Cable’s big convention takes place next
month in the transformed downtown area of Los Angeles
near “L.A. Live” with optional side trips to Universal
Studios Hollywood, to a rescue
mission in another part of downtown
and to a youth services organization
in South Central L.A.
NBC Universal — you may
have heard it is planning to
merge with top cable operator
Comcast — is hosting a party
in conjunction with the National
Cable & Telecommunications
Association on Wednesday night
(May 12) at the entertainment
complex. The party is open to all
attendees, who can sample such
attractions as the Revenge of the
Mummy and Jurassic Park rides
for free and groove to the sounds of rockers Maroon 5.
Transportation will be provided.
Earlier, on Monday night (May 10), before the Cable
Show opens at the convention center the next day, friends
and co-workers have organized a benefi t for the family of
Will Flannery, the Fox Cable Networks executive who died
of a sudden illness last September at age 38. Because Flannery
loved to play poker, organizers have planned a casino
night at the new JW Marriott Hotel downtown. The entry
fee is $100 to $150, according to an invitation, and tax-deductible
proceeds go to a scholarship fund for Will and
Kristin Flannery’s daughters,
Sarah and Norah. Gaming,
prizes, an auction and
celebrity appearances are
planned. Sponsorships and
auction donations are being
sought. For more information,
email FlanneryCasino-
Night@foxcable.com.
Sportsman Channel’s annual
Hunt.Fish.Feed event
also takes place Monday
night, at the Union Rescue
Mission at 545 S. San Pedro
St. Volunteers are needed to
help prepare a dinner to be
served to 1,000 men, women and children, from 4-7:30
p.m. This initiative is part of an 11-city tour helping to feed
the homeless. CableCares will provide transportation.
The CableCares volunteer outing will be Tuesday morning
(May 11), at A Place Called Home, a Los Angeles youthservices
organization, located at 2830 South Central Ave.
Volunteers will assemble at the convention center at about
7 a.m. and will be returned to the convention center at
12:30 p.m., in time for the opening general session. Th e
time at APCH will be well spent, painting walls and murals,
building planter boxes and benches, and working on
other valuable projects.
Tuesday night sees the return of Battle of the Bands,
the annual CableCares fundraiser featuring bands assembled
from cable executives. Eight bands will perform
this time, before celebrity judges to be named soon. Th en
comes a performance by Band From TV, featuring network
TV stars Greg Grunberg and Adrian Pasdar (NBC’s
Heroes), James Denton (ABC’s Desperate Housewives), Bob
Guiney (GSN’s GSN Live), Jesse Spencer (Fox’s House) and
Scott Grimes (NBC’s ER and Fox’s American Dad). It takes
place at Club Nokia downtown and benefits A Place Called
Home. Thecableshow.com has links for ticket purchases,
sponsorships and the band lineups.
