Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania • Page 47

Standard-Speaker, Sunday, September 21, 1997 E3. Cable Arts Entertainment 1 4, rubber toys and Bays sewing machines. "I learned a little bit about how live TV works," said Bays, whose sewing machines also have been covered by local TV reporters, "It wouldn't surprise me if there was a whole channel devoted to collectors." During the program, antiques are appraised, items are sold and there's a short history lesson on collecting. Bays, a computer science professor, provided the day's instruction about the first sewing machine, different types of stitches and how he started his collection in 1978. He says he was looking for something no one else had.

The show bounces back and forth between a New York studio and the remote location. The day Bays was featured, comedian Louie Anderson bantered with the New York hosts about his antique collecting. The move to segmented programming is a natural result of advertisers' push to get as close to one-to-one marketing as they can, say those who follow the industry. (Continued from E2) spokesman Ron Berkowicz says "Personal FX: The Collectibles Show" gets each week, America can't get enough of things like Bays' nearly 200 antique sewing machines. The show, in its fourth year, is the network's most popular original program, Berkowicz said.

(It airs from noon to 1 p.m. EDT seven days a week.) FX is carried by cable systems available in 32 million homes. "I think America is just trying to recapture part of their youth," producer Karen Martin said. "The passion for collecting crosses every demographic and every possible line you can try to draw between people." The show's researchers, often following leads from ads in collectibles magazines, scout out "supercollectors" across the country, then send a TV crew to their homes to talk about their collections. Past shows have featured collections of refrigerator magnets, toasters and toilet seat covers.

Last week in Columbia it was GI Joe dolls and state Highway Patrol trooper memorabilia, Dramas Author to appear at library anniversary The Hazleton Area Public Library will mark its 90th anniversary with a guest appearance by award-winning author Sally Hobart Alexander at 7 p.m. Oct. 1. In a special way, the library anniversary is a homecoming for Alexander. She grew up in Con-yngham, and now speaks of "the fields, woods and streams where my friends and I hiked, swam and acted out "Robinhood," Treasure Island," and many stories of our own making." After graduating from Bucknell University, she embarked on a career in southern California as an elementary school teacher.

In many ways, her life was storybook perfect thoroughly enjoying her work, engaged to be married, fit, active, and happy. At 24, Sally Hobart's world dramatically changed retinal hemorrhaes caused her to loser her sight over a period of two years. Hobart repsonded to this devastating loss by developing skills to function without sight. Her writings chronicle her personal experience with her own blindness and the resources she discovered with which to cope. Today, Sally Hobart Alexander is a successful author and lecturer, wife, mother of two teen-aged children, and is fully enjoying life.

She has received praise from critics for "Mom Can't See Me," 1990, with reviewer comments such as, "Though the book does not gloss over some of the difficulties See AUTHOR, E4 (Pi A -f j. Sally Hobart Alexander will appear at the Hazleton Area Public Library, which is marking its 90th anniversary, at 7 p.m. Oct. 1. day night." And how will viewers respond? In 1990, the musical drama "Cop Rock" was a ratings bomb that lasted mere months.

"Like anything, scores and scores of people will love it and the same amount of people will not like it at all," D'Elia said. "And, if I may be so bold, I'd rather go there than not." The challenge is balancing drama with the quirky musical interruptions and for novice hoofers like Harmon to keep their balance. Others, including Elizondo, Curtis-Hall and Arkin, have dance experience on their resume. D'Elia laughs when a visitor notes the anxious look Harmon wore during rehearsal of the steps created by choreographer Kenny Ortega "Peter Berg had the same look. And when you see him we already did Peter's number he's great.

And when you see Mark, he'll be great," said a confident D'Elia. Although clearly intended as attention- and ratings-getters, these two adventurous episodes can't be dismissed as gimmicks, insist the creators and stars. (Continued from E2) the same kind of charge, Flint said. The episode airs live in the Eastern and Central time zones and on tape in the Mountain and Pacific zones. CBS' "Chicago Hope," in an episode airing Oct.

