Shooting Gallery Has Jumped The Shark

[jimmyk]

Michael, thank you for responding to my original post. You're a true gentleman for not bashing me after all those DB comments I made (all of which are true of course). Seriously though, maybe the reason for my lack of interest in competition shooting is that my gun foundation was never part of it. I'm 51 years old. Until 15 years ago, my only guns were my dad's Winchester 22lr Model 77 from the late 50's and my grandfather's 12ga single shot H&R Topper (from before the dawn of time), both of which were sitting in the back of my closet rusting. My gun foundation is solidly rooted in "Gun Culture 2.0" (a perfect expression coined by you). I quickly became addicted after obtaining my CFL and in the last 15 years have been fortunate enough to amass a nice "collection" (..or arsenal as my wife refers to it....). Hence my curiosity and fascination with guns, sights, accessories, ammo, holsters, training, etc. Basically, everything about shooting except hunting and competition.

I think a LOT of GC2.0 people like me are not into hunting or competition, but instead, concerned about self defense and, in general, just like to play with things that go bang (the louder the better) and hit a bullseye or clang a target 100 yards out. Also, you need to recognize that a lot of GC1.0 people are older and not into the internet or cable TV thing. Most are hunters and occasional shooters, and there is NOTHING wrong with that as long as we ALL belong to the NRA, the SAF, etc. and ALL recognize that there is NO difference between my dad's Winchester Model 77 and my S&W M&P15.  

Keep up the good work. I know its a "work in progress". And no, I will NEVER set my DVR to "do not record". You have a fan for life.

BTW, your quote from "Celluloid Heroes" - I think my first post on this board was to tell you how amazed I was that you played that ENTIRE song on the podcast.

[tombogan03884]

Congratulations on the sponsorships.  That means we get more SG. 

You're probably right on the competition as it wasn't until I shot a couple contests and began to recognized the names & faces that I got interested so...maybe add some more to educate us about "industry professional shooters" like Todd Jarrett, Phil Strader, Baby Huey, etc. with a background segment (sorta like Paul Harvey?) to help make them recognizable names....maybe a PRO-AM Ruger segment.  I like what you're doing with the recognizable actors in shooting steel and timing them....you could have a pro help a shooter & compare the before/after time improvement..use that pro help to help us in various facets where we are weak?  This strengthens the shooting community...bring in some of the hot shot deer, duck, varmint hunters from the Outdoor Channel and put them across from Mike Seeklander, Michael Janich or Rob Pincus....that would be a hoot and some of those guys can really use the humble pie.

Sure enough, looked it up, no picture but print:
   ass·hole noun \ˈas-ˌ(h)ōl\
Definition of ASSHOLE
1. usually vulgar : anus  2a. usually vulgar : a stupid, incompetent, or detestable person b usually vulgar : the worst place —used in phrases like asshole of the world  3.  Michael Bane  4. Raylan Givens  5. Male eqivalent of a cobra bitch in heat being poked with a stick.
 
First Known Use of ASSHOLE
14th century
[/size]

The best thing about this forum is the wealth of information !
That might actually be handy to know some day   

[MikeBjerum]

I've bit my lip and sat on my typing fingers for a while on this one, but that ain't my nature 

Michael and others:

I like the new format!  It is not the same, it is not aimed at hardcore gun guys, and it has some cheesy factors to make it appealing to others.  However, we now have a full hour of Shooting Gallery, and we still have Best Defense!  You may not have doubled what we were getting, but you gave us more than we were getting, and you added some new things that are worthwhile.

Keep bringin' it!!!

Thanks!

[Michael Bane]

Every success buys a little more...RAPID FIRE is coming Q4 2012; we're looking at a Internet/DRTV series built around the .22 LR for the rest of this year. We're laying out expanded plans for SG 2013 already, and it's stuff we couldn't have imagined dough a couple of years ago...

mb

[Pathfinder]

MB, thanks for the detailed and very reasonable explanation. It is too bad that you have to keep proving yourself to people who should know better <cough> TOC <cough>!

Under the circumstances you faced, your solution makes complete sense, especially in light of your previous - and repeated - views on the appeal of competition shows.

And thanks for the updates for coming years - sounds very cool. I presume, however, that your smart phone was trying to be helpful, and "dough" was supposed to be "doing"? ? ? ? ?

