Small Town News: KPVM Pahrump (2021) s01e02 Episode Script
Quitting Season
1
(insects chirping)
Sheriff Sharon Wehrly: As you're all aware, the state of Nevada
is implementing procedures to ensure social distancing
as a mechanism to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
We've no confirmed cases in Nye County,
and our hope is we can keep it that way.
♪
-Protester (on megaphone): Wear no masks. No masks! -(cheering)
We must make face coverings
a routine part of our daily lives.
Trees are supposed to breathe carbon dioxide, not people.
-(cars honking) (interviewer speaking)
No, I do not. Do you?
Woman: Well, our whole family was
tested positive over--
little over a week and a half ago.
I think we all need to
chip in and be there for each other and figure out
how we're gonna pull through on this.
Wear your mask properly. Not on your chin,
not hanging off your ear,
and certainly not in your pocket.
We've been complying with all the rules and regulations.
We got a beer garden outside that you can sit at
and have a couple drinks.
The Moose Lodge is gearing up for its annual
yard sale fundraiser.
Have to wear a mask,
and we'll be watching that very closely.
(news theme playing)
♪
♪
Deanna: Did you want any mask, Brad?
They're all individually wrapped.
So you could pick out whatever color you want.
This one's good. This one's actually good.
There's not a manly mask in here.
Deanna: This-- This one's actually good.
Is this a "Star Wars"?
(laughs)
Hey, how about this one? We should give that to Vern.
Then he can be America. 'Merica!
Everybody gets a mask, like Oprah.
"You get a mask, and you get a mask, and you get a mask."
We're used to people leaving on occasion here,
especially in the news department.
RJ left, who was our editor for the news.
Luckily, we have this new editor, Brad,
who has been here for a few months
and I really love, and he's got a lot of experience.
Not only does he edit news stories,
he also looks for news stories
and develops them as well.
Most of this stuff is just kinda canned stuff
that we're working on or have been working on.
Stories that got bumped from yesterday, so um, yeah.
Arrests. We have lots of those. (laughs)
Domestic, uh, you know,
people stealing things.
You name it, we have it all around here, so
Deanna: Oh, and then, Brad,
in the structure fire story,
I do have the picture of the Great Dane
wearing the oxygen mask, and it's really emotional.
There he is. And then, oh!
And then they said they found the chihuahua.
And the lady's running up,
and going, "Oh my god! They got my dog!"
I think that little, um,
chihuahua was singed, too, a little bit from heat.
It looked like it to me.
♪
Vern: I'm gonna go read a voiceover script here in just a minute
because I have a couple commercials I gotta read.
Yep.
I drank some coffee. I went to breakfast, and I drank
some coffee with my friend. I had two cups of coffee. I'm like going,
I'm just buzzin'! (laughs)
So, I gotta kinda calm down a little bit.
And then we're gonna read some voiceovers.
We're gonna have some fun!
Alright, Rick. You're all set up, buddy.
I'm gonna go do a voiceover, so let's get Ubaldo,
and we're gonna do a voiceover.
One of the biggest issues that I'm currently facing
is the fact that I had a three-month plan,
which has turned out to be
10-month funding plan because of COVID,
so let's go back.
(clang)
We rented a tower in Vegas.
I figured by the end of March, I would have the ability
to break into the Las Vegas market.
I'm expecting to get out there,
bring in income, pay employees
But COVID came in and shut everything down.
Here we go! Take a breath!
The bottom line is the station
now needs to start making money going into Vegas,
and to do that,
the business owners of Las Vegas need to know
that the opportunity to advertise is there. So,
on the channel itself,
I'm gonna put the video and the voiceover
TV commercial, telling people about the special $5
spot promotion.
Get your message here for only $5!
You're watching KPVM TV
channel 25.3, Las Vegas Pahrump.
Real news, real views. That's kinda tough.
Real news. Real. Views.
Real news, real views.
Real news, real views.
That's really tough to say that. Real news, real views.
Real news, real views!
Oh, wait a minute!
It's supposed to be, "real news, honest views."
Well, that sucks.
I mean, where else can you reach three million people for $5?
I've gotta get two drone shots looking at the houses,
kinda just kinda do a push like that to drop in there.
So, I'm gonna take the drone out for that.
I just drank some coffee, too.
So, I'm like going, "gee!" (laughs)
(machine fans whirring)
Ma So, this is master control.
This is what's happening behind the scenes of
all nine of our channels here.
This little box puts everything into a pipeline
to send it out over air
into all of our viewers out in TV land,
as Vern likes to call it.
This, this, this here is, uh,
the Kamal. He's, he's brand new,
and he is taking my place
starting tomorrow, full-time without any
questions
that he has to ask me. I'm sorry.
I trailed off there a little bit.
This is my last day after,
uh, over two years of being here.
They just threw me in here, shut the door, locked it.
Kept me here for two years. I've lived here.
(laughing)
I'll definitely miss the routine that I had here, um,
and I'll miss the people I work with and
um, but, I don't-- I don't think I'll miss this room
because this room is incredibly loud.
(machines whirring)
♪
Deanna: Is Vern here to do
his weird, awkward speech that goes on forever?
-Woman: Vern is not here. -Deanna: Oh.
Ma I have decided to leave
to try to start my own video game development company.
I'm hoping that we'll eventually
build out a huge franchise,
but, I mean, I just worry that
I'm gonna fail horribly
and not get to realize
my little American dream that I have.
Deanna: You've been amazing, and I'm very proud of you.
-All: Yeah. -I really am.
You're putting me on the spot here.
You know how I am on the spot.
(laughter, chatter)
Deanna: The turnover's always been a problem here,
and so when people leave,
I have to start from scratch again.
It stresses me out.
We're gonna miss ya.
Thanks, Matt.
(sighs)
Nope.