15, is trying a different gamble: The drama thrusts Dr. Aaron Shutt (played i by Adam Arkin) into his own health crisis, a brain aneurysm that results in wild hallucinations. Hence we get Arkin, as his character is about to undergo surgery, joined by cast members Harmon, Hector Elizondo and Vondie Curtis-Hall in a fantasy song-and-dance to "Luck" from the musical "Guys and Dolls." There's another big number, "Walk Like a Man," and several smaller ones scattered throughout the "drama with music," as Bill D'Elia, executive producer and the episode's director, describes it. "Going into the fourth season of almost any show, there is an expectation that the show is set, it is what it is," said D'Elia. "This show's not.

We strive to create something unexpected and entertaining every Wednes- This week Today Second annual Antique Tractor, Gas Engine Farm Equipment Show, featuring a tractor parade each day, tractor pull, kid's entertainment and more, West End Fairgrounds, Route 209, Gilbert, 9 a.m. to dusk; 610-681-5419. Today, Thursday to Sept. 28, Oct. 2-5, 9-11 "Phantom," by Arthur Kopot and Maury Yeston, will be presented by the The Music Box Players, 196 Hughes Swoyersville, Thursdays to Saturdays the bar opens at 6 p.m., a buffet dinner is served at 6:30 p.m.

and curtain is 8 p.m., Sunday matinees the bar opens at 1:30 p.m., the buffet is served from 2 p.m. and curtain is at 3:15 p.m.; 283-2195 or 800-698-7529. Today "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," featuring more than 200 vehicles from all types of transportation as well as transport history and collectibles, hosted by the Mid Atlantic Air Museum at the Pennsylvania Regional Airport, Reading, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 610-372-7333. Today Fourth annual Scottish Irish Festival, featuring non-stop musical entertainment that includes Sean Flemming, Seven Nations, Tim and Kane, Charlie Zahm and Ted the Fiddler, Alicia Merritt Band, The O'Hagens, and The Itinerants, and more, Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, Interstate 80, exit 52 (Route 209 north), near East Stroudsburg; 421-7231, etx.

232 or ext. 221. Today Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire's annual weekend of "Belly Dancing Delight," a rollicking recreation of a 16th century English festival featuring hundreds of colorfully costumed mer-rimakers including jesters, jugglers, jousting knights, swashbuckling pirates, sword swallowers and fire eaters, Mount Hope Estate and Winery, Route 72, Lancaster County (one-quarter mile south of exit 20 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, 15 miles north of Lancaster, and 14 miles east of Hershey, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 665-7021. Today Fourteenth Little Buffalo Festival of Arts, featuring two full days of arts and entertainment, Little Buffalo State Park, Newport, 1 1 a.m.

to 6 p.m.; 567-7023. Today Civil War train rides, presented by Gettysburg Scenic Rail Tours, with the Pennsylvania 11th Fife and Drum Corps as part of the Union troops. The Confederate troops will storm the train, 106 N. Washington Gettysburg, 1 and 3:30 p.m.; 334-6932. Today Baritone Norman Spivey performs Franz Schubert's "Winter-reise," Kehr Union Ballroom, Bloomsburg University, 2:30 p.m.; 389-4412 or 389-4724.

Today The Fabulous Grease Band, Hersheypark Amphitheatre, 2 and 4 p.m.; 534-3090. Today Polkafest, Hersheypark Amphitheatre, 12 to 8 p.m.; 534-3090. Today Second annual Hershey Community Gardenfest, a cooperative event between Hershey Gardens, the Hershey Horticultural Society and the Derry Township Historical Society, a one-day free experience at Hershey Gardens to increase public awareness of the gardens and the historical and horticultural community resources in the Hershey area, Hershey Gardens, across from Hershey Hotel (just north of Hersheypark Drive), 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 534-3439, ext. 4290, 838-3421 or 566-4966.

