The Scribble with Jeremy Bradley

It's a weird question to start off the show, but Jeremy Bradley asks if you've ever been happy that somebody died. After getting in touch with a friend from his past, JB took a walk down memory lane to remember other people from that time in his life. He took time to Google those people and look up their social media pages, only to discover that one of them had died a few years earlier. When he reunited with the former friend, they discussed that person with whom they'd had a mutual connection. And the story of the death wasn't as sad as you might think. JB explains how he was taken aback by how casual the details were shared and how it didn't seem to be a sad moment in time.

Awards show season is in full swing and Jeremy Bradley -- an entertainment reporter for nearly 20 years -- has some thoughts about the continual decline of viewer interest. JB talks about his early days covering the shows and their red carpets. He talks about how the reporting of them has changed and how the focus has gradually shifted thanks to social media and everybody making the moment about themselves. JB recalls a recent conversation with Melissa Rivers, who reflected on the iconic moments co-hosting red carpets with her mom, Joan, and how broadcasters would never have thought to ask for a selfie at an event. Are people tuning out because they're sick of seeing the rich and famous patting themselves on the back?

Who picks up the tab after a night out with friends? Does everyone pay their own way? Does the party split the bill evenly? That's a big discussion topic as dining etiquette is debated. Jeremy Bradley talks about the different scenarios in which he pays the bill -- but would he chip in if everyone else ate and drank more than he did? Later, school and team fundraisers are common for kids to get roped into. (How can you say no to such a cute little face?) But one parent said he's willing to buy all the chocolates to save his kid from having to go begging door to door to raise money for the school. JB talks about which side of the debate he's on: make the kid fundraise or give the money yourself so your kid is spared the hassle.

ABC successfully exploited another temporary  couple with the new series The Golden Bachelor and its subsequent televised wedding months after the engagement. Jeremy Bradley comments on the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise's success rate and why he's skeptical about this latest couple rushing things even faster than the younger folks on the shows. Was the wedding really about the couple? Of course not -- especially when a major TV network was paying for everything. Can they really feel it's their special day when 90% of the guests were people from other seasons of the shows whom they'd never heard of before? Later, the dreaded new year's resolution: the self-imposed punishment to change what you don't want to change. JB has some thoughts about that, too.

Now more than ever, the year that's coming to an end is described as "a dumpster fire." People focus on how terrible the past 365 days were that they lose sight of the great thing that happened throughout the year. Jeremy Bradley talks about how he spends his time between Christmas and new year's. It's not about looking forward and saying, "thank god the year is over" as if the flip of a calendar magically changes things. Instead, JB takes a walk down memory lane to focus on the incredible moments from the year. 

Single folks tend to feel lonely, perhaps shamed, during the holiday season. Jeremy Bradley says there's no reason to feel that way as long as you make the most of your time. The commercialization of Christmas makes people feel like if they don't have the glamorous shindigs and fancy dinners and beautiful decorations and a houseful of people that somehow their holiday is a sad failure. Not so. JB finds the positives in being alone this time of year.

The holiday season is in full swing but not everyone feels that way. And Jeremy Bradley says that's OK. There's so much emphasis on surrounding yourself with people (who, let's be honest, will pay more attention to their phone than the others around them) during the holidays that we're made to feel like being on your own is a bad thing. JB says that being alone can sometimes be more fun. The pandemic had JB and his husband appreciate a scaled-down holiday season away from the craziness, noise and spectacle. Later, it was an annual event to make your Christmas wish list as a kid. When did that stop? Or, as an adult do you still list what you want for holiday gifts? JB talks about how his husband better not dare ask what to get for Christmas. Why? Tune in to find out.

He sounds like a broken record at this point but Jeremy Bradley insists "customer service ain't what it used to be." JB reflects on his time working in the service industry. He talks about how in retail he felt good about going above and beyond to help customers. Now, things have changed. JB talks about how workers don't have that connection with the clients they serve because the "customer experience" has become less personal and more transactional (think $$$). JB takes things one step further by talking about how a company hired to do work on his property caused damage and seemingly had no intention of saying anything. But, JB caught it on camera and confronted a worker. 

People tend to age-shame folks as they get older (OK, boomer) but that generation has it much better than the younger ones nowadays. Jeremy Bradley, 41, talks about a snotty kid making fun of his age and trying to make him feel like his life is over because he's old. JB claps back and says he's glad he's not a youngster in today's world simply because of teenage bullying and the unattainable dream of home ownership. JB says perhaps those millennials (or whatever they're called) should take note from people who've experienced life and are established -- he notes, as a person who retired at 39 years old.

Thanksgiving is traditionally the kickoff to the holiday season. It's a time of togetherness and overeating... and fist fights over political differences... and staring at your phone while ignoring your family. Jeremy Bradley comments about how the dynamic has changed since he was a kid. Plus, he also discusses being in the moment and why people shouldn't post their Wi-Fi password for guests attending their party. JB's rule: you leave your phone in a bag at the door and collect it when you leave. Later, Black Friday is here and you have to wonder if those people rolling on the floor tasering other shoppers in viral videos really want that cheap TV or if it's just the thrill of the chase. JB talks about bargain shopping and the competition it spurs.