I love to watch television. Though I'm a jazz singer and classical pianist, I rarely put music on when I'm home. A TV's on somewhere in the house much of the day whether I'm watching it or not.I love old movies, I love reruns of Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond. I watch a lot of FOX and CNN. I watch some QVC and a lot of the Food Channel and HGTV. I have always loved TV and probably always will.
I hadn't thought of the Springer when I'd planned to write this, but there it is, another good reason for no television. Another is a show like Maury Pauvich, which someone told me is still on since last time I actually watched a whole show maybe 15 years ago in total disgust: his show dealt then with nothing but young punks who come on and get DNA tests read so they can know who the girl's baby is.
Let's talk NEWS. Remember "News at 6, film at 11?" I think we should go back to that. I think the cable news shows are angry, misinforming editorials pushed as truth. I don't want to hear Rachel Maddow's scathing bias toward anything Conservative presented as information. I don't want to hear a leftist and a rightist screaming at each other on Hannity's show while he butts in, adding a third pitch to an already unlistenable mess. I don't want to look at Bob Beckel or Geraldo or Wolf Blitzer or Olbermann ever again (Is he still on?). I don't want to see Joe Scarborough pass himself off as Conservative......I don't want to see people like Lawrence O'Donnell announce he's a Socialist and get his own show for it. Not in America. We don't go that far. Oh, sorry...MSNBC does hire avowed Socialists, doesn't it. Oh, and I'm tired of hearing Bob Beckel on THE FIVE wait for any chance he can possibly get to mention his alcoholism and drug abuse. Who CARES? That's a man of character? And I REALLY don't give a hoot about anything Shepard Smith says, either. Why should I care what he thinks? His little add-ons of personal opinion at the end of news stories make me grit my teeth. I turn the channel when he's on almost faster than I do when I see Obama.
I swear I think the news being on 24/7 is SICK. I don't WANT to know about yet another teen missing or another baby stolen. I feel for them, but I think it's scary that we all have to hear and digest all that CONSTANT BAD NEWS.
I don't want to see food channel competitions where 5 people are hoping they don't get CHOPPED from the cooking competition and have the cameraman hone in on the thrilled, smiling faces of other chefs as one gets excoriated. It teaches bad character and it should stop.
I don't want to see dimwitted, good looking young men and women posing as stock experts on all the cable channels. As if we need to know their reasoning for the DOW going up or down? As Kid so aptly said in his blog post the other day, why don't they just say "Market up (or down) today, nobody knows why"! They usually don't know, anyway.
I'm tired of seeing Late Night TV shows slam pretty near only Conservatives (and pretty near EVERY Conservative) and a public who thinks by now that that's normal. Late Night TV is also free DNC advertising, which bugs the $^#&@*; out of me. I'm tired of seeing Joy Behar on THE VIEW doing her DNC plugs, too. Oh, and Whoopi and Barbara Walters, and.......... oh, and then there's that lousy excuse for a conservative, Elizabeth what's her name.........she ought to marry Joe Scarborough; they're the perfect couple.
I'm tired of commercials where fathers' kids roll their eyes at them and mothers who lie about having borrowed their daughters' clothes. I'm tired of a public stupid enough to think a man's going to take Viagra and be happy sitting in a bathtub on a lake holding hands with his woman who's sitting in a matching bathtub on the lake. By the way, do YOU have a bathtub, let alone two, on YOUR lake? :-) I also ask you to notice these Viagra commercials and tell me how many have the woman leading her man up the stairs because he's apparently just taken a pill. 100%. I thought the pill was supposed to turn HIM on, why isn't HE doing the ol' Fred Astaire two-step up the stairs to the bedroom? :-)
I rarely watch Sitcoms (except the reruns I mentioned above) but the language is pretty amazing these days, only to be out-raunched by the SITUATIONS in these Situation Comedies. From what I understand, nearly every sitcom has a gay character. Do you know that many gays in your life? I don't. Nothing against gays, but there are NOT gays living next door to EVERYBODY in real life. It's just not true, so why...? And who CARES if the people next door are gay? Why's it so sitcom worthy? How about the way kids speak to their parents and get away with it, or the really debauched story lines .....well, I could go on and on, but just think ROSEANNE and remember the situations SHE put in her show. Do YOU know people like that? I don't. But, it sure lowers the BAR (pardon the unintentional pun) for society. And don't tell me it doesn't do that.....the constant drip, drip, drip of immorality and bad language and disrespect and everything else portrayed in newer sitcoms is good for NOTHING but a cheap laugh.
