CBS News captures human side of ‘storm’ devastation

Mowry, Begley Jr to recur in ‘Me’

LOS ANGELES, Aug 30, (RTRS): The depth of the suffering in flood-ravaged Houston can’t be captured from behind an anchor desk. “CBS This Morning” anchor Norah O’Donnell was one of more than a dozen CBS News correspondents who are dispatched throughout the southeast Texas region to cover the rescue and recovery efforts, as well as the governmental response to the needs of more than 30,000 people displaced by the rising water.

CBS News correspondent David Begnaud was delivering a live report for the CBSN digital news service on Tuesday afternoon when a Houston law enforcement official told him — in no uncertain terms — to pack up and go because water levels nearby were rising fast. Begnaud’s facial expression as he looked off into the distance said it all.

“You can’t even fathom how much of this city is under water right now,” Begnaud told viewers later in the day.

The movement of staffers and equipment into the center of a natural disaster presents particular challenges for all news organizations. Communication among a large group of producers and correspondents can be tricky when basic services in an area are wiped out or overtaxed. Even getting food to teams in the field is a challenge, TV news veterans say.

O’Donnell, who grew up in San Antonio, Texas, was drawn to Houston because of the scale of the suffering that became clear the day after Harvey made landfall near Corpus Christi on Friday night. Scenes of evacuees crammed into Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center evoked the memory of Hurricane Katrina victims facing primitive conditions and woeful lack of resources in the New Orleans Superdome in 2005.

“I think it’s incredibly important for us to be here and see this unfold for ourselves,” O’Donnell told Variety. “There’s nothing like shoe-leather reporting to understand the real challenges that people are facing.”

O’Donnell spent most of Tuesday reporting on conditions at the convention center and hearing the stories of those who fled their homes with what little they could carry.

Local disaster preparedness plans called for the convention center to hold up to 5,000 people if need be. By Tuesday afternoon, some 10,000 people were inside the Brown center, and there were far fewer than 5,000 cots and blankets to go around. By Tuesday evening, Houston officials announced the opening of two additional shelters to help ease the crowding.

O’Donnell emphasized that she sees her role as a journalist as holding lawmakers accountable for policies and decision-making that impacts everyday people.

“When you see a disaster like this, that’s when you really understand the power of government,” she said. “When (plans) are not executed well, people often suffer . ... I think one of the questions we have to ask is why the city wasn’t prepared for (flooding) on this scale.”

The drama of Hurricane Harvey is unfolding at a moment when the news media has been under fire from many quarters — with President Donald Trump leading the charge. O’Donnell said she hadn’t experienced any anti-media backlash from those inside the convention center.

“Most people want us to tell their story at a time like this,” she said. O’Donnell added that most of those she spoke with expressed an “overwhelming sense of embarrassment” at not having been able to bathe for days.

“Me, Myself & I” adds recurring cast members, and Amazon announced the premiere date of “Lore.”

Ed Begley, Jr, and Tia Mowry are joining the cast of “Me, Myself & I” on a recurring basis in Season 1. Begley Jr will play Governor Justin, the future version of Alex Riley’s stepbrother. In 1991, Justin (Christopher Richards) is constantly coming up with half-baked schemes that end in failure. Fifty-one years later, he’s the Governor of California. Mowry will play Wendy, the wife of Darryl (Jaleel White). Wendy relates to present-day Alex Riley’s (Bobby Moynihan) frustration over missing out on his daughter’s formative experiences. The series stars Moynihan in a comedy about the defining moments in one man’s life over three distinct periods — as a 14-year-old in 1991, at age 40 in present day, and at age 65 in 2042. “Me, Myself & I” premieres Monday, Sept 25 at 9:30 pm on CBS.

“The Day I Met El Chapo: The Kate del Castillo Story” is debuting Oct 20 on Netflix. The biographical series follows Mexican actress Kate del Castillo in a three-part series that uses exclusive footage to tell her side of the story of what led to her and Sean Penn meeting with the one of the world’s most notorious drug lords.

Season 3 of “Little Johnstons” is airing Tuesday, Sept 19 at 10 pm on TLC. The new season continues to follow the little family, giving viewers a look into their daily lives. In the premiere episode, the family gears up for a joint birthday party for oldest son Jonah and daughter Elizabeth. Later in the season, Amber tries to lead everyone into a drastically healthier lifestyle, while Trent and Amber consider getting tattoos, and Anna prepares to get her driver’s license.