(laughs) I'll think about it.
And we want to say goodbye
to our own Matt Walker today.
He's leaving us and moving on to bigger and better things.
Thanks so much for being here, Matt.
I'm Deanna O'Donnell. Good night.
♪
Hey, you! What are you doing?
Are you making trouble? Are you making trouble
for everybody? Oh, goodness.
(laughs) We're 10:30 tomorrow, baby.
-Missey: Yes. -Take you to the doggie prom.
(laughs)
Missey: My name is Missey Kohler,
and I just moved to Pahrump, Nevada,
from Fairbanks, Alaska.
She is a show dog,
and she will be bred.
Her boyfriend lives in Pennsylvania,
but part of him will arrive tomorrow. (laughs)
-The part that matters? -Missey: The part that matters.
Deanna: She's a purebred as well,
and we were gonna share it with a Shih Tzu and have a Bull Shit,
-but we decided not to, so. -(laughter)
When we were in the midst of COVID, Missey contacted me
and told me that she was moving down here
to Pahrump from Alaska.
So we have a lot of snow birds that come down here,
and really wanted a job, and she was willing
to do whatever it took.
I'm Missey Kohler with this week's court report.
Your entertainment report for this week.
If you see someone who is
illegally dumping in the recyclable bins,
you are encouraged to report them.
I'm Missey Kohler.
♪
Deanna: I thought she was wonderful and funny,
and Missey has been in the news industry for years.
So, I asked her if she would
co-anchor with me a little bit,
and she took off really quickly with that.
I'm Deanna O'Donnell, and we are introducing Missey Kohler.
- How you doing, Missey? -I'm doing great. Glad to be here.
So glad to have Missey here. Missey and her husband, John,
just moved here from Alaska.
-And we'll meet John one day, right? Yes. -You will.
Alright. See you later.
-Bye, pup-aroni! -John: Are you ready?
♪
John: I'm John Kohler, Jr., living my best life
here in Pahrump, Nevada.
I'm the weatherman on KPVM 25!
Woo!
Man, have we got a weather report for you! Woo!
Perhaps I've oversold the excitement. I don't know.
It felt like a good move going in.
I'm from Fairbanks, Alaska. I live in Pahrump now.
And everybody says, like, "Oh man! You're gonna hate the heat!
Once the 100-degree heat is here!"
"No problem. I'll get a pool."
(laughs) So, I did.
And I'm out here every single day, and
You know, it's just wonderful.
We can plan our weekend and look at the forecast,
and it'll be lots of fun. Let's do it together now, shall we?
Deanna (on speaker): Can you do me a favor, Ubaldo?
-Ubaldo: What's up? -Could you ask John not to step towards the camera
-when he starts weather anymore? -Ubaldo: Yes, okay.
Deanna: It's just every single time.
I rode Missey's coattails big time,
which was kind of the plan. (laughs)
'Cause she's really super talented, and, um,
I'm just kinda hanging around,
and the weatherman randomly quits.
Michael Donahue left us on Friday.
I'm definitely not gonna be gone forever. I'm just gonna be gone
as like a full-time employee forever. I guess. (laugh)
-I'll miss you, audience. Goodbye. -John: And Missey's just,
"Oh! John could do that."
I'm like, "Yeah, I could do that!" you know?
Something I've always wanted to do, you know?
Who wouldn't wanna do the weather? (laughs)
Out in Vegas, they're sweating it all the way up to 97 degrees!
Oh
I like getting up in the TV,
like, you know, 'cause I picture people going,
-"Oh my God! He's coming towards me!" -Ubaldo (on PA): Yeah
Um, Deanna doesn't want you to
-go walk up to the TV again. -She doesn't?
Ubaldo: No, she said no-no.
-(sighs) -I know it's your thing, but she said no.
Alright.
Just say, "We'll have your weather after this break."
John: And then I'm off to do
a weather bump, is what we call it,
so we'll come up with a bit or we'll come up with a way
to make it kind of interesting, some kind of theme.
(high-pitched): Hey, I wonder what the weather's gonna look like today?
(normal): The weather? Well, let me tell you what it's gonna look like
today, guy in the RV! Oh, wouldn't that just
blow your mind if this was actually real?
(laughs) You're hanging out in the desert,
and I come creeping over the hill? Jeez.
That's your report. Good night.
Blah blah blah blah.
I don't know. Doesn't seem like valuable content.
(wind blowing)
Deanna: I gotta go do my makeup, and then
we usually start recording at 4:45,
so hopefully if I put on makeup by that time, we'll go.
Otherwise, I put on makeup as we go, and I just look
better and better like you've been drinking during the news.
Um, and, um (laughs)
In between the breaks
Missey: We should be in there setting shots by 4:30.
I'm not on tonight though. It's, it's, um,
Deanna and the beautiful Eunette tonight.
-You guys ready to go? -I don't know where Eunette is right now.
Eunette has several other outside jobs.
She drives a long ways, and sometimes way too fast.
I'm assuming that she's driving like a bat out of hell,
and, and so we'll find out that when she arrives.
And if she's not here in 10, then we'll go without her.
Ubaldo: Three minutes!
♪
And Eunette's here.
Hello. We were worried about you. What are you up to?
Eunette: I commute from Las Vegas
when I come here to Pahrump. It's a beautiful drive.
Some people, you know worry about that one-hour commute.
Sometimes for me, 55, 50 minutes.
Don't tell. Yeah,
but I'm a professor adjunct
at the College of Southern Nevada.
I teach journalism and communication.
I'm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
And what's important is
the news during air time,
and everything else you have to try to pause.
Yeah. We're coming up with a system.
(giggles)
Ubaldo: Okay, I'm ready. You good?
Deanna: She's being shy right now because she ran in the door
after probably driving 110 down the roadway.
