THE WASHINGTON POST

2 November 1983

The TV Column

Moving Right Along

ABC reports that approximately
· half of the 25 30-second commercial
slots on its controversial "The Day
After" have been sold so far, with
three weeks to go before the Nov. 20
telecast ...
· Ads in the film, depicting a nu-
clear attack on Kansas City, Mo.,
and its aftermath, will be aired in
four "pods" of five commercials each
during the first (preattack) hour of
the drama while a final, five-com-
mercial pod will air when the pro-
gram ends . . .
Meanwhile, in Washington, the
network has been quietly screening
the drama for selected groups at the
Kennedy Center for the past two
weeks... . ,
One executive estimated some 300
people have viewed "The Day After"
in eight separate screenings, set up
for various religious groups, educa-
tors, antinuclear organizations, na-
1 tional defense advocates and other
I special'mteres ts . . . ·
In addition, private screenings
have been held for selected members
of Congress who have requested a
·viewing at the Washington corporate
' offices of ABC Inc., but the lobbyists
l t • - -- - --~- - - .
weren t returning phone calls yester-
da~..:.· .
----~---~.- --- - ·
What will 'Day After' teach kids?
By Barbara Zlgll shocking film to come along," planning a community viewing
USA TODAY says executive director Tony of the film. YCMMSJvle ,
Wagner. • Philadelphia schools are Handle with care
The nation's schools are Many school districts are distributing guidelines to ad-
bracing for the educational holding seminars and meet- ministrators, faculty and staff The National Education
and psychological fallout from ings to prepare for the film. for discussion and counseling. Association has Issued a pa-
The Day A~er ....:. ABC's contro- "No matter what anybody says, Ke,!.ner previewed the film rental advisory on The Day
versial movie that graphically a great many young people are and says it could have a "dev- After. Children may have a
depicts a nuclear attack. . going to be watching it," says astating effect" on children. strong reaction to the show,
Educators are worried that Philadelphia associate superin- "There's just this feeling of de- th& NEA says, and those
the 1V movie - to air Nov. 20 tendent Bernard Ketner. spair - what's the use of even children who watch should
- will give young children ABC spokeswoman Janice trying, since the effect of nucle- do so With par&nts. . A~r-
nightmares and make older Gretemeyer says demand has ar war is so devastating," he ward, parents 1lriJ advised to .
students depressed, despon• been heavy for classroom says. "We do believe in the dis- promote dl~ion .~ !
dent or angry about the threat study guides for the film. The cussion of nuclear war, but we the children by asking the; ,
of nuclear war. network already has distribut- have to develop chi\pren's In- following questions: ·
The film has prompted the ed 500,000 guides to school dis- formation without destroying • Which scenes had the• '
1.7 million-member National 'DAY AFTER': Jason Robards tricts across the USA. their hope for a better tomor- greatest Impact on you?
Education Association to Issue and Georgann Johnson star in Here's what schools are do- row." • In what way$ do you •
Its first-ever "parent advisory," ABC's controversial movie. ing: . Despite fears that the film feel different from bEifor~'
recommending that parents • Portland, Ore., school offi- could leave youngsters demor- you saw the movie?
not allow children to see the parents should forbid' their cials are malling out 50,000 let- alized, Abram Claude of Physi-
movie alone. The NEA sug- children tt> watch It ters recommending that no one cians for Social Responsibility • How do yoU think a tu.1- '.
gests · parents watch It with The nuclear education undet 16 see the film and dis- says the film could be valuable clear war would start? At·
their children and discuss It af• group Educators for Social Re- couraging those above 16 from for more mature students. tacl<? Aceldent? A small wat
terWard. sponsibility, recommends that seeing It. "Adolescents are going to be escalating Into nuclear r?
Other education groups and no child under 12 see The Day • Oakland, Calif., ls conduct- Inheriting this world, and this Is • What can an or ull do t
some_~_h.9Q.l 9fflclals S!.lY I.he Mer. "It's the most depressing, Ing workshops for teachers.
Day After Is ~ powerful that~ most deeply moving, even _. • An Ithaca, N.Y., school Is
__
.......
one of the things they're going
to have to deal with."
, ,. _ ..
h Ip prev nt nude r w r?

. .
'Nightline' orchestrates a world crisis
By Jack Curry
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON - The
Monchhichis are stuck on the
monitors behind Hodding Car-
ter Ill's head. The bathroom
down the hall, Clark Clifford
mentions discreetly, doesn't
work. Someone has forgotten
to put the mints on the table be-
hind Edmund Muskie.
Such are the problems con-
fronting the Nightline crew as
they film The Crisis Game, a
four-part "what if?" war exer-
cise that will air on the late-
night ABC news show Nov. 22-
25. Ted Koppel will host the
special, but does not partici-
pate in the "war game."
The series will show how
the USA would handle an inter-
national crisis - by simulating
a National Security Council
meeting called in reaction to a
Russian invasion of Iran. Mus-
kie plays the president, and
other "performers," including
Carter, former as.51Stant secre-
tary of state; and Clifford and
James Schlesinger, former sec-
MUSKIE: Former senator
plays president, wants mints.
retaries of defense, play mem-
bers of the NSC.
But no game playing can
start until the ABC conference
room to be used as a set can at-
tain a proper top-brass envi-
ronment. A bank of monitors
has been brought in to provide
a presidential window on the
world, but the technicians
can't get them to beam any-
thing presidential-looking. The
Mon chhic his - animated
things that populate Saturday
morning TV - won't go away.
SCHLESINGER: Ex-defense
secretary plays NSC member.
As the technical glitches are
being ironed out, Muskie says
he's certain the internal work·
ings at the level depicted In
The Crisis Game are "a mys-
tery to most people. But people
who see this will maybe realize
there's a lot of information ca•
pable of being brought to bear
in emergencies like the one
here." Throughout the meeting
the council members make
judgments based on their own
expertise and on information
reported by intelligence oper-
USA TODAY· MONDAY. NOVEMBER 14, 1983 · 7D
CARTER: He couldn't shake
the cartoons behind his head.
atlves.
Leslie Gelb, senior consul•
tant 1on the production and an
expert oq national security,
says he believes the impetlJS
behind the Nightline series can
be found in ABC's nucleur holo-
caust movie The Day After,
scheduled to air two days be-
fore the war game begins. That
movie, he says, "gave this pro-
ject life.This one will show that
the USA can manage a crisis,
we have the discipline."
"This is a big test," says ex-
,,.,.
ecutive producer Bill Lord.
"20/20 did a war-game show,
but there's never been any...
thing like this - four hours·
with this distinguished a group
- done before."
Lord insists the participants
are not acting, per se, but
"have the expertise needed in
these situations. Many of them
have played such games re;
fore." Nonetheless, he antici·
pates flubs: "I'm waiting to see
who's the first to call Muskie
'senator.'"
(In fact, when the war game
gets under way, one particia
pant says "Vietnam" instead of
"Iran" so many timei, that a
production ~istant wonders
aloud "when we'll see 'The
Best of War Game Bloopersi
show.")
Finally, the mints arrive on a
rolling tray covered by a crisp
white cloth: this armageddon is
catered. The Monchhichis'
screen goes resolutely black -
an omen, perhaps, of how the
players will handle invading
presences. Everything is
ready: lights, camera ... crisis.