America on AllMovie

An TV news satire from director Robert Downey, this film concerns a cable evening news show that gradually turns into chaotic performance art. Head newscaster Terrence Hackley (Zack Norman) has been caught by his wife Joy (Tammy Grimes) with a plaid skirt in his suitcase, so he covers up by wearing it in his interviews. The sagging ratings start to go up and then they zoom sky-high after Joy and the weatherman bounce the station's signal off the moon and it lands in houses around the world. Several zany vignettes send up media moguls and film directors as the news program becomes increasingly bizarre.