-Ubaldo: One minute. -So, she's gotta catch up
with current time. (laughs) Because she probably
was in the future for a while.
So, she probably got some kind of
burns from re-entry.
-(laughter) -(Ubaldo snorts)
♪
Eunette: Did you just snort? That is so cute.
You snorted.
That's why you have to wear a frigging face shield
because you snort!
I need to wear a face shield if you're snorting.
-(beeping) -Okay, here we go.
(beep)
-(whirring) -What we're doing is
I'm trying to get footage for that video that I'm producing.
An independent TV station, such as ours,
makes money from advertisement.
So, producing commercials locally
is absolutely most important,
and we're very good at that.
Announcer 1: All you pretty ladies,
beautiful women, and sexy girls,
the Pourhouse is presenting a Wet T-Shirt Contest.
-(Wild West music) -(chicken clucks)
-(shooting) -Announcer 2: Sugar Shack.
Announcer 3: When was the last time you had a mouthful of Big Dick's pizza?
(insects chirping)
Ubaldo (on PA): Thirty seconds for Missey.
Deanna, have you yet decided what you wanna drop?
Um, we're gonna have to get rid of both arrests.
Missey: Well, we'll just push to tomorrow.
They're still just as arrested.
She's still a bad mom, he still strangled someone. It's okay.
(laughs)
Ubaldo: Five, four, three, two, one.
Announcer: You're watching News 25, the most recognized
and farthest-reaching local news in Nye County.
Welcome back. News 26 talked with Kenny Weaver,
assistant principal at Pahrump Valley High School,
to find out how his family is doing
with their three children learning virtually.
News 26 spoke to them?
Didn't we have an interview, too?
Sorry. Did I say News 26? Did it say News 26?
Oh, I sure did.
Kenny Weaver: Benny is loving school right now.
He's able to work at his own pace.
-The middle school does -Deanna: Missey,
what are these dissolves? They look so strange.
Ubaldo: Missey, do you know how to speed up your transitions?
Missey: When I was first hired here, I was asked to learn
our editor's job as well, so he could take
an extra day off during the week,
which was something completely new to me.
Deanna: See, that's your slow transition that we're talking about there.
See how it stays too long?
If you do those slow transitions,
it just leaves it hanging and it's just too--
You should just do a quick one. See how long that one was?
You gotta change them.
-Go faster. -Okay. Awesome.
-Ask him in the morning, and then-- -I will.
Missey: I really am trying to get it all right.
-What? -I really am trying to get it right.
-You are doing great. -Oh
What are you talking about? Stop.
-Why do you do that? -I just want you to know
that I'm not a total loser.
I don't think you're a total loser.
-Why'd you say that? -(laughs) I just--
-Now I'm super upset. -Don't be upset.
I'm frustrated with myself.
Deanna: Well, that's gonna wrap up this edition of News 25.
-I'm Deanna. -I'm Missey. Thanks for watching.
-Have a great evening. -Good night.
♪
Oh, and the other thing
I, I need you to show me how to do is, um
I talked with Deanna last night,
and evidently, you can adjust the timing on the transition?
So, those transitions I was using, um
are-- they're taking too long, I guess.
I didn't even know that you could speed those up,
so I'm learning as I go along,
which I think that probably that's the best way to do it.
It's also, it's also hard and embarrassing
and, you know, just to learn that you made a mistake
after you've made the mistake. And so,
I had no idea that I could change those.
So, it's-- it's part of learning.
Brad: Alright.
-Have you heard anything from her? -Missey: Not today.
Okay. I haven't either, I don't think.
Deanna: Alright, so what are we doing? What's your plan, Stan?
Adam Tippets: Walk you through this a little bit,
and I can explain a little bit about
what the facility's for.
Deanna: Three, two-- One, two, three, go.
I'm Sergeant Adam Tippets. I'm-- Sorry.
I'm Sergeant Adam Tippets. I'm the training coordinator
for the Nye County Sheriff's Office.
Once a year, all officers
are required by Nevada law to get
certain types of training, and this facility
gives us a lot of the resources that we need in order
to give them that training.
(kicking, banging)
God, maybe I'm a bad example.
(adjusting door)
(sniffs)
(bangs)
I wonder if I'm setting it up wrong because it's not
It's supposed to come a lot easier than that.
Okay, this is me waiting for the bathroom at Denny's.
-"I wanna come in!" -(bang)
(both laugh)
I used to edit, report, anchor, and do everything by myself.
Now, we have myself, Brad, Missey, and John.
So, let's talk about
what's coming up. There's gonna be another land auction?
It's helped me not have to
oversee everything at the station. And so,
I can handle a lot of other stories
and tweak our local news into more
of a rounded news for Vegas and stuff.
Get your flu shot at the Bob Ruud Community Center.
That'll be happening from 9 to 2 PM.
-(car honking) -Deanna: Oh hi, Ski!
-(John laughing) -Hi, what are you doing?
-Ski: Here's the latest. You ready? -Okay.
This TV lady was interviewing people on the effectiveness
-of masks. -Yeah.
Asked this one, asked that one.
-Get this old redneck, right? -Mm-hmm.
Said, "Well, sir, how do you feel about the effectiveness of a mask?
-He said, "It's a waste of time." -Mm-hmm. Uh-huh.
-He goes, "I can prove it." -Mm-hmm.
She goes, "Well, how you gonna prove it?" He goes, "Look.
"If I can fart, and it goes through
"my cotton underwear and through my cotton blue jeans,
and I can still smell it, that mask ain't worth a shit."
-See ya. -(John laughing)
Deanna: (sighs) Ski
(email chimes)
Vern: Gosh, damn it.
Today, I received an email.
Brad, our news editor, has taken another position,
and he's gonna be leaving next Friday.
