u/truecrimebuff1994

My Alexa is used through a Bose home audio system connected to Wi-Fi. The Alexa voice recently updated on that device to the most annoying valley-girl AI voice that you can imagine. This is apparently the new standard Alexa voice across devices.

At least once a week, I have to tell it, “Alexa, revert to feminine 2.” then the thing tries to gaslight me into believing that the new voice is her classic voice, and I have to do it again. Then once it finally switches it promises to save the setting. But then the voice switches back to the newer approximately a week later.

How do I stop it from switching back? I cannot stand this hyper realistic, obnoxious new voice. Sorry if that’s a little harsh, but the new voice just gets under my skin.

My friend and I went to the show a couple years ago. We waited at the church for quite a while after the contestant interviews. We think this is because they were switching over from a primetime special taping to the normal daytime taping.

My friend doesn’t want to go again because he didn’t like how long we waited. But again, I think we waited a little bit longer than normal because of a set change.

Also, do you wait less in the morning than if you’re not the first taping of the day?

There’s at least one poster up at my Regal for “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.” my Regal is not getting this movie. Furthermore, it looks like no Regal within my radius is getting this movie.

This happened with “This is Spinal Tap II” and “Luckiest Man in America.” I had to go to the one the next town over. But for this movie, it’s not even at that theater.

I understand the answer probably has to do with studio contracts and requirements for advertising. But I’d be so curious to know the internal discussions and if there’s any pushback on promoting a movie you’re not even getting.

IMHO it’s one thing when the preview has to be included in a trailer pack, completely another to show it in your poster displays. Because to me that rather explicitly states that your location is going to get the movie that put up the poster for.

How is it determined when to say the brand name in the reader on the small prizes versus just generic copy? "1 liter of Orange Soda." George, I can see the thing says SUNKIST on it!

Or when they clearly have Samsung folding phones for a One Bid, but they're "Two smart phone tablets!"

Is it a difference between the things the show bought outright versus what's furnished for free in exchange for a branded reader? That's been my best guess but I'm assuming I'm probably wrong

OK this is very odd. Has this happened to anyone else?

For background, I order the standard 3-flavor multipack (Mucho Mango, Watermelon, Fruit Punch) of 24 bottles from BJ's Wholesale. (They're like Costco but mainly concentrated in the Northeast...not sure if Costco carries this particular package).

I popped open a Watermelon today, and...I swear, it is carbonated. Like a sparkling drink. It may even be alcoholic because it tastes like a very fruity champagne. I just can't tell if that is because there is alcohol in it, or its just a combination of the watermelon flavor and the carbonation is making the brain think it is champagne. The color of the liquid is the same as the normal watermelon drink.

I swear I'm not making this up. (I hate Reddit trolls myself). And I've saved some of the bottle for my best friend to try when he gets here later tonight. I definitely need a second opinion.

Has anybody had this happen? So very odd.

I just saw the weirdest thing happen. I watched an episode yesterday (I skip around on streaming). I'm not sure the airdate and I'm not going to go back and dig. It was either June or July. But the items for Danger Price were:

-75 in OLED TV
-Kate Spade Shoes
-Outdoor Bar
-Elliptical with 20 resistance setting.
Danger price was $1580 and the woman lost.

Today, I'm watching the show from 4/21/26. The prizes are exactly the same, with the same amount of monetary value for the prizes. And the woman here won them. A couple of things stand out to me.

The contestant who aired in April won the prizes. The contestant who aired in the Summer lost. I would think they would retire a prize suite for a certain game if it had been won, right?

A TV producer myself, I understand having multiples of the same items furnished to the show from a sponsoring company. But should they at least spread those multiples across different games? I have never seen this before.

Mods I promise this isn’t a scam. I’m a music journalist. I literally posted a half hour ago about possibly getting two comps to Baltimore. But they just asked if I could do Newark NJ instead.

I don’t drive. So if someone from DC wants to road trip it up, to Prudential Center, or you’re already going but want a better seat, I’m happy to have you. It’s usually lower bowl.

Feel free to DM me, we’ll make sure the vibes match, etc. I’ll show you my news site, verify myself, etc.

Thanks all!

Not trying to be snarky at all. Genuinely curious if this tactic seems to be proliferating. And if it is, is it a result of pressure or bad advice on tactics from higher ups to the juniors?

Lately, my inbox has been inundated with asks for “help.” And not in the positive context of “help spread the word!” The approach by the publicist is that they are asking the journalist for “help” with coverage or that the publicist is “looking for news help.”

And one today takes the cake: straight up begging by being hyperbolic. The email subject line started all caps, “HUGE FAVOR.” Then in the email they actually said “I’d give a limb if you would post this.” And they further prostrated themselves by offering an interview with another, bigger client in exchange for the post. (Who is not really of interest anyway.) I’ve never, ever in 10 years had the publicist immediately start to bargain.

And all of these ones that I categorize as “begging” come from firms or reps I have zero relationship with. So they aren’t even “favors” on that level.

