Surprising Answers in an MTV Poll

TV or not TV. . . .

UNCONVENTIONAL: It was a surprise when MTV came up with a meaty interview with Bill Clinton in June.

And we were also surprised at some answers in an MTV survey of 500 young voters that the cable music channel released during our vacation.

Conducted by two polling firms, one Democratic and the other Republican, the survey delivered some responses that you might not have expected.

Oh, sure, there’s no surprise that Clinton was chosen over President Bush. And it was probably predictable that First Lady Barbara Bush was the most popular of the candidates’ wives.

But even though 76% of the voters said “the decision on abortion should be between a woman and her doctor,” 67% favored “requiring parental notification for females under age 18 before having an abortion.”

In addition, MTV reported, “More of the young voters believed Clarence Thomas than believed Anita Hill (Thomas 42%, Hill 32%).”

Other findings:

* The three most important public issues to those surveyed were the economy (84%), the quality of education (77%) and AIDS (71%).

* Parents were far and away the top role models over politicians and celebrities, with 92% of the respondents naming their mothers as first choice and 83% also choosing their fathers.

* In other matters relating to family values, 69% of the young voters “said their behavior is influenced by their parents, followed by friends (64%), books (54%), music (34%), TV (23%) and movies (18%).”

Sometimes, of course, people tell interviewers what they want to hear. But if the survey with this group is reasonably accurate, it’s good to see TV and movies down at the bottom.

TIMING: Remember that live 1988 interview when Dan Rather and presidential candidate George Bush had it out on the “CBS Evening News”?

Bush was the winner and as his popularity later soared in the White House, Rather concurrently slipped in television’s nightly news ratings.

Now, as Bush has nose-dived in popularity, Rather concurrently has made a steady ratings comeback.

There are other factors at play here, of course--such as CBS’ overall comeback--but do you think that maybe, just maybe, there’s a little subtle connection between the fortunes of the President and the anchor?

I do.

FIGHT NIGHT: What do you say we skip over the Jay Leno-Arsenio Hall public oratorios just for this one day and have a nice glass of wine late at night with the TV off?

I feel better already.

TUNNEL VISION: Fox Television, in an on-air promo for its “Roc” series, asks excitedly: “What happens when a situation comedy is performed live all season long?”

Oh, probably the same thing that happened years ago when just about everything on television was done live and it was no big deal. Just a bunch of old-time fuddy-duddies who created the medium and didn’t make a fuss over what professionals are expected to do routinely.

CASTING COUP: What a terrific move to have Cheech Marin join CBS’ upcoming series “The Golden Palace” as a chef in a Miami hotel run by Rue McLanahan, Betty White and Estelle Getty. He’s a pretty wondrous performer and, I’ll tell you, I’ll tune in more often simply because he’s there.

HIGH ROLLERS: Bill Cosby’s fall game show, “You Bet Your Life”--based on the classic old Groucho Marx program--is so confident of success that it is guaranteeing advertisers a higher rating than any other new, syndicated series.

FATE: So now Deborah Norville and the woman she displaced on “Today,” Jane Pauley, are both in prime-time series. Pauley has “Dateline NBC,” and Norville joins CBS’ hot new “Street Stories” as a reporter this season. And Katie Couric has the “Today” seat they both coveted.

WINGS: You can catch 14 episodes of the original “Batman” series with Adam West in cable’s Family Channel marathon on Labor Day.

STATE OF THE ART: This is the year when “Studs” took TV to a new low and Alistair Cooke is retiring from “Masterpiece Theatre.” There’s a message there somewhere.

AFTERTHOUGHT: I know it’s a little late, but shouldn’t someone have told Bob Costas that the Olympics are supposed to be fun?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: In the latest issue of Modern Maturity magazine, William A. Henry III, author of “The Great One: The Life and Legend of Jackie Gleason,” writes:

“I notice a disturbing trend: More and more, biographers seem to take on a subject who is exceptional only to concentrate their narrative power on what made him ordinary. They treat the person’s fame and reputation as an excuse to wallow in his sexual depravity and family pain. Biography should focus on the achievements that made a person worthy of notice, not on the failings that nearly overcame those achievements. . . . It is a delicate balance.”

Bravo.

THE SKY IS FALLING: The infomercial industry--those wonderful folks whose program-length ads teach you how to get rich, improve your hair and work a juice-maker, all in a single night--are having a convention in New York next month. One of the subjects is: “Why well-known celebrities are increasingly participating in infomercials.” I thought everybody knew. It’s to help other human beings.

SCOREBOARD: When sportscaster Bret Lewis of KNBC Channel 4 comes on, I stay tuned. You get the scores, you get understated wit and you get an adult, don’t-tread-on-me attitude that gives him authority. Valuable guy.

HOMEFRONT: Got back from our vacation Friday just in time to catch “Empire of the Sun” on Lifetime cable and be reminded of the welcome tastefulness that Steven Spielberg has brought to the screen--even in his action films--in an era that celebrates tastelessness.

BEING THERE: “Men don’t understand shopping.”--Detective Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne Daly) in “Cagney & Lacey.”

Say good night, Gracie. . . .