That creates a little anxiety for the news department
because the news department has to get that news out every day,
-and it's very timely. It's very quick. -(snapping)
Um Eh. It's always exciting to
find something new, and so
(sighs) It's just really frustrating.
It's really frustrating that we can't
♪
(voice breaking): People just don't know what it's like
-Vern: I know. -to constantly go through this.
Because the community doesn't support us enough
to pay good people really well,
as well as maybe Vegas could.
-Sorry. -It's just-- it's just one more thing.
You're okay. I'm gonna go take care of that with Eric. Alright.
Brad, everybody's crying.
Everybody's sulking. They're missing you already.
You haven't even left.
The effect you have on-- I got a fortune cookie one time.
It says, "You're unaware of the effect you have on people."
-You are, too. (laughs) -(laughing)
-Well, thanks. -Vern: I guarantee
you're not gonna be loved over there like you are here.
Oh no. No, I'll be just-- I'll be another number.
-Vern: Come here. Stand up. -(laughs) Oh, Vern.
-No (laughs) -This is Brad.
An outstanding editor. A guy who knows how to do video.
A guy who knows how to put a story together.
A guy who's got a great voice on TV.
-Really a great voice. And a handsome guy, too. -(laughs)
And you always got nice clothing.
-I try. (laughs) -There you go.
-Alright, buddy. -Alright.
Vern: Missey, you got a second?
♪
Can you get up to speed
with the demand
of the primary position of video editing
the news by next Friday?
That's question one.
I'm just here to help, so put me where you need me.
I'll do anything I can to make it work.
We'll back each other up wherever we have to
to get it done. It'll be okay.
Deanna (on phone): She's not able to handle that workload. 100%
I think she's gonna do like four stories, five stories.
-I don't know. I hope I'm not on speakerphone. -Yeah, you are.
-Oh, are you serious? -Yeah, you are.
(line disconnects)
She panics. She panics. She doesn't
After 23 years of doing this, what she doesn't have
is the ability to have faith in people.
And I have faith in everybody here
to do the job and they'll do it well.
This is exactly what this station is about.
You know, you got Missey. Missey's gonna be good.
Deanna: She is trying her best to go as fast as she can,
and she's doing a good job, but the problem is
Brad has been doing extra editing on Tuesday night
to make sure that she has most of the newscast for Wednesday.
And then when we have breaking news and stuff,
-who am I gonna use? -Vern: No, no, back up. Look at me.
-Losing Bradley -Mm-hmm.
-is really a bummer. -Uh-huh.
-Don't let it be stressful. -Yeah.
Let this be an opportunity.
-Come here. You okay? You sure? -Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
-Okay. You're gonna be alright? -Yes.
I know. I heard that. I'm sorry to hear that,
but you got his music, and you'll be okay with that.
You're gonna be-- Look at me, look at me. You gonna be okay?
You sure? Look.
Why you crying? Why you crying?
-Why are you crying? -(sniffs) I'm just very stressed.
Okay, but what do you gotta-- Listen, Deanna,
-how many times in 23 years have we been here? -(sniffs) I know.
-I know, I was just hoping to keep him for a little while. -You can't.
-Everybody always runs out the door. -They always do,
-and they always will. -I know. (sniffs)
And you're stuck with me, I guess. (laughs)
-Well I don't know if that's good or bad. -(laughs, sighs)
-I know. It's just-- -We have a love-hate relationship.
I was trying-- I was trying to get him to
be happy, and I knew that he was on his way out.
It's not that he's not happy. You know what it is?
-He needs insurance. He needs to grow. -Right.
He's gonna learn real quick driving back and forth to Vegas
-is gonna kick his ass. -I know, and we're looking at
Missey and John and everything like that.
It's just that I don't know that they can handle
-the amount of pressure right now. -Okay, well right now,
you gotta stand up, and you gotta act like a manager,
and you gotta act like a person
who's gonna take care of the situation.
-So you gotta make some changes-- -I'm gonna go talk to 'em.
-I'm gonna talk to Missey, I'm gonna talk to John-- -You're gonna make some changes
-for yourself and for that department. -Mm-hmm.
And that's what makes a good person and a good manager.
-Okay. I just need another backup for Missey. -Don't sweat this.
-That's fine. Write an ad -And one day, they're gonna run out the door.
They're guaranteed. One day, I'm gonna run out the door!
-One day, you're gonna run out the door. -(laughs) Mm-hmm.
-Yeah. Goodbye. -Vern: I gotta go.
-(shuts door) -(sighs) He has to tell me a couple minutes
after Eddie Van Halen's (sniffs) thing.
-Alright. Alright. (sighs) Okay. -(keys jingling)
-(radio chatter) -(opens door)
Alright, I'm back. What's happening?
♪
So, there you go. Awesome!
Thanks a lot, Brad! Thanks.
I wish you luck at your new job and everything,
and I hope you hate it, and you return right after
and run back with your hair on fire.
-(laughs) -I'll just hold on like all the girls
in your high school were holding on, right, Brad?
(both laugh)
They were like, "Never say never! Who knows!
He might like me one day!"
(both laugh)
By the way, you gotta do
your own goodbye video 'cause I don't have time.
♪
Well, we have to say goodbye to somebody today
that we really, really, really guilted out enough
-not to say goodbye to him, but he's leaving. -(laughs)
Anyways, Brad Francis, our longtime editor.
There he is with his cake right next to him,
and he's going off to a new job,
and we're hoping that we can guilt him enough, and he'll come back,
or I can pay people at that job to mistreat him or something.
-Yeah, we're twisting his arm a lot. -(laughs) Yeah.
-We'll miss you, Bradley. Thank you so much. -Deanna: We love you so much.
We go through salespeople like clockwork, too.
We go through everybody all the time.
I'm the only person that stays here
'cause I have no self-esteem.