[Sponsor]

[PegLeg45]

Sure enough, looked it up, no picture but print:
   ass·hole noun \ˈas-ˌ(h)ōl\
Definition of ASSHOLE
1. usually vulgar : anus  2a. usually vulgar : a stupid, incompetent, or detestable person b usually vulgar : the worst place —used in phrases like asshole of the world  3.  Michael Bane  4. Raylan Givens  5. Male eqivalent of a cobra bitch in heat being poked with a stick.
 
First Known Use of ASSHOLE
14th century

Ah-ha!!!!!
According to my wife, there's another name that could, at times, be added to that list.............
A 14th century man in a 21st century world.........
What?


 


Rectum?
Rectum, hell, it nearly killed 'em.........

[JoeG]

MB I got on the forum after a time away specifically to tell you I really like the new SG format. This thread surprised me. I really enjoyed seeing Ian H competing he brings a lot of energy and fun.  I got a lot from your IDPA match, but then I have been wanting to start trying that.

I think the smartest thing you all did is the celebrity shootout. Having lived in CA for 25 year and seen how much Hollywood is is like a small high school, I believe that you have a good chance of becoming the next IN thing there and knocking a hole their knee jerk anti gun bias. They have all been pretending to use guns on the screen for years. If who has been on the Celeb shoot out become the next pet rock craze there it could be really interesting.  I can see it now new SG season 5: Danny Glover vs. Susan Sarandon where they both try to explain how they have always liked guns...

Grill the shark

Joe

 

[Michael Bane]

Before the blizzard hit, I went over to our studios in Evergreen to do voice-over work on an upcoming episode of SG. That episode is pure "gun nerd" stuff, following Hamilton Bowen in his creation of a big bore (.500 Linebaugh) "Nimrod" revolver and visiting with Bill Laughridge about his perfect recreation of the 1911 EXACLY as John Moses Browning designed it.

I'm really excited about the Celebrity Shoot-Out...next season you'll see country music stars and NASCAR drivers added to the mix. The Shoot-Out seems to have captured a lot of people's imagination. We seem to be putting together a "Replacement Killers," one of my favorite movies, reunion. Can a "Boondock Saints" reunion be far behind?

Michael B

[MikeBjerum]

Michael,

I know you are on a budget, and everything takes time and money, but have you considered a road trip of shooting?  What is going on in the small local clubs?

You could stop in and interview the local trap club that pours money out of their pocket to support the youth trap and skeet sport; maybe the club that shoots bullseye and smallbore and supports airgun and smallbore youth; Cowboy, long range, USPSA, IDPA, etc.  There is a lot of coverage of the big names and big events.  There is a lot of coverage of the spectacular.  But, there is not a lot of exposure of the small groups and small clubs that show how any community can enjoy and promote shooting sports.

[Michael Bane]

The problem is that we live in a world of ratings...we did exactly that with COWBOYS, for exactly the reasons you stated, and we got our head handed to us on a platter. I got a lot of "cut the boring crap" email. I thought the shows were darned interesting or I wouldn't have signed off on them.

It's sort of like the "kids shooting" conundrum...EVERYONE says they want to see more young people shooting on TV. The lowest ratings I've ever gotten have been on youth shooting shows. That tells me that while we may honestly be interested in getting more young people to come into the shootingsports — and we are — we don't want to see them do it.

Years back, I did write  an executive summary, the primary selling tool for television shows, of a traveling shoot show, but it focused on special events, exotic competitions, etc. I may yet be able to sell it.

I once had a charming lunch with Sidney Biddles Barrow, the so-called and quite notorious Mayflower Madam. In the course of that lunch, I asked her what she could tell me that I didn't know about men and sex. She laughed and said when she got into the "business," she asked all her men friends what they wanted in a prospective lover. The overwhelming answer was, "wholesome," "freckles," "red-haired," "cute," "country girl"...you get the picture. So she said she combed the Midwest and for just those type of women, recruited them and...they simply couldn't get work. No guy was interested in these wholesome, milk-fed beauties. I realized, Ms. Barrow said, that I had asked the wrong question. It's not "what men want," but "what men will pay for." And in the end, men will pay for "blonde and boobs."

That lunch has served me well in the television business...LOL!

Michael B