EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND - RAYMOND PRODUCER SAYS PRODUCT PLACEMENTS HURT SHOWS

Phil Rosenthal, the creator and executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond, told a Congressional hearing on Thursday that forcing writers to work in plugs for products in story lines adversely affects the creative process and that tighter regulations ought to be imposed requiring broadcasters to label such product placements as advertisements. Rosenthal suggested that if Casablanca had been produced for television today, Humphrey Bogart might have sent Ingrid Bergman away with the line, "Now, get on that plane and enjoy United's nonstop service to Paris with seats that recline a full 180 degrees."

11/05/2007