(laughs)
♪
(inaudible)
(zapping, explosion)
♪
(insects chirping)
Sheriff Sharon Wehrly: As you're all aware, the state of Nevada
is implementing procedures to ensure social distancing
as a mechanism to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
We've no confirmed cases in Nye County,
and our hope is we can keep it that way.
♪
-Protester (on megaphone): Wear no masks. No masks! -(cheering)
We must make face coverings
a routine part of our daily lives.
Trees are supposed to breathe carbon dioxide, not people.
-(cars honking) (interviewer speaking)
No, I do not. Do you?
Woman: Well, our whole family was
tested positive over--
little over a week and a half ago.
I think we all need to
chip in and be there for each other and figure out
how we're gonna pull through on this.
Wear your mask properly. Not on your chin,
not hanging off your ear,
and certainly not in your pocket.
We've been complying with all the rules and regulations.
We got a beer garden outside that you can sit at
and have a couple drinks.
The Moose Lodge is gearing up for its annual
yard sale fundraiser.
Have to wear a mask,
and we'll be watching that very closely.
(news theme playing)
♪
♪
Deanna: Did you want any mask, Brad?
They're all individually wrapped.
So you could pick out whatever color you want.
This one's good. This one's actually good.
There's not a manly mask in here.
Deanna: This-- This one's actually good.
Is this a "Star Wars"?
(laughs)
Hey, how about this one? We should give that to Vern.
Then he can be America. 'Merica!
Everybody gets a mask, like Oprah.
"You get a mask, and you get a mask, and you get a mask."
We're used to people leaving on occasion here,
especially in the news department.
RJ left, who was our editor for the news.
Luckily, we have this new editor, Brad,
who has been here for a few months
and I really love, and he's got a lot of experience.
Not only does he edit news stories,
he also looks for news stories
and develops them as well.
Most of this stuff is just kinda canned stuff
that we're working on or have been working on.
Stories that got bumped from yesterday, so um, yeah.
Arrests. We have lots of those. (laughs)
Domestic, uh, you know,
people stealing things.
You name it, we have it all around here, so
Deanna: Oh, and then, Brad,
in the structure fire story,
I do have the picture of the Great Dane
wearing the oxygen mask, and it's really emotional.
There he is. And then, oh!
And then they said they found the chihuahua.
And the lady's running up,
and going, "Oh my god! They got my dog!"
I think that little, um,
chihuahua was singed, too, a little bit from heat.
It looked like it to me.
♪
Vern: I'm gonna go read a voiceover script here in just a minute
because I have a couple commercials I gotta read.
Yep.
I drank some coffee. I went to breakfast, and I drank
some coffee with my friend. I had two cups of coffee. I'm like going,
I'm just buzzin'! (laughs)
So, I gotta kinda calm down a little bit.
And then we're gonna read some voiceovers.
We're gonna have some fun!
Alright, Rick. You're all set up, buddy.
I'm gonna go do a voiceover, so let's get Ubaldo,
and we're gonna do a voiceover.
One of the biggest issues that I'm currently facing
is the fact that I had a three-month plan,
which has turned out to be
10-month funding plan because of COVID,
so let's go back.
(clang)
We rented a tower in Vegas.
I figured by the end of March, I would have the ability
to break into the Las Vegas market.
I'm expecting to get out there,
bring in income, pay employees
But COVID came in and shut everything down.
Here we go! Take a breath!
The bottom line is the station
now needs to start making money going into Vegas,
and to do that,
the business owners of Las Vegas need to know
that the opportunity to advertise is there. So,
on the channel itself,
I'm gonna put the video and the voiceover
TV commercial, telling people about the special $5
spot promotion.
Get your message here for only $5!
You're watching KPVM TV
channel 25.3, Las Vegas Pahrump.
Real news, real views. That's kinda tough.
Real news. Real. Views.
Real news, real views.
Real news, real views.
That's really tough to say that. Real news, real views.
Real news, real views!
Oh, wait a minute!
It's supposed to be, "real news, honest views."
Well, that sucks.
I mean, where else can you reach three million people for $5?
I've gotta get two drone shots looking at the houses,
kinda just kinda do a push like that to drop in there.
So, I'm gonna take the drone out for that.
I just drank some coffee, too.
So, I'm like going, "gee!" (laughs)
(machine fans whirring)
Ma So, this is master control.
This is what's happening behind the scenes of
all nine of our channels here.
This little box puts everything into a pipeline
to send it out over air
into all of our viewers out in TV land,
as Vern likes to call it.
This, this, this here is, uh,
the Kamal. He's, he's brand new,
and he is taking my place
starting tomorrow, full-time without any
questions
that he has to ask me. I'm sorry.
I trailed off there a little bit.
This is my last day after,
uh, over two years of being here.
They just threw me in here, shut the door, locked it.
Kept me here for two years. I've lived here.
(laughing)
I'll definitely miss the routine that I had here, um,
and I'll miss the people I work with and
um, but, I don't-- I don't think I'll miss this room
because this room is incredibly loud.
(machines whirring)
♪
Deanna: Is Vern here to do
his weird, awkward speech that goes on forever?
-Woman: Vern is not here. -Deanna: Oh.
Ma I have decided to leave
to try to start my own video game development company.
I'm hoping that we'll eventually
build out a huge franchise,
but, I mean, I just worry that
I'm gonna fail horribly
and not get to realize
my little American dream that I have.
Deanna: You've been amazing, and I'm very proud of you.
-All: Yeah. -I really am.
You're putting me on the spot here.
You know how I am on the spot.
(laughter, chatter)
Deanna: The turnover's always been a problem here,
and so when people leave,
I have to start from scratch again.
It stresses me out.
We're gonna miss ya.
Thanks, Matt.
(sighs)
Nope.
(laughs) I'll think about it.