I think they ought to take the P out of PBS because THIS part of that P doesn't want her taxes spent on Bill Moyers-types anymore. And I don't want to be wooed into giving money to my BS station (Without the P, see what that station REALLY is? I TOLD you! HA!)...anyway, I don't want to see them wooing viewers to SUPPORT BRITISH COMEDIES on PBS, interviewing my favorite Keeping Up Appearances' cast, and then seeing they don't show that program again for months. Bait and switch ticks me off.
I like Dr OZ, though I very, very rarely watch him (though a very close friend works with him; thankfully, she doesn't read my blog!)......but I don't want to hear about REALLY personal things the likes of which I don't even want to type here so you'll know what I mean. I think you know without my having to mention them.. And I don't want to hear Dr Phil, either......who can't tell these guests of his just want to be on television? Otherwise, why would ANYBODY tell the revealing things about their affairs, financial problems, unkindness toward others ON TELEVISION???
Please, everyone...don't tell me "You don't have to watch it if you don't like it." I know that, and it's so not the point; nobody has to say that to me, and I'm old enough and mature enough that I don't worry about indoctrination and debauched subject lines and I DO change the channel if I don't like something. But people (and teens) DO watch all the junk I mention above or the shows wouldn't be on. And people are influenced by those shows.
Debauched, immoral, bad taste, too personal, bad influences, nasty language........American television today. And yes, I know "hey, Z, who's to say what's bad taste?"....as if bad taste isn't recognizable anymore in America. OH, wait...it isn't. Which is worth another whole blog post.
How do you feel about it? I love to watch television........but I think it's doing a lot of harm. "News at five, film at eleven." THOSE were the good ol' days.....
Do you agree? And do you have another pet peeve than the ones I've mentioned?
z
75 comments:
Z,
You mentioned the issue of "constant bad news."
Frankly, all this news 24/7 is demoralizing.
I've been thinking about writing an essay about the syrupy-sweet anchorwomen on my local morning news. The anchors move from one story to the other like zombies -- inappropriate affect or, worse, faked affect. I can't stand it!
I think that there are some neurological studies about how watching "too much" television affects the brain. In my own experience, I've found that "TV kids" have reduced attention spans. I have to wonder if the increase in incidence of ADD has something to do with all the visual media that kids are bombarded with.
Now, here's what drives me absolutely crazy on TV. Soap operas! Sheesh. How can people tune in day after day to those shows? Schmaltzy and predictable -- and loaded with all sorts of sexual immorality.
Z - You wrote this?
and you call it a 'rant?'
Z - This is really good.
z -are you really a classical pianist?
or are you just pulling our leg...
cause I never heard you mention it before
thanks z
you go girl
So I bought a .44 magnum it was solid steel cast
And in the blessed name of Elvis well I just let it blast
'Til my TV lay in pieces there at my feet
And they busted me for disturbin' the almighty peace
Judge said "What you got in your defense son?"
"Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on"
--- Bruce Springsteen
A most righteous rant, Z!
I do my part. I almost never watch TV. I too hate the shouty TV talk programs. To me, the worst waste of airspace is when two competing campaign managers or political party poobahs come on. Pure BS.
News is not news, it's a soap opera, with serial cliffhangers designed to keep up all tuned in so the ad revenue keeps coming in.
What an excellent rant! I love it!
