If you watch local TV news coverage, you know that people can only take so much hard news.

It’s true. People say they wish local newscasts would only cover more good news stories, they really want the hard news too. And when they complain that they want more coverage of what really matters, they only can watch so much before tuning out.

How do I know this? Countless viewer studies have been done to make producing newscasts into a mini-science. To round out the half hour – or full hour in some cases – news producers use universal connectors to keep us watching.

Universal connectors are items that affect most of us, it is what puts the mass in "mass media." Sports, weather and entertainment usually fill the role, and fill the time on the air.

Gino Salomone has made a career in supplying entertainment coverage for different media outlets. From his early days of producing in radio, to the TV interviews he puts together of actors promoting their latest movies, Salomone knows how to share a story to grow and maintain an audience.

These days, his video work is aired on "Real Milwaukee" on WITI-TV Fox 6. Salomone travels to locations for junket interviews. Junkets are set up at a location (usually a hotel) and members of the media come in to get a few minutes with a few actors promoting a movie.

Over the years Salomone has developed a number of relationships with actors, directors and producers. One person he loves to interview is Sandra Bullock and cherishes the opportunity to surprise her for every project she promotes. He once brought along a short person, an actor from "The Wizard of Oz." He pretended to get tattoos all over his arms using fake sleeves. This time Salomone got comic Gilbert Gottfried to come over for an over-the-top marriage proposal.

You can see the video here.

COUNTRY INDEPENDENCE: "Fox and Friends" on Fox News Network continues its summer concert series with a performance by Dustin Lynch on Friday at 7 a.m.

Known for his hits "She Cranks My Tractor" and "Cowboys And Angels," the country singer will keep the Fourth of July weekend rolling with is special appearance. Lynch will also talk about his band’s summer tour.

CROSSTRAINING: I always find it amazing when professional athletes play other sports, although I shouldn’t ever be surprised. Good athletes often are able to transfer some abilities from one discipline to another – except for baseball swinging golf clubs.

Anyway, Time Warner Cable SportsChannel will air the Steve Nash Foundation’s Showdown NYC on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The charity soccer match features NBA and professional soccer players and benefits the Steve Nash Foundation’s work to benefit underserved children.

"Time Warner Cable SportsNet’s LA Galaxy broadcast team of Cobi Jones and John Shrader call the game action, with Time Warner Cable SportsNet host Chris McGee and LA Galaxy sideline reporter Kelli Tennant as sideline correspondents. In addition to game coverage, the special gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the Showdown athletes interacting both on and off the field, with exclusive interviews and features about how the NBA and international soccer stars prepared for the match," Time Warner Cable reported in a press release.