Today "Mixed Media Art," by Linda Antosh, Stevens Art and Frame, 9 E. Tioga St. Tunkhannock, opening reception 6 to 9 p.m.; 836-5545. Tonight Dragon Knight Club Dance for children aged 2 through fourth grade, magic word Mambo gets a $1 discount, Mahanoy City Recreation to 7:30 p.m. Monday "To Kill A Mockingbird," the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, will be the subject of the first installment of the newly-established "Great Books at Highacres" literature discussion this fall at the Penn State Hazleton Campus, 7 p.m.; 450-3102.

Monday "A World of Women," a symposium by "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" creator Janese Swanson, Barclay Lecture Hall, Lycoming College, 7:30 p.m.; 321-4037. Monday to Thursday Thirty-fourth annual Ail-American Dairy Show, providing education and fun for young people interested in dairy, Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg; 787-2905. Tuesday Folk singer and Moravian College graduate John Gorka will perform a special concert to benefit Moravian's upcoming display of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, 8 p.m., Foy Concert Hall, Main and Church streets, Bethlehem; 610-861-1491. Tuesday to Nov. 23 "Imogen The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, under the direction of original band member Buddy Morrow, will perform at the Flagstaff Ballroom, Jim Thorpe, from 7 to 10 p.m.

Oct. 9. Dorsey Orchestra to perform at Flagstaff rant at 325-8995. For out-of-town visitors, a limited number of first-class hotel rooms are available at the Inn at discount rates. For more information, call 800-329-2599 and ask about the "Dorsey Specials." Prizes for the three oldest attendees and the best three dance couples will be presented.

Support The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, under the direction of original band member and trombone player Buddy Morrow, recognized as one of the all-time great trombone players, will present a dance-concert from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Flagstaff Ballroom in Jim Thorpe. John Drury, museum founder, said "the dance-concert by the Dorsey Orchestra fits right into local history themes. The even- ing of fun and nostalgia will include music mainly from the 1930s and '40s in one of the bands original venues, Flagstaffs Ballroom in the Clouds.

The Dorsey brothers, who grew up in Lansford, still have family and friends living in the area. Rich Lisella, a former bus driver for the band and, eventually, agent for Frank Sinatra and Frank Sinatra will tell a brief story of his time with the band traveling the world. Lisella also discovered a number of vocal artists, including Theresa Brewer, who began her career at the American Hotel, now the Inn at Jim Thorpe. A special "Dorsey Buffet" will be served at the Emerald Restaurant at the Inn at Jim Thorpe, 24 Broadway, Jim Thorpe. The buffet is not included in the price of concert.

For tickets, call 800-329-2599. For the buffet, call the restau mentally when something catches their interest, he said. It also virtually guarantees that SMART'S system will claim more television viewers than Nielsen, which is exactly what all the networks want to hear, Nielsen spokesman Jack Loftus said. "What they're doing is they're spiking the ratings," be said. Metzgar, a former Nielsen employee in the 1960s whose company has done extensive research for legal proceedings, fumed that he'd be foolish to put out flawed information.

Although its critics contend Nielsen has shown the arrogant hallmarks of a company with no competition, Loftus said Nielsen's market position makes it an easy target. Nielsen contends that SMART also stands for SLOW. It's a valid point: the idea has been in development since 1994 and no actual ratings numbers have been made public. "So far, they've been all talk and no action," Loftus said. (Continued from E2) television shows to measure what people are watching instead of requiring that host families have their television sets rewired, as Nielsen does.

SMART also promises a more user-friendly system: children can press a button with a smiley face to note they are watching TV. s- SMART believes it will have fewer families dropping out or neglecting to participate than Nielsen, making its research more reliable. Already, SMART'S research shows significantly more children watching TV than Nielsen, particularly those camped in front of a set at a friend's house, Metzgar said. In a subtle but vital distinction, SMART will measure as viewers anybody who is in a room with a television set on, even if they don't consider themselves actively "watching" TV. This acknowledges that many people use TV as background noise, "tuning in" Casino Bonus Sunday-Friday All Arrivals $115' Cash Saturday All Arrivals oo Cash THE GAME (R) BARGAIN MATINEES BEFORE 8:00 P.M.

