NBC's PLAYBOY CLUB In Danger Of Fast Cancellation

NBC's PLAYBOY CLUB is likely to be the first major cancellation of this new TV season according to industry insiders. The latest dismal ratings for the show were down a reported 19% from last week's weak premiere. And some major advertisers are now pulling their ads from the show because the low ratings aren't in accord with the promised ratings numbers that NBC had hoped for. Further, advertisers aim for that very important 18-49 demographic, but the actionless and dull drama about a 50 year old nightclub where wealthy club members sit around buying drinks and listening to jazz musicians perform has failed to excite audiences.

THE PLAYBOY CLUB also was saddled with other serious concept problems. The show was intended to be something akin to a network answer to the highly successful MAD MEN on cable. However, not only is the cable TV product far superior, but cable also has the freedom to offer nudity if it so desires, which is something that THE PLAYBOY CLUB cannot because of strict FCC rules. Some network TV such as NY BLUE experimented with a little nudity and salty language a few years back, but it only drew a stiff FCC fine and years of lawyers fighting legal battles in courtrooms. Sexless and dull as watching paint dry, THE PLAYBOY CLUB looks to be one of the fast failures this new season.

Two outrageous censorship organizations, the Parents Television Council and Morality In Media have both taken steps to stop the show. But, neither managed to gain any traction, although both believe they have, with the PTC even taking credit for killing the show. But, the facts prove this to be false, as the PTC had no impact at all on the failure of the show. And, for their part, Dawn Hawkins, from the screwball religious right Morality In Media organization, falsely claims that the public rejected the show because the "sexual exploitation of women" didn't sell on network TV. Nonsense, sexual exploitation, or marketing of women, constantly proves very profitable for businesses, not only for adult entertainment, but for products for women such as cosmetics and fashions as well. THE PLAYBOY CLUB had the PLAYBOY brand name, but really offered nothing else to the viewer but a weak MAD MEN ripoff. Believe me, MAD MEN is far better than this ever was.

Morality In Media seems to understand even less about a successful business model than they do about the entertainment industry in general. Reportedly, the organization is having great difficulty even raising $40,000 in donations for operating costs to continue in business. This has apparently forced the organization to act even more desperately with even more clearly false statements and fear campaigns to raise donation money. The organization continues to falsely claim that NBC intended to put pornography on network TV with THE PLAYBOY CLUB, although obviously this is nothing but an outright lie. NBC never had any intent to put nudity, let alone pornography on network TV.

NBC's big mistake with THE PLAYBOY CLUB was their attempt to rip off MAD MEN, instead of looking for something really new. THE PLAYBOY CLUB just didn't deliver anything at all.