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Full disclosure: I used to live in Los Angeles. Many years ago, actually. And I have, sans the recent pandemic, attended the Television Critics Association (TCA) Press Tour since 1999. Do the math, and in those 25 years of membership I have probably spent one full year in Los Angeles, “The Entertainment Capital of the World,” care of TCA.
Specifically, the TCA is a bi-annual gathering of over 200 critics across the country and Canada (both in print and online) who gather for the proverbial scoop on what is “hot” and what is “not” in the world of orginal content across all platforms.
This year there were sessions with Disney Entertainment Television, CBS, NBC and PBS; Hallmark Channel, Crunchyroll and Starz; and an updated discussion with Hub Entertainment Research to explore the new trends in how people consume content, and how new shows will find an audience in the future.
It was a whirlwind of activity, complete with a roster of actors representing their TV series (including Oscar winner Kathy Bates in the upcomong reboot of Matlock, the legendary Reba McEntire in her upcoming NBC sitcom, Happy’s Place; and Justin Hartley in the returning Tracker), and the annual TCA Awards, which honor the best content of the season as voted by the membership. All this was was all held at the glorious Langham Huntington, Pasadena.
Matlock debuts in the Thursday 9 p.m. ET hour on CBS (out of sitcom Ghosts and into the sophomore legal-themed dramedy Elsbeth) on October 17.
Happy’s Place, which reunites Reba McEntire with her former Reba co-star Melissa Peterman, opens in the Friday 8 p.m. ET half-hour on NBC (into returning Lopez vs. Lopez) on October 18.
And Tracker, the most-watched network primetime series at present, moves into the Sunday 8 p.m. ET hour (out of granddaddy newsmagazine 60 Minutes and into returning The Equalizer) in season two.
After 25 years as a TCA member, however, there was still one thing missing…my exploration of Los Angeles. So, in celebration of that quarter of a century landmark, I decided to spend an afternoon as a tourist and booked two tours with Hollywood Bus Tours.
Located smack in the middle of the famed Hollywood Blvd. (where you can easily spend hours just walking up and down the streets to see the 2,784 stars, to-date, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame), the start of the initial tour was right on time and our first destination was to the historical Hollywood sign. The Hollywood sign was officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood in 1923. It originally read “Hollywoodland,“ but the four last letters were dropped after its renovation in 1949.
Under the guidance of our tour guide “Charlie From the Bronx,” this memorable trip into the Hollywood Hills, and initially past the former home of the legendary game show host, Bob Barker, led me to wonder what a resident deep in these Hollywood Hills does when it simply needs a few odds and ends.
“Charlie From the Bronx” was a treasure trove of information and nostalgia about the Hollywood celebrity world and the city in general. The van was small and intimate, comfortable on what was a particularly warm day. And the view as we trekked up the hills was simply breaktaking…and quite unexpected.
The Bermans – Morgan and Jodi (front) and Marc (back)
As we headed back, quicker no doubt going downhill, “Charlie From the Bronx” assured us we would be back in time for the two-hour Celebrity Homes Tour. And there is was, a colorful open bus waiting to speed off into 120 minutes of non-stop sights under the guidance of our super friendly, energetic, and also vastly knowledgable tour guide, Shane.
L.A. hot spots, famous landmarks, celebrity homes, and more! Led by Shane, it was past – and into – the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills, the Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive, West Hollywood, and a selection of famous homes and celebrity hotspots. Think Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, and Oscar winner Al Pacino, among so many other stars!
“I have lost track how many celebrities we have seen since I started doing this tour,” noted Shane, who had no shortage of information and stories about every single star and landmark.
If you plan on booking a tour, or two (or two) with Hollywood Bus Tours, other tours are available, such as “A Taste of LA,” a five hour exporation of the most famous hotspots in the city. That is my plan for my next visit. And Hollywood Bus Tours is my suggestion for any one in search of fun, information and adventure. Oh…and you will be treated like a like a King (or Queen) too!
Thank you, Chris Chris Leschinger.