I have no idea how to respond to these—especially the last one. It’s like the begging is almost a strategy so the journalist looks like a jerk if they say no. Makes it all too personal. But it’s happening a lot more. Is this a new trend you all are being pressured into?

OK so maybe I'm being a total Karen, but I was really puzzled by the logic of this. My Regal hosted a third-party, multi-screen documentary festival yesterday.

The Regal was more packed than usual on this Saturday with big audiences for Disclosure Day, Stop! That! Train! and The Furious. But the doc festival caused a lot of the screenings for the new movies to get pushed to smaller auditoriums. Rooms where the screens aren't as big as our main "blockbuster" auditoriums, and where the projector maintenance is sub-par at best. And it seemed, to me at least, like there weren't near enough screenings of Disclosure Day for the demand.

Absolutely let's celebrate indy doc makers. But...timing is everything, right? Why would Regal allow a multi-screen festival rental on a summer blockbuster weekend?

My SM7b microphone connected to my laptop via an XLR-USB-C cord. This cord is new. Last week my laptop recognized the microphone as an audio input device (microphone) utilizing this new cord. Today when I attached it, the computer only recognized it as an output device (speaker).

I am on iOS Tahoe 26.5. I do not believe I updated my computer between the time it recognized the microphone as an input and when it recognized it as an output. But since my computer sometimes auto-updates, I can't be entirely sure.

I see 26.5.1 is available and will be updating to that tonight. Not sure if that will fix this issue.

Thanks in advance!

Hi, Mods please don't delete--this is not about recovering messages. This is about a glitch with a feature.

I have the disappearing messages feature turned off, wholecloth. But I still see a note at the top of one of my chats that says You use a default timer for disappearing messages in chats. New messages will disappear from this chat after 24 hours after they're sent, except when kept.

However, when I click on WhatsApp's note to get to the menu of options for the timer, it shows "off" is selected for disappearing messages for that particular chat. Yet the messages still vanish. And I know it's not active on my end for other chats, because those messages don't disappear.

Is it actually the other person's settings? Because the note from WhatsApp at the top says that *I* am the one who has disappearing messages turned on. Usually if its them, the note will tell me *THEY* have disappearing messages turned on.

Asking because this is a pretty important contact with whom I send things back and forth, including documents, but it all went away from Thursday to today. Not looking to recover those messages, just avoid in the future.

Hi! Music journalist here. I have 2 comps to see Charlie tonight at EagleBank Arena. My plus one just bailed for personal reasons, and now I have no ride to the venue from DC. (Yes, I know there's a convoluted public transit way to get out there, but it's a pain in the butt.)

I'm looking for someone who wants to take the second ticket. I just request to carpool with you since I don't drive due to minor cerebral palsy--I'm not in a wheelchair and am 100% ambulatory. Just can't stand or walk for long time/distances.

I can meet you at the metro to go over to the arena, but due to the weird hours it has, I would want to be dropped back off in my neighborhood in DC, if you're comfortable with it.

I've done this several times off of Reddit when in a bind and always make good friends!

(I think my profile is public and you can see my other related posts about being a music journalst, if not I'm happy to DM and prove myself. We can also talk on the phone to make sure we're comfortable with each other.)

When did the trend of only ordering 18 episodes, instead of the classic 22, start for network (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) shows airing in the standard Fall-Spring season? Both dramas and comedies. (Happy's Place, High Potential, Will Trent--all 18 episodes).

Of the network shows I watch, only the Law and Order franchise have what I always considered to be a "full season." Has "The back 9" vanished almost entirely?

18 episodes for the midseason slate makes sense--you have less weeks. But there were several Fall shows this year where I was caught off-guard that they ended in mid-April at 18 total episodes, because their finales didn't quite feel like they were finales. It was more like the writing was rushed, hitting a wall with the episode count and could have benefited from 3 or 4 more.

So when did this start? I know there's a trend for even shorter seasons on streaming, but the network broadcast standard had always been 22, or so I thought.

(And don't get me started on shows like the Scrubs revival, or Memory of a Killer, or even RJ Decker. If you're just going to do 9 or 10 episodes, screw network TV, just throw it on Disney Plus / Hulu and let 'em curse.)

I recently had my 30-90 day post-compliance window required check in with a new sleep doctor in my city. (Long story short about why he’s not the one who prescribed the machine. I actually went and did my testing in my parent’s town because the sleep lab at the hospital system where I live was too backed up and short staffed.)

As we wrapped the appointment, he told me he wanted to see me again in 3 to 4 months, and this would be consistent. Purely because he wants to make sure insurance continues to pay for my CPAP consumables. He said that some patients go too long without seeing their sleep doctor, which causes insurance to stop paying for those accessories.

However, 3 month feels way too soon. And the way he put it to me, it sounded more like a sales pitch so that he could keep making money off of me with co-pays and billing, rather than actually wanting to check my progress. I’ve seen lots of doctors in my time, and this just didn’t feel…Genuine? Necessary? More like an upsell than actual continued care.

For those of you who use insurance to pay for your sleep therapy, how often are you seen by your sleep doc? Is every three months normal or is that an attempt to bilk me? And is there a window of time where if I’m not seen for too long, it’s generally believed that coverage will lapse on those consumables?