Our TV is rarely on during the day. If I must have back ground noise, I prefer the radio.
Daytime TV and 24/7 news is toxic. I do some two hours of housekeeping a week for an elderly lady who is hooked on Maury. Honestly, I don't know how she endures it! Gah!
Wow! Just, WOW!
I agree with you about the cable news shows because I don't watch them, either. I will screw-up and surf onto an O'Reilly, Hannity, or Maddow show but I correct that mistake, quickly.
Classical pianist and jazz singer? Hmmm. Dusky voice, low lights, red dress, singing her earthy song as the room moves and sways to the music, the classical pianist reveals another side to her art. Some call it viagra for the soul , but I say the passion soars. Err, enough of that...
My pet peeves:
1. Any financial show where they talk about trading stocks. This is not investing, this is speculation.
2. Dr Isadore Rosenfeldt and his studies every Sunday morning, many of which depend only a statistical correlations. This is not science, and is bad medicine.
3. Television news shows where people are encouraged to talk over and interrupt each other. Ever since the appearance of Bill Clinton on the national political scene, bad manners are the rule of discussion. I think all Democrats use the same coach to learn how to interrupt people, and suppress opposing opinions.
4.Climate science programs warning about possible future catastrophes when everybody knows it is BS. 69% of American citizens think climate scientists are fudging their data (Rasmussen poll).
Global warming is real, but it is not a big deal, and contrary to Nat. Geo channel, Discovery channel, and others, there is no credible science that supports increased hurricanes, more severe flooding, extreme weather conditions, or sea levels rising 20 feet.
5. Ancient alien and UFO shows on the History Channel and others are being presented as fact. Unbelievable! This has festered to the point that there are lots of people out there who believe that God is a space alien, abducts unsuspecting drunks while they are fishing in remote lakes, and blesses each abductee an anal probe, like Cartman in South Park.
I really love this ranting stuff. Z, that was magnificent.
Television... the candy everybody wants.
So why do we need the spectacles? Is it because the day to day drudgery of everyday life has largely been eliminated? Is it because our lives have become so regulated and sanitized, that we crave the emotional experiences of conflicted "others"... just to be able to "feel something" ourselves, even if it be only "disgust"?
We've become a society of flaneurs... willing to do anything to experience an emotion and disrupt the tedium.
Oooops. bad flaneur link, above...
The 24/7 "news" stations are the reason the latest meltdown of Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan are supposed to be news. I don't really care what Charlie Sheen says or does and wanna throw a shoe at my tv when they call this news.
If we could just eliminate the news of which celebrity does what, or report what another reporter reported, we'd be back to the old type of real news. Not going to happen anytime soon though.
Man, I didn't expect the great reactions! I just figured I'd let 'er rip with things I've thought about for a very long time.
Thanks everybody..and for your input.
Yes, Bob...
I do play classical piano and sing jazz, but not at the same time! :-)
And I've performed a lot more singing than I have playing..haven't really played for an audience except at church-related stuff for a lot of years...
will be singing and playing this Thursday.......
I'm off to work but will be back and read more in depth all your comments, thanks so much.
I'd take American TV over French TV anytime. Why?
a/ French TV is entirely leftist and continues the brain washing of the masses. There's no other voice on French TV since it was held by the State through the 90s.
b/ American TV, even though it has a lot crap, offers choice. You can always find good programs, you can get entertained and you can learn something on Discovery Channel for example
c/ The 24/7 news cycle is exhausting and depressing. But the level of scrutiny on politicians (assuming the left and right are both represented in the media) is truly important to the REpublic. I wish the French media were that inquisitive.
What I really can't stand is commercial breaks. That's why I watch mostly my DVR at night and have stopped watching the news show, including Fox's.
Z:I love to watch television. Though I'm a jazz singer and classical pianist, I rarely put music on when I'm home.
Isn't that odd! While not a jazz singer I am a singer and I was classically trained on both piano and organ. Like you, Z, I don't listen to music that much. And I know many other players that are in that boat too.
