Big 3 Networks Tackle Social Ills in Support of ‘End Hunger’ Project

On tonight’s episode of CBS’ “Designing Women,” spoiled former beauty queen Suzanne Sugarbaker (Delta Burke) learns something about herself and the real importance of physical beauty when she returns to her high school reunion and finds herself ridiculed because she has gained weight.

Besides making a point about Suzanne, the show also points out that worrying about one’s weight is a luxury in a world where people are starving to death each day.

The “Designing Women” episode is part of “Prime Time to End Hunger,” a weeklong project in which episodes of several popular series on the three major networks will focus on the issues of homelessness, hunger and other social ills.

The project, sponsored by the End Hunger Network, a nonprofit, Los Angeles-based organization, and Volunteer--The National Center, which bands together volunteer groups nationwide, is not intended as a fund-raising effort. Instead, viewers will be invited to dial a 900 number (at a cost of about $2 to the caller) to receive the organization’s handbook and information on how to get involved in volunteer efforts in their own communities.

Participating shows include CBS’ “Jake and the Fatman,” NBC’s “Cheers” and “The Golden Girls” and ABC’s “Head of the Class” and “thirtysomething.” Each is airing in its regular time slot.

“Prime Time to End Hunger” was kicked off Oct. 25 with a press conference at the White House Rose Garden, with remarks by President Bush and executives from the three networks. Bush has also taped a public-service announcement encouraging volunteerism that will air following some of the episodes.

The Bush endorsement did not sit well with all participants, however. NBC’s “The Cosby Show” will air a specially written episode Thursday, but will not broadcast the 900 number afterward. The reasons are unclear. An NBC spokeswoman said that the 900-number switchboard would be unable to handle the number of calls that would probably pour in following the high-rated show, especially since the special “Cheers” episode will air on the same night. But she also said that Cosby did not participate in the Oct. 25 press conference because he is politically opposed to the Bush Administration. One source said that Cosby might have objected to the plan to air Bush’s public-service announcement during the show.

Spokesmen for the End Hunger Network said that Cosby’s episode remains associated with the project, however. Cosby was unavailable for comment.

End Hunger spokesmen denied that the kick-off press conference at the White House signaled any association with President Bush.

“The President sort of kicked it off because the volunteer aspect of it fit in with his ‘thousand points of light’ philosophy, but this is not a program of the Bush Administration,” said Jerry Michaud, executive director of the End Hunger Network.

“He (Bush) jumped on the bandwagon, basically. His focus is getting people involved through volunteerism, and this was the right thing at the right time. Of course, we also would like some government funding to go along with volunteerism.”

David Goldsmith, senior vice president of creative affairs for Grant Tribune Productions and co-chairman of the project, also said that the White House was not directly involved in the effort. “It’s not their points of light, it’s our points of light,” he said.

Although some producers had episodes written specifically for the project, some are using scripts they had written or planned to write anyway about issues relevant to the effort.

“Head of the Class” producer Rich Eustis, for example, had already wanted to do a show focusing on illiteracy, and it fit into the project as a social problem that could be aided by volunteer help. The producers had also done a show about the homeless, but it wound up being scheduled too early in the season to be included in the “End Hunger” week, Eustis said.

Although the illiteracy episode was in the works anyway, Eustis said he and co-executive producer Michael Elias would have been happy to write a special episode for the project. “I think it’s great--I think it’s nice to raise consciousness,” he said.

“It’s like anything that’s political--if everybody loves it and nobody comes out against it, it’s easy to do it. Who’s going to say, ‘Hey, you can’t do a show against homelessness. I’m pro-homeless.’?”

“thirtysomething” executive producer Marshall Herskovitz disagreed, and said he and co-executive producer Ed Zwick would never write a script at the request of any group. Their episode, in which the character Hope gets involved in a volunteer effort to stop a local incinerator project, was planned before “End Hunger” representatives approached them, he said.

Herskovitz said that the episode ends with ambivalence about whether Hope’s volunteering was a good thing--and added that, while the 900 number will be shown at the end of the episode, they have asked that the network’s appeal for callers should not mention the story line of the episode.

In general, Herskovitz said, he is against producers deliberately participating in any special-interest group’s agenda, even if it is not controversial.

“I fear anyone using it (TV) to their own ends,” he said. “Propaganda is propaganda, whether it’s right-wing, left-wing or middle-of-the-road.”

Herskovitz added that television has not been particularly effective in advancing causes anyway. “It’s my pet theory that television has had a liberal agenda for 15 years, but it has had no effect; we elected George Bush in spite of TV’s liberal agenda. Television is not a very good instrument for social change.”

Tony Thomas, co-executive producer of NBC’s “The Golden Girls,” said that the producers had planned to do an episode on the homeless in any case, but were happy to write it specifically for the End Hunger project.

“It’s a question of finding the right story, and making it entertaining along the way--that’s our first priority,” he said. “We do these kinds of shows anyway; why wouldn’t we want to participate?”