NBC 10 Investigates Miracle

I know the NBC 10 investigators are good, but are they good enough to investigate a miracle from St. John Neumann? Yes, that’s what Lu Ann Cahn did the other night during a nearly five-minute piece: Investigate a miracle.

A woman has cancer, her husband just happens to be a previously-featured-on-NBC 10-forensic sculptor, he makes a new mask for St. John Neumann, a priest does some prayin’ and — wham! — no more cancer. These people aren’t religious, of course, and they don’t say “yes” when Cahn asks them if they’re going to go back to church. Score one for the nonreligious!

“Was there divine intervention?” Cahn asks, but NBC 10 can’t get comments from her doctors, who are all Know-Nothings. But everyone interviewed said it’s clearly a miracle, and Neumann will totally get another notch on his sainthood belt for this one. Video after the jump.

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Ravers Fight Back Against NBC 10

Just two days after NBC 10 exposed — honest to God — a rave where people were drinking, smoking marijuana and taking “the designer drug ecstasy” (gasp!), there has now been an apparent change of heart.

Last night, Lu Ann Cahn allowed ravers to “defend their way of life” to the NBC 10 Investigators, and it was somehow about 500 times funnier than the first one. The first report went undercover at the Tru Skool Rave in a basement rented out by a church in West Philadelphia. The building’s a charter school during the week; administrators say they have to clean up condoms every Monday morning. And a mother who has her face blacked out says raves are bad!

In tonight’s report, party promoter Mickey Fronick waxes about how ravers are marginalized:

“We’re forced to go into venues like this because the mainstream doesn’t accept it, and it sucks,” Fronick said.

NBC 10 also reported that the ravers said it’s about the music and the love, and not the drugs — which means this is one boring rave scene.

Both videos embedded after the jump.

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TV News Reports On Beer, Women

Above, NBC 10’s weekend report on In Pursuit of Ale, the Philadelphia women’s beer club. (Friends of Philadelphia Will Do!) With so much incredible editing during this report, you’ll wonder whether you’re watching the local news or a movie!

[via Foobooz]

TV News Not Bastion Of Journalism

Dan Gross — are we all calling him “The Mighty” now? — has an interesting story about NBC 10’s Monique Braxton’s recent suspension:

Braxton, sources say, had been suspended for making calls and inquiries about the criminal case of Steve DiDonato, of Lower Salford Township, who happens to be the husband of NBC 10 Managing Editor Lisa Spinosa.

Last month a judge sentenced DiDonato, 47, to a probation-like program over charges that DiDonato set a fire in January 2006, outside a Lehigh Valley bar. The fire was set to distract police from the fact that he was about to get in his car and drive under the influence, Debbie Garlicki of the Allentown Morning Call reported. DiDonato was not arrested until seven months after the blaze, which he allegedly drove through.

But The Mighty Dan Gross also reports Braxton was paid during her suspension, and didn’t have to do any reporting. Which means it sounds more like a “vacation” to me.

NBC10 boss to Braxton: Don’t investigate my husband [Phillygossip]

Breaking: Homeless Sleep In Warm Place

NBC 10 ran another in a long line of important exposes by the NBC 10 Investigators™ last night; this time, the social ill was homeless people sleeping at the airport.

The real highlight of the story is the interview with the self-proclaimed “newest homeless person to arrive at the airport.” Take it away, Doug Ryan:

“I think they should worry about their own business,” said 18-year-old Doug Ryan, who believes he’s the newest homeless person to arrive at the airport. “It’s warm. It’s warm, they don’t kick you out, so it’s not the worst place,” Ryan said.

“What are you doing for food?” Cahn asked.

“Trash cans,” Ryan answered. “As you can see, there’s like a pretzel store right there. Some people throw away their food, and I’ll eat it.”

The airport pays $150,000 a year to deal with the homeless population there… you think somebody could quietly slip them food. But they do have homeless counselors come in, though, so, y’know.

Airport’s Unofficial Welcoming Party Upsets Frequent Fliers [NBC 10]

But Who Did He Call First?

A man said he was so upset to find a hangman’s noose at his job he felt he had to contact not only local authorities.

He also had to call Harry Hairston and the NBC 10 Investigators.

It’s okay, PECO says, because the man who showed the noose was just practicing tying knots. Oh, and they’ve hired a “diversity consultant.”