And we want to say goodbye
to our own Matt Walker today.
He's leaving us and moving on to bigger and better things.
Thanks so much for being here, Matt.
I'm Deanna O'Donnell. Good night.
♪
Hey, you! What are you doing?
Are you making trouble? Are you making trouble
for everybody? Oh, goodness.
(laughs) We're 10:30 tomorrow, baby.
-Missey: Yes. -Take you to the doggie prom.
(laughs)
Missey: My name is Missey Kohler,
and I just moved to Pahrump, Nevada,
from Fairbanks, Alaska.
She is a show dog,
and she will be bred.
Her boyfriend lives in Pennsylvania,
but part of him will arrive tomorrow. (laughs)
-The part that matters? -Missey: The part that matters.
Deanna: She's a purebred as well,
and we were gonna share it with a Shih Tzu and have a Bull Shit,
-but we decided not to, so. -(laughter)
When we were in the midst of COVID, Missey contacted me
and told me that she was moving down here
to Pahrump from Alaska.
So we have a lot of snow birds that come down here,
and really wanted a job, and she was willing
to do whatever it took.
I'm Missey Kohler with this week's court report.
Your entertainment report for this week.
If you see someone who is
illegally dumping in the recyclable bins,
you are encouraged to report them.
I'm Missey Kohler.
♪
Deanna: I thought she was wonderful and funny,
and Missey has been in the news industry for years.
So, I asked her if she would
co-anchor with me a little bit,
and she took off really quickly with that.
I'm Deanna O'Donnell, and we are introducing Missey Kohler.
- How you doing, Missey? -I'm doing great. Glad to be here.
So glad to have Missey here. Missey and her husband, John,
just moved here from Alaska.
-And we'll meet John one day, right? Yes. -You will.
Alright. See you later.
-Bye, pup-aroni! -John: Are you ready?
♪
John: I'm John Kohler, Jr., living my best life
here in Pahrump, Nevada.
I'm the weatherman on KPVM 25!
Woo!
Man, have we got a weather report for you! Woo!
Perhaps I've oversold the excitement. I don't know.
It felt like a good move going in.
I'm from Fairbanks, Alaska. I live in Pahrump now.
And everybody says, like, "Oh man! You're gonna hate the heat!
Once the 100-degree heat is here!"
"No problem. I'll get a pool."
(laughs) So, I did.
And I'm out here every single day, and
You know, it's just wonderful.
We can plan our weekend and look at the forecast,
and it'll be lots of fun. Let's do it together now, shall we?
Deanna (on speaker): Can you do me a favor, Ubaldo?
-Ubaldo: What's up? -Could you ask John not to step towards the camera
-when he starts weather anymore? -Ubaldo: Yes, okay.
Deanna: It's just every single time.
I rode Missey's coattails big time,
which was kind of the plan. (laughs)
'Cause she's really super talented, and, um,
I'm just kinda hanging around,
and the weatherman randomly quits.
Michael Donahue left us on Friday.
I'm definitely not gonna be gone forever. I'm just gonna be gone
as like a full-time employee forever. I guess. (laugh)
-I'll miss you, audience. Goodbye. -John: And Missey's just,
"Oh! John could do that."
I'm like, "Yeah, I could do that!" you know?
Something I've always wanted to do, you know?
Who wouldn't wanna do the weather? (laughs)
Out in Vegas, they're sweating it all the way up to 97 degrees!
Oh
I like getting up in the TV,
like, you know, 'cause I picture people going,
-"Oh my God! He's coming towards me!" -Ubaldo (on PA): Yeah
Um, Deanna doesn't want you to
-go walk up to the TV again. -She doesn't?
Ubaldo: No, she said no-no.
-(sighs) -I know it's your thing, but she said no.
Alright.
Just say, "We'll have your weather after this break."
John: And then I'm off to do
a weather bump, is what we call it,
so we'll come up with a bit or we'll come up with a way
to make it kind of interesting, some kind of theme.
(high-pitched): Hey, I wonder what the weather's gonna look like today?
(normal): The weather? Well, let me tell you what it's gonna look like
today, guy in the RV! Oh, wouldn't that just
blow your mind if this was actually real?
(laughs) You're hanging out in the desert,
and I come creeping over the hill? Jeez.
That's your report. Good night.
Blah blah blah blah.
I don't know. Doesn't seem like valuable content.
(wind blowing)
Deanna: I gotta go do my makeup, and then
we usually start recording at 4:45,
so hopefully if I put on makeup by that time, we'll go.
Otherwise, I put on makeup as we go, and I just look
better and better like you've been drinking during the news.
Um, and, um (laughs)
In between the breaks
Missey: We should be in there setting shots by 4:30.
I'm not on tonight though. It's, it's, um,
Deanna and the beautiful Eunette tonight.
-You guys ready to go? -I don't know where Eunette is right now.
Eunette has several other outside jobs.
She drives a long ways, and sometimes way too fast.
I'm assuming that she's driving like a bat out of hell,
and, and so we'll find out that when she arrives.
And if she's not here in 10, then we'll go without her.
Ubaldo: Three minutes!
♪
And Eunette's here.
Hello. We were worried about you. What are you up to?
Eunette: I commute from Las Vegas
when I come here to Pahrump. It's a beautiful drive.
Some people, you know worry about that one-hour commute.
Sometimes for me, 55, 50 minutes.
Don't tell. Yeah,
but I'm a professor adjunct
at the College of Southern Nevada.
I teach journalism and communication.
I'm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
And what's important is
the news during air time,
and everything else you have to try to pause.
Yeah. We're coming up with a system.
(giggles)
Ubaldo: Okay, I'm ready. You good?
Deanna: She's being shy right now because she ran in the door
after probably driving 110 down the roadway.
-Ubaldo: One minute. -So, she's gotta catch up
with current time. (laughs) Because she probably
was in the future for a while.
