Cable's Impresario

As preparations are made for The Cable Center Hall of Fame inductions next month, we ask that you indulge us as we veer from our usual programming essay. Instead, we’ll add to the Bill Daniels legend. (And if you’re not sure how Bill Daniels relates to cable programming, we think you should spend time at The Cable Center or its Web site to find out.) Here goes: While many in the Colorado music scene know the soulful voice of Hazel Miller, not many know her music career was launched in part because cable pioneer and Hall of Famer Daniels asked her a simple question: "Lady, if you can sing like that, what are you doing in my tree?" At the time, Miller was not the diva who’d sung with The Allman Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Buddy Guy, James Brown, B.B. King and James Taylor. She was with a local florist, ridding lobby trees of insects at Daniels & Assoc HQ. Afraid of heights, Miller was singing to herself to calm her nerves as she climbed the trees. "I asked him what do you mean, your tree?" Miller says. "My building, my tree," Daniels fired back. Miller then saw who’d asked the question, she was horrified. "I thought I would be fired for speaking to Mr Daniels that way." Not only didn’t Daniels fire her, he demanded she be the only one to work on his trees. From then on, Daniels ‘bothered’ her, asking if she was following her dream to be a singer. "When Bill would see me in his building, he would say, ‘Hazel, why are you still here? You didn’t move to Denver to take care of my plants!’" About 1 year later, Miller was hired to sing at a wedding; her career took off from there. Someone else was hired to take care of the trees in Daniels’ lobby. Years later, Bill invited Miller to sing at a party to celebrate his induction into the Cable Hall of Fame (the 1st class of honorees). Next month, Hazel comes full circle (and, we’re hoping, plenty of people who saw Bill inducted): The Hazel Miller Band plays at the post- induction donor reception after the Hall of Fame ceremonies. "My performance will be in Bill’s memory," she says. Amen. Highlights "4 Minutes," Thurs, 7pm ET, ESPN2. Easily ESPN EOE’s best film-fine acting (especially Jamie Maclachlan as Roger Bannister); so good you forget it’s a sports film (but, hey, no part for Ed Durso?). — "Movies 101," tonight, 10:30, AMC. Prof Richard Brown is AMC’s version of Bravo’s prof James Lipton. High praise. Worth a Look "Teen Angels," Wed, 10pm ET, BBC America. Move over, way over, "Brat Camp." — "Barkitecture," Wed, 9pm, DIY. Tips to procure pooches and plan their pads. — "Adam Carolla Project," Tues, 10pm, TLC. The comedian/carpenter hits the boards impressively; for Carolla fans only. — "Book It: Hawaii," Sun, 8pm, Fine Living. Love it-a series that lets viewers book trips they see on TV. Also Note "Pasadena," tomorrow, 7pm, SoapNet. — "Vivid Valley," tomorrow, 9:30pm ET, 10:30pm PT, Playboy TV. 13-pt doc about adult films’ largest purveyor. — "Nets Preview," Sun, 6pm ET, YES. Marv Albert’s debut on YES Net. Yessss! — "Cameron Diaz: Sexy Angel," Sun, 8pm, E! . Enough said. — "Mon Night Raw," Mon, 8pm ET, USA. — "Rangers vs Flyers" Wed, 7pm, OLN.