Man Reports Finding Hangman’s Noose At PECO Facility [NBC 10]

High School Hoopster Loves Hurricane

I’m becoming more and more fascinated with Tim Furlong’s “6:15″ reports, which run (surprise!) halfway through the 6 o’clock news. Sure, there’s the infamous 4:20 report, where Furlong reported the time 4:20 p.m. almost killed someone.

But not all his reports are the modern day equivalent of Reefer Madness. While there does seem to be a tone of “What you don’t know about your kids could kill them!” in Furlong’s reports, damn if they’re not usually somehow entertaining. (The 4:20 report was pretty much the best thing on TV all last year.)

And last night? Oh, just a story about a local high school basketball player who likes Hurricane Schwartz. “I was watching you since I was like 9 and I love you,” said Jamal “Hurricane” Wilson, who goes to Newman-Goretti. He’s also going to Rhode Island to play basketball (D-I, congrats) and study meteorology.

Clearly, this is TV news at its finest. But I suspect the other schools’ fans are going to have some fun come Catholic League playoff time.

High School Basketball Star Idolizes Hurricane [NBC 10]

NBC 10 Running All Over Nation’s Laws

Oh, no, noted sex educator and Power 99 DJ Golden Girl lost her ring at the airport! She says it was stolen while going through airport security at PHL. Oh no! Scandal.

Well, apparently not. NBC 10’s Lu Ann Cahn went down to the airport and got the scoop! And not only did she get the scoop, the cops just let her do whatever the hell she wanted to, apparently.

The NBC 10 Investigators looked at surveillance video of Power 99 radio host Golden Girl walking through security, and concluded that her ring probably wasn’t stolen. The footage cannot be released to the public, but after police showed the NBC 10 Investigators the video, it appears the host lost her ring at a security checkpoint.

It is also clear, from two camera angles, that security or some other passengers did not take it, according to NBC 10’s Lu Ann Cahn.

Wait, what? The footage can’t be released to the public, but it’s perfectly okay for police to show it to reporters. I didn’t know that’s how the law worked; thanks for cluing me in, NBC 10! I’m totally going to find out just who really shot JFK now.

Police, Reporter: Golden Girl’s Bling Wasn’t Stolen At Airport [NBC 10]

NBC 10: People Searching For Anonymous Sex Online Not Always Truthful

NBC 10 interviewed a “computer and Internet safety expert” last night to let people know that when you’re searching for anonymous, no strings attached sex online, you could be the victim of blackmail!

The chief story the report used was that of Jessica Wolcot, who tried to blackmail a Pepsi executive after hooking up with him over Craigslist. Of course, Gary Wandschneider was married, so perhaps the advice should be amended: If you are in a relationship and have anonymous sex over Craigslist, you might be blackmailed! (Me? I plan on sharing all my anonymous Craigslist sex stories on this blog sometime. Can’t be blackmailed if you’re proud of it!)

The Internet security expert also said the Internet is “like Candy Land” for scammers, which means they really want to go to Gum Drop Mountain, I guess.

CBS 3, 6 ABC In Dead Sweeps Heat (I Guess)

Have the rumors of Alycia Lane bikini photos brought Alycia Lane and Larry Mendte — the photos are of Alycia — to the top of the news charts? Laura Nachman has the preliminary sweeps numbers as of Tuesday and CBS 3 trails 6 ABC by just 1 share point (whatever that is) on the 11 p.m. newscast.

Action News — who seems to have been amping up its Erin O’Hearn commercials recently, if you’ve noticed — leads in the 11 p.m. ratings with an 8 rating/16 share, while CBS 3 trails just behind with an 8 rating/15 share. (Each ratings point equals one or two old people falling asleep after the weather. Each share equals nothing.) NBC 10 has a 5 rating/10 share. (The lead-ins are important, too, with CBS beating ABC beating NBC. I’m pretty sure the Peacock doesn’t even have a prime-time lineup anymore; it just runs infomercials.)

At 6 p.m., Jim Gardner (6 ABC) is way ahead with a 12 rating/22 share; Tim Lake (NBC 10) has a 4 rating/8 share and Mendte and Lane have a 4 rating/7 share. Obviously, viewers know if Alycia’s going to show her bikini, it’ll be at 11 p.m.

The Nach Attack: NBC 10 Muffs 11 p.m. Sweeps [The Daily Examiner]