ABOUT TEST PATTERN

Don't touch that dial: Test Pattern tunes into television, entertainment and pop culture links, gossip and idle chat from around the Web. Our annual commercial contest, held every summer, recognizes the best and worst in TV advertising. Multi-link Monday offers up five fast, fun links to fill in those workday boredom breaks. Other topics range from movie mistakes to canceled shows we're still mourning. ("My So-Called Life," anyone?)

MSNBC.com Television Editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper started Test Pattern in 2003. She also operates her own pop-culture Weblog, Pop Culture Junk Mail, which began in 1999 and has earned praise from Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times. You'll occasionally see her on MSNBC cable or hear her on radio discussing the ABCs of TV.



Is this thing on?

Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 11:44 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under:

Hey, is this thing on?

Sorry to let Test Pattern get so dusty! But I have an excuse, really! The dog ate my homew-- forget it, you'd never buy that.

Actually, I've been on maternity leave for the past six months (What? They get a year, PAID, in Canada...)

Original plans were for my colleagues to take over the blog while I was out, but they ended up being too busy (learning a whole new software system, which is still Greek to me).

I would say that they were afraid they couldn't live up to the stellar trail I'd already blazed here, but I really don't want you to laugh me off the Internet.

I'm back now -- thanks to those who followed along at my personal Weblog, Pop Culture Junk Mail, which did see the occasional update in-between diaper changes.

I'm looking forward to rejoining our conversation about everything from misheard lyrics to "For Better or For Worse."

I'll be resurrecting Multi-link Mondays (five time-wasting links to get you through the worst of the weekdays) and am really relishing the thought of jumping back into our annual summer TV commercial contest. (Speaking of the commercial contest, did you all see that David Groh -- Rhoda's hubby on "Rhoda" and the poor guy getting milked in that infamous ad -- died of kidney cancer at just 68?)

I hope to update Test Pattern even more regularly than before I left on leave (ah, the perhaps-delusional aspirations that come after a chunk of time off). I welcome your comments and link suggestions, too. Let's get started.

 

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Comments

Welcome back!  Lil Miss Kelly is a wonderful excuse to not be around her, but even she can't keep momma away from the media rich world!  Can't wait to see what you come back with, Gael!  :)

Paula W. Oklahoma City, OK (Sent Wednesday, May 07, 2008 4:14 PM)

Welcome back!!

Jennifer, Anaheim, CA (Sent Wednesday, May 07, 2008 5:03 PM)

Welcome back -- you were missed! (And isn't this one of the great things about blogging, that you *can* restart a good project with not much trouble?)

Angela G., Seattle WA (Sent Wednesday, May 07, 2008 5:17 PM)

Oh yeah! Totally smart people talking about totally stupid stuff!  Ah, people who understand my need for DWTS and American Idol before I resume thinking on heavier issues.    

Kathleen, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Wednesday, May 07, 2008 6:10 PM)

Welcome back!

NYCGirl (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 12:25 AM)

Yay! You're back!  Welcome!  I did subscribe to PCJM and really enjoy your updates over there!  I always look forward to MLM's and will be searching for links to send in to you!  Again, welcome back!

Tanya M., Lancaster, CA (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 1:27 AM)

Welcome back.

Bill Crider (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 8:05 AM)

So good to see you back!  I've been following your wonderful Pop Culture Junk Mail to prevent withdrawal symptoms while you were away, and have enjoyed it thoroughly.  It will be great, though to have Multi-Link Mondays to help me through the week.  Welcome back!

Cricket, Bristol, TN (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 8:16 AM)

Yay!

Laurah in NY (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 10:37 AM)

Glad you're back!

Cori. Dallas, TX (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 10:52 AM)

they simply could not replicate your stellar genius- missed you a lot

Karolyn Crabtree, Bellingham WA (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 11:47 AM)

Yippee! Welcome back! Little Miss Kelly is cute as a button.

Mimi, Birmingham (Sent Friday, May 09, 2008 1:32 AM)

Glad to have you back!

Bob Mozark, Northern Virginia (Sent Friday, May 09, 2008 8:06 PM)

I've been checking this blog every week, waiting for you to come back, so glad you are back in the game and glad you had a nice long maternity leave (never long enough, of course).  Now I have something besides the usual news to check every day again! :)

Julie, Nashville (Sent Sunday, May 11, 2008 11:52 PM)

You're back!!  You're back!!  Yay!!!  I was starting to fear you'd never come back.  Every time I saw a really horrible or really great commercial, I'd think of the commercial debates during the summers and I would wish you'd be back for it.  And you are!!

JoAnne, Tucson, AZ (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 6:46 PM)

Great to have you back!!!

Randy Newsome, Fayetteville, North Carolina (Sent Tuesday, May 13, 2008 5:45 PM)



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