December 13, 2007

CableFAX 100 Luncheon: The Power and the Glory

By Steve Goldstein

Cash Cab's Ben Bailey, along with CableFAX's Mike Grebb and Seth Arenstein, led a luncheon salute to the 2007 CableFAX 100 power list at New York's Grand Hyatt on Dec. 12. Here's what you saw—or what you missed.

The calm before the line.

Only one of these placemats had a winning sticker. The take-home prize was the Harry & David tower in the center of the table.

CableFAX's Mike Grebb and Discovery's Elizabeth Hillman.

AMC's Vlad Wolynetz, Mad Men star Jon Hamm, writer-actor Jennifer Westfeldt and AMC's Christina Wayne. The day after this photo was taken, Hamm and Mad Men grabbed Golden Globe nominations. Call it the luck of the CableFAX 100 (and quite a bit of talent).

Fellow 100ers, Showtime chief Matt Blank and Cable Pioneer Bill Bresnan, who received CableFAX's Lifetime Achievement Award.

CableFAX's Seth Arenstein and Mike Grebb share a snort onstage with 100 honoree Jon Hamm.

Charter's Marwan Fawaz and BigBand Networks' Mark Rodrick. Fawaz accepted CableWorld's MSO of the Year award.

A&E's Abbe Raven and Google's Irv Kalick.

Sundance Channel's Katie Lanegran and Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star.

Sci Fi's Sallie Schoneboom and Adam Stotsky, and HSN's Rob Constable.

The setting: Midtown Manhattan. The time: December 2007. The reason for the gathering: To honor the CableFAX 100, to eat and to schmooze.

Ben Bailey and Jon Hamm somehow managed to not get blown off the stage by the vaudevillian antics of Grebb and Arenstein.

Emcee Ben Bailey at the CableFAX 100 luncheon.

Planet Green's Eileen O'Neill accepts CableFAX's Green Award.

Larry Aidem also accepted a Green Award for Sundance Channel.

TV research whiz Tim Brooks received the Outstanding Service Award and advised luncheon attendees to carve out time in their lives for personal pursuits.

Brad Knight, here with CableFAX's Seth Arenstein, accepted the Rookie of the Year Award for Retirement Living TV.

Bailey, Grebb and Arenstein got plenty of laughs, even without an open bar. Although it might have been Larry Aidem who got this laugh. Among those enjoying are ESPN's Sean Bratches and ESPN Deportes' Santa Brito (right).

Photographer: Sean Sime

To see the 2007 CableFAX 100 list, click here.