So, she probably got some kind of
burns from re-entry.
-(laughter) -(Ubaldo snorts)
♪
Eunette: Did you just snort? That is so cute.
You snorted.
That's why you have to wear a frigging face shield
because you snort!
I need to wear a face shield if you're snorting.
-(beeping) -Okay, here we go.
(beep)
-(whirring) -What we're doing is
I'm trying to get footage for that video that I'm producing.
An independent TV station, such as ours,
makes money from advertisement.
So, producing commercials locally
is absolutely most important,
and we're very good at that.
Announcer 1: All you pretty ladies,
beautiful women, and sexy girls,
the Pourhouse is presenting a Wet T-Shirt Contest.
-(Wild West music) -(chicken clucks)
-(shooting) -Announcer 2: Sugar Shack.
Announcer 3: When was the last time you had a mouthful of Big Dick's pizza?
(insects chirping)
Ubaldo (on PA): Thirty seconds for Missey.
Deanna, have you yet decided what you wanna drop?
Um, we're gonna have to get rid of both arrests.
Missey: Well, we'll just push to tomorrow.
They're still just as arrested.
She's still a bad mom, he still strangled someone. It's okay.
(laughs)
Ubaldo: Five, four, three, two, one.
Announcer: You're watching News 25, the most recognized
and farthest-reaching local news in Nye County.
Welcome back. News 26 talked with Kenny Weaver,
assistant principal at Pahrump Valley High School,
to find out how his family is doing
with their three children learning virtually.
News 26 spoke to them?
Didn't we have an interview, too?
Sorry. Did I say News 26? Did it say News 26?
Oh, I sure did.
Kenny Weaver: Benny is loving school right now.
He's able to work at his own pace.
-The middle school does -Deanna: Missey,
what are these dissolves? They look so strange.
Ubaldo: Missey, do you know how to speed up your transitions?
Missey: When I was first hired here, I was asked to learn
our editor's job as well, so he could take
an extra day off during the week,
which was something completely new to me.
Deanna: See, that's your slow transition that we're talking about there.
See how it stays too long?
If you do those slow transitions,
it just leaves it hanging and it's just too--
You should just do a quick one. See how long that one was?
You gotta change them.
-Go faster. -Okay. Awesome.
-Ask him in the morning, and then-- -I will.
Missey: I really am trying to get it all right.
-What? -I really am trying to get it right.
-You are doing great. -Oh
What are you talking about? Stop.
-Why do you do that? -I just want you to know
that I'm not a total loser.
I don't think you're a total loser.
-Why'd you say that? -(laughs) I just--
-Now I'm super upset. -Don't be upset.
I'm frustrated with myself.
Deanna: Well, that's gonna wrap up this edition of News 25.
-I'm Deanna. -I'm Missey. Thanks for watching.
-Have a great evening. -Good night.
♪
Oh, and the other thing
I, I need you to show me how to do is, um
I talked with Deanna last night,
and evidently, you can adjust the timing on the transition?
So, those transitions I was using, um
are-- they're taking too long, I guess.
I didn't even know that you could speed those up,
so I'm learning as I go along,
which I think that probably that's the best way to do it.
It's also, it's also hard and embarrassing
and, you know, just to learn that you made a mistake
after you've made the mistake. And so,
I had no idea that I could change those.
So, it's-- it's part of learning.
Brad: Alright.
-Have you heard anything from her? -Missey: Not today.
Okay. I haven't either, I don't think.
Deanna: Alright, so what are we doing? What's your plan, Stan?
Adam Tippets: Walk you through this a little bit,
and I can explain a little bit about
what the facility's for.
Deanna: Three, two-- One, two, three, go.
I'm Sergeant Adam Tippets. I'm-- Sorry.
I'm Sergeant Adam Tippets. I'm the training coordinator
for the Nye County Sheriff's Office.
Once a year, all officers
are required by Nevada law to get
certain types of training, and this facility
gives us a lot of the resources that we need in order
to give them that training.
(kicking, banging)
God, maybe I'm a bad example.
(adjusting door)
(sniffs)
(bangs)
I wonder if I'm setting it up wrong because it's not
It's supposed to come a lot easier than that.
Okay, this is me waiting for the bathroom at Denny's.
-"I wanna come in!" -(bang)
(both laugh)
I used to edit, report, anchor, and do everything by myself.
Now, we have myself, Brad, Missey, and John.
So, let's talk about
what's coming up. There's gonna be another land auction?
It's helped me not have to
oversee everything at the station. And so,
I can handle a lot of other stories
and tweak our local news into more
of a rounded news for Vegas and stuff.
Get your flu shot at the Bob Ruud Community Center.
That'll be happening from 9 to 2 PM.
-(car honking) -Deanna: Oh hi, Ski!
-(John laughing) -Hi, what are you doing?
-Ski: Here's the latest. You ready? -Okay.
This TV lady was interviewing people on the effectiveness
-of masks. -Yeah.
Asked this one, asked that one.
-Get this old redneck, right? -Mm-hmm.
Said, "Well, sir, how do you feel about the effectiveness of a mask?
-He said, "It's a waste of time." -Mm-hmm. Uh-huh.
-He goes, "I can prove it." -Mm-hmm.
She goes, "Well, how you gonna prove it?" He goes, "Look.
"If I can fart, and it goes through
"my cotton underwear and through my cotton blue jeans,
and I can still smell it, that mask ain't worth a shit."
-See ya. -(John laughing)
Deanna: (sighs) Ski
(email chimes)
Vern: Gosh, damn it.
Today, I received an email.
Brad, our news editor, has taken another position,
and he's gonna be leaving next Friday.
