JABB 259- Campaign for TBAA DVDs!!! and more

"The greatest homage to truth is to use it."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hi all,

This newsletter is a bit all over the place. You'd think after a five day vacation I'd have come up with something more coherent! But I also had a lot of other things going on so... First, I'm getting really frustrated by the lack of TBAA Season 5 DVDs. I know I'm not the only one. So below please find a guide on who to contact to request that they release the set and soon! And after that you can reward yourself by reading something... well, eight years out of date.

God bless,
Jenni

Campaign for TBAA Season 5 DVDs!!!

I wanna see "Beautiful Dreamer" again!!! But that's a lil difficult to do without Season 5 of our beloved show. So I put together a list of people you can contact if you'd also like to make it known that you are anxiously awaiting the season's DVD release. After that I'll supply some handy do's and don'ts.

TBAA Season 5 "Give Us Our DVDs!" Campaign Contact List:

1. Paramount Home Video, who releases the DVDs, can be reached at PHE_CustomerService@Paramount.com.

2. Viacom- This is the company that owns Paramount. You can find a contact form for them here:

http://www.viacom.com/contact/Pages/default.aspx

3. The CBS Store- Why not? Go here:

http://cbs.seenon.com/info.php

Then under Customer Support choose "Product Suggestions."

4. CBS.com- It aired TBAA so it seems like a good place to go. Their Feedback form is here:
http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.php

Since TBAA is no longer listed, I chose "Other" when I sent my comment.

5. Amazon.com- I've heard that Amazon reports to companies what yet-to-be-released items are being "watched." I don't know if that's true but it takes very little time so why not sign up to be notified?

Now for some example of good and bad inquiries:

Good:
To Whom It May Concern:
I've loved "Touched by an Angel" for X years. I own every DVD set available! However, as much as I love rewatching the episodes, I'd really like to move onto Season 5. Could you please tell me when it will be released?

Pleasant and it lets them know you've supported the show for years and will continue to via DVD purchases.

Bad:
Dear Big Stupid Network:
Gimme the "Touched by an Angel" Season 5 DVDs or I'll sic my angel of death on ya!

Andrew, Adam, and Henry do not enjoy being used as threats.

Good:
I look forward to purchasing Season 5 of "Touched by an Angel." However, after doing an extensive web search I can't find any news of its release. Could you tell me when the next set is scheduled to be released?

Again, it makes you look invested. You did research, obviously you're a serious buyer.

Bad:
Your DVD sets are ridiculously overpriced and I doubt I'll even be able to get it but... when's TBAA Season 5 coming out?

Yes, DVD sets may be overpriced but we want to look like we'll actually buy the product. Also, try to avoid using TBAA. We may know what that stands for but the customer service rep who gets your email may not.

Good:
Hello! Several friends and I are devoted fans of "Touched by an Angel." We've so enjoyed getting the chance to rewatch our favorite episodes via DVD. Now we're really hoping Season 5 gets released soon! I loved the episode "Psalm 151" and can't wait to be able to watch it again! Do you know when we can expect Season 5 to be made available?

Mentioning an episode by its title shows you know that of which you speak and will likely actually buy the set.

Bad:
Wenz tbaa season 5 comin? me and my frendz ned to c it. k?

What's wrong with you??? Step away from the text messaging device NOW!

All kidding aside, I think the best advice is to be succinct and polite. And while I may, in moments of frustration, vow to make boycott threats against CBS if they don't release the set and soon... that's probly not the best thing to do. Rant to us, not TPTB at these companies. Speak from the heart. I think it would be best if everyone wrote their own inquiries but if you're really pressed for time and need some sort of form letter then just fill the following out and send it:

Could you please tell me when Season 5 of "Touched by an Angel" will be released on DVD? I have watched the show since INSERT YEAR and really love it! I look forward to having Season 5 in my collection. I'm especially excited to see my favorite Season 5 episode, INSERT TITLE, once again! Any information on the release date would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Let us know if any of your efforts get a personal response and we'll do the same! I hope very soon we'll be able to add news of the Season 5 release to JABB News and Reminders!

So I started writing the following, intended for the JABB YG, after reading Newsweek's "top secret" coverage of the recent U.S. presidential campaign. But then when this newsletter came up short, I decided to put it here. Fun walk down memory lane, I guess! I've been imagining what reporters woulda dug up had they covered the Andrew and Adam presidential race of 2000 in Dyeland. So to share what I think they woulda discovered, I present...

Top Ten Secrets of the Road to the Green and Blue House
___...___

10. Andrew and Adam actually produced their own attack ads. Meaning Andrew dissed himself, Adam did the same and then they gave each other the ads. They then viewed them together over ginger ale and orange juice, pretzels, and buffalo wings; laughing hysterically the whole time.

9. Princess JenniAnn refused to talk to Adam for three days after seeing the attack ad against Andrew he'd produced. She then apologized after Andrew explained he had drafted it and thought it was funny. She then stopped speaking to Andrew... for three minutes.

8. The election was staged in hopes of ramping up excitement and stopping people from leaving Dyeland. It sorta worked... for a while. (Sorry, that one came out kinda depressing! Maybe a walk down fictional memory lane wasn't the best idea...)

7. Adam voted for Andrew, Andrew voted for Adam. Aww.

6. When asked for his plans for the Dyeland economy, Andrew was stumped and asked "We have an economy?" It turned out Dyeland did not.

5. The voters swooned simply because Andrew used the word "we" and they knew then he wasn't gonna bail, even if they could be a lil crazy... and sometimes "borrowed" some of his clothes.

4. With only two questions ("Who should be president?" and "What should we serve for their inaugural dinner?") the ballot was decided to be embarrassingly short. So it was pumped up with extra questions like "Should Andrew be required to wear flannel shirts at least twice a week during fall and winter months?" and "Should turkey meat be banned in Dyeland and replaced, completely, with Turkey Like Substance provided by Adam?" Both passed unanimously.

3. A minor scandal occurred when Monica was tapped to head up Andrew's Secret Service detail since she had at least some experience. However, she quit after a voice recording from one of Andrew's staffers was leaked to the press. It said: "You've got to be kidding me! They went with Monica?!?! That chick couldn't protect him from one flipping, crusading reporter. And... and... he'll end up crying. You know he will and... and... I love him! Umm, I mean, I love hymns. Hymns are great. 'Amazing grace, how sweet the sound...'"

2. Tess was torn when trying to decide which of her Angel Boys to vote for. She ended up crossing out both names and writing in "Babies, I'm a little concerned for your sanity just now." The phrase ended up coming in third place in the election.

1. Rafael was quickly dismissed from the campaign trail after referring to Princesses JenniAnn and Audrey and Cliff as Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Rafael was urged, by Andrew, to stop calling people nicknames inspired by Disney movies... or else.

::Jenni does happy "gotcha, Rafael" dance.::

JABB TOC

JABB 260