Uh-oh: CBS is buying CNET, owner of Chowhound.com

[MC Slim JB]

I wonder what this means for this site. I would hate to see Chowhound's mission change under the new ownership.

[DiveFan]

Wow, someone at one of the professional genetics associations
http://genetics.faseb.org/
needs to investigate this obvious correlation between the Pun and Chowhound genes.
I known one family member who needs serious help in this area :-).

[Muskrat]

I see a game show where people compete to come up with the best rationale for stiffing a waitron.

Regular 'Hounds would have a huge advantage, of course.

[jmckee]

Stop stop! You guys are killing me! I started laughing at "Chenhound not Chowhound" all the way through "Husky and Starch." I passed a whole glass of water through my nose!

[scoopG]

Then there will be the movie spin-offs! Leff's Field of Greens or Citizen Cane.

Other possible CBS TV shows I've heard bandied about with Jim in the lead role are:

I Love Juicy
The Man from C.H.O.W.
The Wonder Bread Years
N.Y.P.D. Chow
St. Chowhound

[alkapal]

in honor of one of my favorite shows:

Pause & Order: Chowhound Intent
Pause & Order: Special Victuals Unit

(i'm guessing goren is a chowhound)

[nosh]

OK, this is just an off-the-cuff first draft, but I like the idea of the Jim Leff sitcom on CBS. Tentative working title -- Leffed Out. One set is the family home or office, and the other two are his fave uppercrust restaurant and the dive -- different friends in each. The first plotline will involve a young poster using slang and online abbreviations and Jim censoring it thinking it refers to underage sex or gang signs.

I'm registering this, so you gotta pay me if you are gonna use or steal it!

[lancastermike]

dude, it was MY idea, I get to at least be executive producer or something

[Jim Leff]

I think I'd work best pitching the CBS fall lineup. "Big Brother: it's HYPERDELICIOUS!!!" I could be raving with a fork and steaknife, and drooling onto a bib with the CBS eye logo.

BTW, it's been several years since the last "Leff's a censor" posting. Thanks for the nostalgia! :) Anyone interested in how it actually works may go here: http://www.chow.com/stories/10474

[squid kun]

Alternate working title: The Kabab King of Queens.

In which Jim and his game but waistline-watching sweetie - perkily played by a reassigned Katie Couric - find love and lahamajun, not in that order, while chowing their way around the city.

Imagine the product placements ("DiFara's AGAIN, honey?") ... the "very special" holiday episode where Jim and Katie take in the down-on-her-luck Arepa Lady ... and that instant TV classic, The One About the Pljeskavica.

Can I be the wacky neighbor?

[Servorg]

I see it as neonostalgia tale of buddy-(ette)/cop's with a souped up (chowcentric) Ford Grand Torino with the two leads - "Husky and Starch"...(with an obvious sub text playing off the title teaching about the dangers of carbohydrates and type 2 diabetes) traveling the length and breadth of Gotham rescuing failing restaurants and busting ill behaved dining patrons who don't tip at least 20% (on the after tax total).

[yumyum]

Husky and Starch. You win the internet.

[2slices]

How about a reinterpretation of a classic foodie film.

Jim Leff star's in: "Truffled Soilent Green Terrine with Heirloom Tomato, Cilantro and Ricotta Polenta".

It'd put a whole new spin on "It's made of people!".

[2slices]

Get a creative commons license before I steal it.

[lancastermike]

Yeah we can now expect to see Leff on CBS TV shows, Letterman, etc. Maybe they will give him his own sitcom. Hilarious antics of a horn player turned food web site owner.

[Jim Leff]

Shoot me now!

MC Slim JB, as I said in this thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/519323
it's not really an uh-oh for Chowhound, I don't think. The main interactive honcho at CBS is really into online communities. And this is a pretty good one...

[Caroline1]

Well, congratulations to both you and Chowhound, Mr. Leff, sir, but... What I REALLY want to know is... will this take time off my promised twenty minutes of fame?

[ChinoWayne]

We've already seen Leff in television appearances as the uber Chowhound, wearing his trademark rubber dog mask.

[nosh]

Yep, I hear that the primary CBS purpose in the buy was to obtain control over this site. Les Moonves is a huge Chowhound.

[Servorg]

I've met Les a few times. He's a Chenhound, not a Chowhound.

[Beach Chick]

Chenhound..very funny Servorg!
Les is a great guy and yes, he is a huge chowhound.

[Servorg]

I would never imply otherwise. He has always been both cordial and down to earth the times we met, and even asked me once how one of their CBS news analysts came across during the run up to the 2nd Iraq war. I saw Les with Julie at a function once and she was very striking / beautiful / vivacious and my wife could not get over, (or stop talking about!) the size and brilliance of her engagement ring.

[Beach Chick]

You do need to wear an arc welders mask to view Jule's ring..hee hee

[toodie jane]

what about when Les Moonves isn't around anymore?

Sorry, but I'm verrrrrrrry dubious....

It is nice to see what powerful senses of humor are displayed here, though.

[Beach Chick]

It was brilliant of CBS to buy CNET and extend their web footprint...albeit for $1.8 billion..all cash!
Personally, I don't think Les is going anywhere for a very long time.

[Beach Chick]

I'll say it again on the brilliance of CBS to extend their web footprint..