Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!amigan
From: amigan@cup.portal.com (R Michael Medwid)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Toaster Notes or A Little bit of Self-Serving Name Dropping
Message-ID: <37189@cup.portal.com>
Date: 23 Dec 90 19:17:08 GMT
References: <1990Dec22.083912.2459@nas.nasa.gov>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 29

I thought the Penn & Teller video prduced by NewTek was perhaps the most
clever/creative
..certainly the funniest..piece of programming I've seen produce via an 
Amiga.  It was kind of a Silicon Valley version (I know..newtek's in Kansas)
of the old Saturday Night Live: Lenord Pinth Garnall's  B A D  Playhouse
"ah yes..extraordinarily bad, my what, really bit the big one..wouldn't
you say."  Only here it was B A D  Home Rock Video.  Complete with
every digital processing cliche ever done and the use of the tackiest
most color-saturated effects a teenager in the most remote boonies 
might choose to use.  But at the same time it showed off the Toaster's
fire-power.  Good going NewTek!

     I imagine Paul Montgomary had a lot to do with getting the P&T thing
set up.  Since I first talked with him in '86 (back when he was at EA)
he seemed intent on positioning the Amiga as truly the computer "for
the rest of us"..trying to communicate to people without an engineering
degree just *why* the Amiga is so damn cool.  Which reminds me of other
NewTek strategies..like "Cool Friends of NewTek" promotion..and how they
have all those cute personable females at their boothes..it all seems to
say "NO the computer is NOT just for the NERD anymore!".

The other things I loved produced around the Amiga were the ads C= had
produced by LucasFilm.  But I imagine those cost quite a bit more to
produce than the NewTek P&T.  

Anyhow I certainly don't feel put over that Penn & Teller aren't spending 
their Christmas with the Toaster.  I hope they just keep focusing on 
comedy and call NewTek the next time they want to show the lighter side
of the "technology revolution".