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TOP OF THE DAY by Howard Polskin

Jun. 5, 2026

Greetings! The “60 Minutes” Watch: For those of you who think that replicating the success of “60 Minutes” on another outlet (or digital platform) is easy, think again.  The annals of TV history are littered with the bones of newsmagazine that went down in flames.  For instance, in this 1992 article from the LA Times, 15 failed NBC newsmagazines were cited featuring some of the best known correspondents in television at the time.  Nine years later NBC trotted out “Rock Center with Brian Williams” which cratered in less than two years…Dept. of Sticks & Stones: This is how a satirical piece in the Washington Free Beacon described the just-fired “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley: “(B)est known as one of the deep-voiced commentators who helps America’s senior citizens fall asleep after football game.” For the record, as a loyal “60 Minutes” viewer of a certain age, I never fall asleep during the broadcast. Worth noting: Right-wing fire-breathing podcaster Megyn Kelly just described Pelley as a “prick,” according to the NY Post….I’m no fan of former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton, but I believe he’s being unfairly punished by the Trump administration for publishing his White House memoir in 2020. Team Trump is trying to crush the man. The editors of the Wall Street Journal feel the same way too…Weekend Watch: Netflix delivers a solid three-part documentary diving into the explosive 2005 trial of pop singing sensation Michael Jackson on child molestation charges. I’m two-thirds through Michael Jackson: The Verdict and my verdict is thumbs up. Even though I knew the  trial’s outcome, the program consistently held my interest about one of the entertainment world’s most captivating and strangest figures…If you keep reading, I’ll keep Righting. Howard