1:20,4:00,7:00,9:30 Following is a list of rock and country concerts in eastern Pennsylvania and nearby states, with phone numbers for ticket information: Friday to Sept. 28 Paul Anka, Atlantic City Hilton Grand Theater, Sept. 26 10 p.m., Sept. 27 8 p.m., Sept. 28 7 p.m.; 800-736-1420.

Oct. 11-12 Jerry Vale with guest Rosina, Atlantic City Hilton Grand Theater; 800-736-1420. Oct. 17-19 The Original 5th Dimension, Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City, Oct. 17 10 p.m., Oct.

18 9 p.m., Oct. 19 8 p.m.; 800-225-5977. Oct. 18-19 Kenny Rogers, Atlantic City Hilton Grand Theater; 800-736-1420. Oct.

25 Counting Crows, with Dog's Eye View, Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State University, 8 p.m.; 814-865-5555 or 800-863-3336. Oct. 29 Beach BoysChicago, Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State University, 7:30 p.m.; 814-865-5555 or 800-863-3336. Cunningham Photographs: 1906-1976," featuring photographs by the renowned photographer, Martin Art Gallery of Baker Center for the Arts, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Tuesday through Sunday noon to 5 p.m., opening reception and gallery lecture Sept. 26 6 to 8 p.m.; 610-821-3467.

Tuesday Authors of "Saved for the People of Pennsylvania: Quilts from the State Museum of Pennsylvania," will be available to autograph their book, Tudor Book See CALENDAR, E4 IN40uT(PG-13) WISHMASTER (PG) 1:25,3:45,7:20,9:40 1:15,3:30,7:15,9:25 Reiser FIRE DOWN BELOW (R) 7:10,9:30 AIR FORCE ONE (R) 1:30,4:00,7:00,9:35 EXCESS BAGGAGE (PG-13) MONEY TALKS 9:40 1:20. 3:45, 7:10 HT BEST FRIENOS WEDOWG (PG-13) MEN IN BLACK (PG-13) SPECIAL-ALL SEATS tt.00 SPECIAL-ALL SEATS (3.X MOTOR TRANSPORTATION Tuesday Thursday AM Service FOR INFORMATION CALL 717-455-1221 Departures From: Hazleton, Hazleton Heights, Beaver Meadows AUTO-BUS Wednesday Friday AM Service FOR INFORMATION CALL 717-474-6771 Departures From: Hazleton. McAdoo, Tamaqua Sri? ciT TVT-vwVt 3:20.9:20 1:00,7:10 D(SNY DOUBLE FEATURE-SEE BOTH HCV1ES FOR THE PWE OF OtC HERCULES (G) SAT. I SUN. AT 1:10 GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE (PG) SAT.

1 SUN. AT 2:45 natural outgrowth of that couple, and the relationship is changed entirely." "You now have a new priority. It's not about you guys, it's not about either single one of you. It's about this guy. Whatever you can salvage for yourself, good for you." While he doesn't plan to plagiarize his own book, Reiser expects some of the same topics to pop up in "Mad About You." "The show has always been about The he reasons.

Family Restaurant (Continued from E2) sion came after a woman on an airplane told them, "It's the greatest thing in the world." Reiser writes: "We made an elaborate ceremony out of retiring all birth control paraphernalia (or, as a friend of mine so delicately put it, We yanked the goalie off the ice') and jumped into bed." "We laughed and hugged and giggled and kissed. And proceeded to not have sex for 2 Yi months." Eventually Ezra Samuel -Reiser arrived, and his father some of the truisms parents have encountered I for eons. "How your relationship changes was interesting to me," he says. "You spend years as a couple, fine-tuning that rela- tionship. Then you take the next 1 step and add a baby, which is a 615 E.

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