he also anchors “Good Morning America,” so he doesn’t have time to be on “This Week” every week. He has shared hosting duties with Radditz and more recently with Karl for several years. I expect you’ll see Stephanopoulos host “This Week” more often as we get closer to the 2024 election.
Q: Carson Kressley and Ross Mathews have not appeared on the latest season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars.” Have they been told to sashay away permanently or are they merely on hiatus?
— Emerson, Squirrel Hill
Rob: Mathews was on the June 2 episode, and my understanding is Kressley will appear in a future episode.
Q: I recently read a cozy mystery novel that was published under the Hallmark imprint. After looking on the library website, I see other cozy mysteries that have been published by Hallmark. I’m wondering if Hallmark has plans to develop mystery movies based upon their published novels?
— John, Green Tree
Rob: In 2019, Hallmark announced it would turn one of its novels — a Christmas book, not a cozy mystery — into a movie. I reported at the time that Hallmark Publishing’s “The Christmas Company” would be adapted for the screen, although it appears that never actually happened. (I couldn’t find a movie using that title; a Hallmark representative did not respond to my inquiries about whether the book was ever adapted).
And while a Hallmark cozy mystery would seem like a logical next step, it appears it’s not to be.
“We recently exited the Hallmark Publishing business to focus our resources on other areas of the company that we believe will drive our future growth,” a Hallmark rep said. “We are always looking for inspiration for new storylines, including from books previously published under the Hallmark Publishing imprint.”