Brian Williams was as cool as they come as sirens went off in the NBC Studios at Rock30CenterFellerLand–or whatever it’s called these days. Alarms go off and he stays cool and calm and keeps reading that ‘prompter.

I admire a news anchor who can keep his cool while flames may be sweeping across the anchor desk and mess up his hair at any moment, but excuse me if I don’t get all that excited having “been there, done that.” Actually, my suit was on fire. Watch this quick anchoring bit from a few years back (I’m the kid in the video) when a light blew in the studio during a live interview and lit up my suit. Boxing champ Virgil Hill thought I might spontaneously com-bust right in front of him, I did not, but I ruined a good suit. I kept going with the interview and was glad they gave me a clothing allowance.

NBC is hoping alarms go off with their viewers on Williams’ new show Rock Center (how’s that for a transition?) It’s the Monday night replacement for the cancelled Playboy Club, and the failed experiment with Jay Leno in the 10pm time slot. Seems NBC has still not recovered from losing Hill Street Blues, ER, Law & Order, and Texaco Star Theatre. Since Nightly News outdraws NBC’s prime time lineup, they have chosen to take Nightly News to prime time. Not a bad idea and it might even work because, through their programming, the other networks are trying desperately to help NBC get back into the game.

Rock Center has been a good show, I love the concept. They have reporters do expanded stories then come on set and talk about the “back story.” Real reporters would love to tell more about the stories they have done, but remember, they will not be thrown any curve balls here. Choreography is still key. There is a lot of potential here, but also remember, it’s still NBC. Their immature child is MSNBC.

I’m still waiting to see Rock Center do an expose on the Fast and Furious and Solyndra scandals. They did two segments on the freak show at Penn State the other night, but still silent on the stories that point straight at White House corruption. Opening night they did a great story on the jobs being offered in North Dakota by the booming oil industry in that state, but failed to mention the road blocks the Obama administration has put in the way of expanding that industry during a time when energy and jobs are so badly needed. Hell of a “back story” there and plenty of space and time to provide context. I would like (seriously) to see this show reach it’s potential and not disappoint. My TiVo will keep recording and it won’t be doing it just for laughs, as it does The Chris Matthews Show on Sundays.

As for Fast and Furious and Solynda, if NBC is having a hard time finding a reporter on staff who will honestly do those stories, contact me, I know one. Jake Tapper is making you guys look silly night after night.

For that reason alone, alarms should be going off nightly at NBC.