The Energon Pub

We only get a choice few over here (my fave being Letterman, "Screw you duckface!"), but every one I've seen does this, and I just can't figure out why!

What it is, is that sometimes they come back from the break and the host says "Welcome back", or whatever, but like a minute later the host says "we'll be right back " or whatever, so they have a break, come back for a minute, then have another break, why is this?

They only do this once or twice during the show, but it just irks me, so if anyone could explain this for me it would be good, as I just can't work it out.

Powersurge wrote:We only get a choice few over here (my fave being Letterman, "Screw you duckface!"), but every one I've seen does this, and I just can't figure out why!

What it is, is that sometimes they come back from the break and the host says "Welcome back", or whatever, but like a minute later the host says "we'll be right back " or whatever, so they have a break, come back for a minute, then have another break, why is this?

They only do this once or twice during the show, but it just irks me, so if anyone could explain this for me it would be good, as I just can't work it out.

Unfortunately they have little choice but to go to commercial breaks, especially if the previous segment went longer than expected. They have so much commercial time they have to squeeze within their show. As much as everyone hates commericials, it's what keeps the network running, and in turn the show itself on the air. Talk radio is just about as bad.

Conan O'Brien does the same thing. After the first guest leaves, he'll annouce the next episode's guests and musical/comedy performace. Commonly, though, he'll have some gag to go along with.

Conan's my favorite.

There are 'soft breaks' and 'hard breaks' in any broadcast.

Hard breaks occur at certain times, top of the hour, bottom of the hour, etc.

Soft breaks occur when the host or cast can fit them in. They are required to take so many soft breaks per show. So, when a guest goes long in their interview or something doesn't fit into its allotted time (they can't just tell people to shut up...), the breaks become crunched and the soft breaks and hard breaks get to be too closely timed.

Basically, the actual show is just there to break up blocks of commericals. I was watching commercials last night and they took a program break............