What is the world going to do when Bob Barker dies/retires? He has been the most dependable person in my life- every morning for 35 years I knew where he would be. He has outlived two announcers, (I am not sure who the current announcer is, but the old ones were Johnny Olson and Rod Roddy), numerous games, and what seems like hundreds of showcase showgirls.
Just an Observation
Since I started using My Yahoo! several years ago, this is the longest running most emailed picture of the day I can remember. It was originally up on the 10th of November, and it is still one of the most emailed.
Figures.
Blog Related Article
The Economist has an interesting article about the downfall of Dan Rather and on blogging and the mainstream media in general, and for once it is an article that is neither a snide dismissal of weblogs nor a breathless ovation spouting absurd blogger triumphalism.
Hollywood and the FCC
If there is a government agency I find more useless and more offensive than the loathesome FCC, I am hard pressed to name it. With that in mind, let me state something that I think is being overblown in this whole MNF/Desparate Housewives dust-up.
It is not just holyrollers and bible thumpers who found the introduction offensive. My mother found it offensive. I found it offensive. Normal people all over the country found it offensive for a variety of reasons.
My mother found it offensive, stating: “Even though I was alone, I felt uncomfortable. And besides, what kind of athlete would leave his team-mates on the field just to hook up with some slut?”
I found it offensive because it was so stupid and over the top and so unnecessary. Why? Why? MNF is a franchise- it is how I make it through Mondays- knowing MNF is around the corner. Why did they need to cheapen this, knowing full well there are millions of kids watching? IN other words, I was not offended by the skit itself, but I was pissed off that they would air it because I knew the reaction it would create.
I don’t know what these execs are thinking sometimes. Why must the always heapen good ideas with something unnecessary, and why is taht something unnecessary usually something so tawdry?
I have issues with infidelity- it pisses me off. It is easy enough to get divorced, and if you aren’t married- break up with the person. In short, infidility infuriates me. I simply can not watch movies or shows that contain or are centered around cheating. In fact, I remember watching about 20 minutes of Unfaithful with Diane Lane before turning the movie off in disgust. A year later, I saw Diane Lane’s character in Under the Tuscan Sun going through a painful divorce, and all I could think was: “Good. I am glad you hurt. You deserve it for cheating on your husband in Unfaithful, you bitch.”
At any rate, back to my point I watched the Horse Whisperer this afternoon for the first time (side note- Chris Cooper is the quintessential American actor), and I loved it. Until they turned the whole damn story into an issue of infidelity. Why?
Monday Night Football is a solid product. So could the Horse Whisperer have been a solid product. Why ruin them?
This, of course, does not mean I condone the nanny-state mentality of the FCC, but I want my fellow readers to understand that both sides in this case are wrong from my perspective.
Intellectual Morons
If you look to the right, you will see a blogad for Intellectual Morons, which I am almost finished reading. I wil have a review up for you in the next couple of days.
Quick Preview: I love it. Click and buy it. Trust me.
*** Update ***
Unlike Oliver, I am reading the book before commenting on it- novel idea, hunh?
Strange Business Models
You remember this Monty Python sketch, don’t you:
Albatross Woman: Albatross! Albatross! Albatross! You’re not supposed to be smoking that! Albatross! Don’t take them!
Audience member: What flavor is it? What flavor is it?
Albatross Woman: Seagullsickle! Pelican-bonbon! Albatross!
Man with hat: Could I have… Could I have two ice creams, please?
Albatross Woman: I haven’t got any ice creams, I just got this albatross!
Retailer Toys R Us Inc. slammed by intense competition from discounters such as Wal-Mart, may sell its toy business and focus on its fast-growing Babies R Us unit, the company said Wednesday.
Toys R Us, whose shares fell 6 percent on the news but later recovered, said it plans to separate the ownership of its two businesses and is looking at many ways to accomplish this, including a spin-off of Babies R Us.
(Via Drudge)
Blogs In Primetime
Blogs were just mentioned on the Dead Zone on USA.