I try not to focus on the negative of what is offered on TV. There are some positives but, I would agree there is more negatives than positives.
Certainly, nowadays, I have more options of how many channels I can turn off! But, the down side, I would have never thought that there would be a time when I would pay 70 some odd dollars a month to watch TV, but of course I am now in the ranks of old fartism and us old farts like to bitch about things like that!
The motorhead part of me keeps paying that money for the few racing events, how to shows and the automotive auctions that I really enjoy watching.
I shamelessly admit I an totally addicted to "Storage Wars". Yes, I've said it and I know that understanding ones addictions is the first step in recovery......
Do I want to go back to the good old days of television? Nope.
And I've learned cooking techniques by watching all those food shows, including stuff like Chopped.
Being a frustrated carpenter, I do watch "This Old House" and woodworking shows.
Otherwise, I see no socially redeeming value to almost anything on TV.
I used to like "Nature," until it became a constant whine about the evils of mankind toward nature.
"Nova" has degenerated into trying to make "string theory" exciting, interesting and relevant, which it is not.
Everything else, news included, majors on the dregs of society and does little or no up-lifting.
Useless dripple...like 90%+ of liberalism, which IS TV today.
I watch as much or more TV than you do, Z. Football, mostly. And Fox (of course).
But i HATE those Cialys and Viagra commercials airing at 5PM, when my 10 year old daughter is watching.
She has yet to ask me about those drugs, but I am dreading the day...
I cannot stand listening to guys like Olberman (who, the last I heard, is now on Al Gore's network) or Limbaugh. They are one and the same, only with differing views.
I cannot stand reality TV, generally speaking. I like the Food Network too, but I'm getting tired of all of the Cupcake Wars or Halloween Wars and those types of shows. There's lots more, but maybe I should keep that in my neighborhood.
WOW! Brilliant tirade, Z! You nailed almost every single issue I myself have with TV in general.
Nicely said.
But the base ignores their own values because they hate (Bush) more than they love their own values. And it's sick.
BWAH-HA-HA-HA. One word response:
"Obama".
Wow Z, you covered it all! Yep, IMO, today, TV is mostly junk.
The dumb reality shows completed the shallowness on TV.
I confess I haven't seen most of them, but early on I watched a couple and realized what they were.
Humiliation for the participants who were willing to make fools of themselves for 15 minutes of fame!
This stuff is what ruined TV. It's probably cheap to produce, compared to paying actors $$ to appear in good dramas.
I miss those. I miss men being treated with respect. I miss variety shows. I miss good sitcoms. I miss true talent. And most of all, I miss class!
Good job Z, you said it all, and you're right!
Z...THANK YOU!
You expressed my sentiments, EXACTLY!
The constant phrase around my house is:
"No wonder people think, and act the way they do, nowadays."
You named all the people, shows, commercials, etc., that set my teeth on edge, too!
The commercials make people look like idiots, sex addicts, liars, and thieves.
And the twenty-something experts on everything is just too much to bear!
What an insult to our intelligence!
Shepherd Smith..I can't hit the channel changer fast enough!
Watching a movie on television in mixed company..forget it.
Even when it's just the two of us, either my husband, or I will hit the channel button when the vulgar, nude, sex scene begins.
Most of it is just short of pornography, and an otherwise good movie is ruined with scenes which add absolutely nothing, and are totally unnecessary to the real plot.
I could go on and on, too, but I think you can see that I agree with you, 100 per cent!
I gave my TV away to a charity resell shop around six months ago. Don't miss it at all.
Bob, thanks so much!
I agree with you about the Dr Isadore stuff; his background information always sounds SO suspect to me ....
Good rant there of your own, by the way :-) Keep 'em comin'!
FB...I have learned a few things about cooking there, too. I particularly LOVE Jamie Oliver's cooking, by the way; but he's not on Food Channel.