That creates a little anxiety for the news department
because the news department has to get that news out every day,
-and it's very timely. It's very quick. -(snapping)
Um Eh. It's always exciting to
find something new, and so
(sighs) It's just really frustrating.
It's really frustrating that we can't
♪
(voice breaking): People just don't know what it's like
-Vern: I know. -to constantly go through this.
Because the community doesn't support us enough
to pay good people really well,
as well as maybe Vegas could.
-Sorry. -It's just-- it's just one more thing.
You're okay. I'm gonna go take care of that with Eric. Alright.
Brad, everybody's crying.
Everybody's sulking. They're missing you already.
You haven't even left.
The effect you have on-- I got a fortune cookie one time.
It says, "You're unaware of the effect you have on people."
-You are, too. (laughs) -(laughing)
-Well, thanks. -Vern: I guarantee
you're not gonna be loved over there like you are here.
Oh no. No, I'll be just-- I'll be another number.
-Vern: Come here. Stand up. -(laughs) Oh, Vern.
-No (laughs) -This is Brad.
An outstanding editor. A guy who knows how to do video.
A guy who knows how to put a story together.
A guy who's got a great voice on TV.
-Really a great voice. And a handsome guy, too. -(laughs)
And you always got nice clothing.
-I try. (laughs) -There you go.
-Alright, buddy. -Alright.
Vern: Missey, you got a second?
♪
Can you get up to speed
with the demand
of the primary position of video editing
the news by next Friday?
That's question one.
I'm just here to help, so put me where you need me.
I'll do anything I can to make it work.
We'll back each other up wherever we have to
to get it done. It'll be okay.
Deanna (on phone): She's not able to handle that workload. 100%
I think she's gonna do like four stories, five stories.
-I don't know. I hope I'm not on speakerphone. -Yeah, you are.
-Oh, are you serious? -Yeah, you are.
(line disconnects)
She panics. She panics. She doesn't
After 23 years of doing this, what she doesn't have
is the ability to have faith in people.
And I have faith in everybody here
to do the job and they'll do it well.
This is exactly what this station is about.
You know, you got Missey. Missey's gonna be good.
Deanna: She is trying her best to go as fast as she can,
and she's doing a good job, but the problem is
Brad has been doing extra editing on Tuesday night
to make sure that she has most of the newscast for Wednesday.
And then when we have breaking news and stuff,
-who am I gonna use? -Vern: No, no, back up. Look at me.
-Losing Bradley -Mm-hmm.
-is really a bummer. -Uh-huh.
-Don't let it be stressful. -Yeah.
Let this be an opportunity.
-Come here. You okay? You sure? -Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
-Okay. You're gonna be alright? -Yes.
I know. I heard that. I'm sorry to hear that,
but you got his music, and you'll be okay with that.
You're gonna be-- Look at me, look at me. You gonna be okay?
You sure? Look.
Why you crying? Why you crying?
-Why are you crying? -(sniffs) I'm just very stressed.
Okay, but what do you gotta-- Listen, Deanna,
-how many times in 23 years have we been here? -(sniffs) I know.
-I know, I was just hoping to keep him for a little while. -You can't.
-Everybody always runs out the door. -They always do,
-and they always will. -I know. (sniffs)
And you're stuck with me, I guess. (laughs)
-Well I don't know if that's good or bad. -(laughs, sighs)
-I know. It's just-- -We have a love-hate relationship.
I was trying-- I was trying to get him to
be happy, and I knew that he was on his way out.
It's not that he's not happy. You know what it is?
-He needs insurance. He needs to grow. -Right.
He's gonna learn real quick driving back and forth to Vegas
-is gonna kick his ass. -I know, and we're looking at
Missey and John and everything like that.
It's just that I don't know that they can handle
-the amount of pressure right now. -Okay, well right now,
you gotta stand up, and you gotta act like a manager,
and you gotta act like a person
who's gonna take care of the situation.
-So you gotta make some changes-- -I'm gonna go talk to 'em.
-I'm gonna talk to Missey, I'm gonna talk to John-- -You're gonna make some changes
-for yourself and for that department. -Mm-hmm.
And that's what makes a good person and a good manager.
-Okay. I just need another backup for Missey. -Don't sweat this.
-That's fine. Write an ad -And one day, they're gonna run out the door.
They're guaranteed. One day, I'm gonna run out the door!
-One day, you're gonna run out the door. -(laughs) Mm-hmm.
-Yeah. Goodbye. -Vern: I gotta go.
-(shuts door) -(sighs) He has to tell me a couple minutes
after Eddie Van Halen's (sniffs) thing.
-Alright. Alright. (sighs) Okay. -(keys jingling)
-(radio chatter) -(opens door)
Alright, I'm back. What's happening?
♪
So, there you go. Awesome!
Thanks a lot, Brad! Thanks.
I wish you luck at your new job and everything,
and I hope you hate it, and you return right after
and run back with your hair on fire.
-(laughs) -I'll just hold on like all the girls
in your high school were holding on, right, Brad?
(both laugh)
They were like, "Never say never! Who knows!
He might like me one day!"
(both laugh)
By the way, you gotta do
your own goodbye video 'cause I don't have time.
♪
Well, we have to say goodbye to somebody today
that we really, really, really guilted out enough
-not to say goodbye to him, but he's leaving. -(laughs)
Anyways, Brad Francis, our longtime editor.
There he is with his cake right next to him,
and he's going off to a new job,
and we're hoping that we can guilt him enough, and he'll come back,
or I can pay people at that job to mistreat him or something.
-Yeah, we're twisting his arm a lot. -(laughs) Yeah.
-We'll miss you, Bradley. Thank you so much. -Deanna: We love you so much.
We go through salespeople like clockwork, too.
We go through everybody all the time.
I'm the only person that stays here
'cause I have no self-esteem.
(laughs)
♪
(inaudible)
(zapping, explosion)
♪