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In February 2010, at a home show in New England, the woodworking community was shaken with the news that WGBH , the station that brought us Norm Abram , was about to re-enter the woodworking television show game (read that entry here). A new concept was talked about and a new host was announced. That host was Thomas J. MacDonald, Tommy Mac. Everything was ready except for a detail or two.
Now that those details have been worked out, WGBH is looking for our help. You and I have the power to influence this new show from the get go. Click here and go to a survey to help pick a name for the new show. Be quick about it though, WGBH hopes to have a name picked (or at least the results of the survey) in the next few days.
After you run through the survey, let us know what name you think is best. I have my favorite.
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Frankly I thought none of the titles were very good. However, that won’t keep me from watching. I’m wishing nothing but success to Tommy Mac and his new show.
Fine Cut – Woodworking with Tommy MacDonald.
"Fine" because it’s all about creating fine furniture.
"Woodworking with Tommy MacDonald" because that’s exactly what it is. And it’s important to keep his (full) name in the title because he is a respected draw.
American Woodworker is the name of another woodworking publication, so it would not be right to appropriate that name for a show, unless they are doing projects which are usually done in American Woodworker … such as router tables, garage makeovers into a woodshop, etc.
Anything with "Tommy" in the title will create confusion with Tom Silva of "This Old House" fame.
Cutting Edge.
I don’t like the American Woodworker, The Workbench or Woodworking America/USA because those remind me too much of the titles of woodworking monthly magazines.
How about Tool Time with Tommy? Except for the fact that Tool Time is probably trademarked, and it makes it sound like a cartoon, anyway. Tom’s Toolbox?? Cuuute. Will be interesting to see what they go with!
Tommy’s Workshop
My favourite of the list is "The Workbench". I’d prefer not to see anything with USA or America in it since I think the show should cater to a global audience. Of the "Cut" titles, rough cut is an obvious extension of Tommy’s podcast and those not familiar with his work may not understand the title. the other "cut"s are just cutesy play on word titles.
Personally, I don’t really like any of the names. Someone else suggested "The new new yankee workshop" which I thought was fun.
I’m in Canada and I don’t have cable, so I probably won’t be watching it anyway.
Might be something worth while to check out, we’ll see.
I am anxious to see this series.
I think "Just Woodworking" fits the series description the best and is not similar to the names of other shows or publications.
Although the titles with Tommy Mac’s name included may attract interest from some familiar with his work, I personally prefer the more generic titles. Something like "Just Woodworking", "American Woodworker", or "Woodworking USA" could continue with other hosts and also feature the work/techniques/designs of other noted craftsmen. I loved Norm’s show but because "The New Yankee Workshop" was his trademark, when he tired of the show the program’s name had to be retired.
I believe interest in woodworking is as enduring as is interest in gardening that, like "The Victory Garden", a broadly generic title could have lasting appeal.
In the shop with Tommy MacDonald
In the shop with Tommy MacDonald. Not "cutsy" and says it all.
I hope they don’t pick American anything or USA something. What about considering they will probably have a global audience.
Rough Cut but drop the Tommy "Mac"
Woodworking today