I understand everyone’s insurance is different. I’m speaking generally as to what is considered the needed follow up practice going forward. Thanks all!

I’m having great success with CPAP, more energy, better sleep pattern, no issues acclimating to sleeping in the mask at night. All of it. A bona fide success story.

However, my full-face mask is killing my skin. Especially on the right side next to my nose. I wake up with a section bright red and it’s even sometimes dead and flaky.

That, combined with the fact that I wear glasses, sometimes my head and face just need a break from all the gear 24/7. I usually take a break every week or two on the weekends when I know l don’t need energy and will just be lazy at home. Usually only one night within that timespan.

Is this safe? Risk of backsliding?

And tangentially, any recommendations for the skin issues? I’ve tried loosening the mask to where I think the seal is still fine, but the AirSense 11 disagrees, lol.

Hi! Your favorite Music Journalist back again.

I need to retract my earlier post. Turns out (and I didn't really clock this at the time because it was subtle) that the reply to my confirming an invite was, "You're on our request list and we'll circle back the week of the show to confirm." Mea culpa on thinking we were already hard confirmed. Though I will say, emphatic invites do give the impression that a "yes" from the journo grants access automatically.

I'm sorry, but publicists--regardless of industry: please don't invite a journalist to something and reply back that "your request" is noted. A successful pitch is literally the exact opposite of a request from the journalist. We're confirming we will give you the coverage you want for your client because your pitch was successful.

Those responses then put it back on us as if we're asking for access. SO many PR here complain about no responses from writers. Why would you allow the logistics to a include a roadblock that could kill your chances of the journalist being in the seat? If we think we're gonna get rug-pulled, that's a turn off not only to the event, but to the relationship. Do you really want us there? Or do you want to prove positive returns to your client?

If it's a first-come, first-serve event with limited tickets, please at least be transparent about that in your pitch so that the journalists can plan accordingly. Before responding, we've often cleared it with our editor, made sure we are available, and held the date.

Did anybody else have horrifying glitches with Bilt rent payment today? It didn't go through. My balance wasn't available.

I logged into my bank but had to reset my password, which disconnected my bank from Bilt and turned off AutoPay.

I could finally pay manually on my second visit to the Bilt site by relinking my bank. But now it tried to also auto-pay (and thankfully failed) despite telling me when I turned it back on that my renewed autopay would start again in June.

I did not need these heart attacks today.

Your favorite music journalist is back with another interesting story.

I first want to start with a big thank you. You all have actually given me the confidence to be a bit more respectfully assertive with PR. Your insight into what is and isn’t acceptable for reps to do while working with journalists is very valuable. That said, I hope that my growing confidence always comes off respectfully and never turns me into a full-on jerk. On to the story of the rescinded RSVP for capacity reasons.

We were invited to see an artist in a small club. This artist is famous in other types of media, but is breaking into music more steadily. It was actually a show I was going to request. We have a great relationship with their firm (and that’s important down the line in this story.) We get invited, we confirm for two tix and a photo pass, all good. 

But the afternoon before the show, PR pulls our RSVP due to capacity. And it didn’t come from the publicist who pitched me. It came from who I believe to be the junior assistant. Which, to me was not great: making your low-rung employee deliver the bad news. But, the senior publicist was on the chain.

Now, previous TrueCrimeBuff would have simply said, “OK! Thanks for letting me know,” and shrink away--all for want of not harming the relationship. But, due in large part to the insight you've all provided me across my posts here, I now am more comfortable pushing back gently and ask for a remedy to the mistake. I replied:

>Respectfully, we’ve never had an RSVP pulled before. This is frankly a little surprising given our ongoing, positive relationship with your firm. Could we do one ticket and no photo pass to ease up on your allotment shortage? We were looking forward to this coverage. 

At this point, the more senior person on the chain jumps in to reassure that the relationship is intact. They're terribly sorry about this, and will let me know if any of the confirmed RSVPs cancel. Meantime, I find out that a smaller, community-oriented blog is still confirmed, but my outlet–with a national focus–is pulled.

I will admit I tried to ‘big boy’ them a little bit in my second reply by indicating, casually, that I was red-eyeing back home from a major red carpet event--Partly as a momentary burst of ego due to frustration, mainly due to not understanding how we could be passed over, and trying to communicate the level of events we typically cover. I also said I would still be thrilled to attend the next night.

I followed up one more time the afternoon of the show over text, because I did send that second email in the dead of night. And they couldn’t have been more lovely or transparent in the replies back. It turns out, they got four times the amount of RSVPs than they received tickets from production. I feel horrible for them being put in that position.

Yes, I get a bit antsy and maybe a little pushy when I’m starting to feel we’re being excluded; especially after having an invite pulled--which again, had never happened before. But after our lovely chat, I chose to take somewhat of an opposite view: the firm trusts us enough to know they can ask us to sit out, and count on us to not let that blow up the entire relationship.

So, my wonderful PR colleagues of Reddit, what’s your take on this here? Did they screw up by over-inviting? How would you have remedied it?