George...the Food Channel's another one that has to come up with really stupid shows just to fill air time...sad.
And thanks for mentioning REALITY TV; It's absolutely hideous and very dangerous to our kids in many ways.
I wish we'd get decent, good viewing for our kids but I'd be called a bigot and a racist and other leftwing terms for good values.
Which reminds me; Since when did FAMILY VALUES mean perfection?
:-)
Mizz Anonymous; not sure why you posted that here, but I'm flattered to think people who are that ideological think my blog's problematic.
My favorite grip about my blog is 'double standard' or 'hypocrisy'....
What the leftwingers particularly have problems with is it's MY BLOG, I"m not giving parts of it to anybody, nobody can take any of it...this isn't "Occupy Geeeze Street", BELIEVE me :-)
It's MINE and I make up the rules.
Imp's been a friend for many years and I don't want his language here but he doesn't always listen.
I can cut off ANY Leftwing troll I want and I will because i didn't build this blog to let them use MY SPACE for their idiocy.
thanks!
I don't go on leftwing blogs b/c what's the point, right?
But those people can't control themselves. They come here to irritate, insult and not debate (otherwise they'd bring arguments, stats, numbers aka verifiable facts to the table.) Each time we ask, they make a snarky comment or it's to no avail.
Then they play the victim card and the hypocrisy.
Well it's not YOUR blog people. It's Z's blog. So if you're not happy go Occupy the Web Somewhere else.
Excuse me, I'm sorry and didn't mean any harm.
It's just that these sort of things really irks me.
Mizz Anonymous, I'm so sorry to have given you the impression I was less than pleased. I truly am. I guess it's good I see that stuff. I didn't know I'm known :-)
This stuff irks me, too, but not because it's my blog; because there's such an unfair, uneven handling of anything not leftwing. And they don't see it.
FB....then they call us names. The fun never stops. But, this country'd better get a grip; the divide is hideous.
By the way, I like American TV better than French, too...BELIEVE me.
I loved watching things like BONANZA in French....Hoss walks in and says "Bonjour, Papa!"..hilarious
I watched GOOD MORNING VIETNAM in German and was ROLLING on the floor laughing at Robin Williams 'speaking' German and "GUTEN MORGEN, VIET NAAAM!" SOO funny!
My biggest pet peeve is when the gang on the 'talk' shows talk over each other, and you don't know what anyone is saying.
My TV is on way too many hours, but I do enjoy it. My son, who is married and has 5 kids doesn't even have one. The all read!
Classic pianist, hummmm. Put up a You tube!
Linda, I love the idea of a family with NO television.
Some of my favorite evenings as a kid was when there was a power outage and we had candles and read or played games. I think all families would be better off with more nights like that.
I'm not a professional classical pianist...though I've played for large gatherings, I don't do that much anymore AT ALL.
I am producing a Christmas program this week and singing in it, too......and playing, come to think of it..but only accompanying other soloists and, uncharacteristically, myself.
I did have a voice post but don't think I'll post piano.
Z, I also get tired of the 24/7 news channels, *yawn* I can only take so much at a time. I finally quit watching O'Reilly and all the others. It's just screaming matches on who is right or wrong. Except I do enjoy hearing Dennis Miller.
I do enjoy Eureka, which is being cancelled, Falling Skies and Alphas. Love sci-fi. Most of the time I am watching videos. Or things that I have on dvr and can forward all the heinous and filthy commercials.
I hate how men are belittled and women seemed to be the one's who are it.
I even miss Sabrina the Teenage Witch. It was a good clean show.
Great post, my friend!
What a great blog addition today.
Z - My favorite tv program is Real Time With Bill Maher. It's funny, politically astute - and also dabbles in religion occasionally.
But Bill is on break now and won't return until January 13.
I watch a lot of CNN but really they obsess on stuff like the Conrad Murray trial - you know - and it gets old fast.
I also like Saturday Night Live - the writes and actors on that show are brilliant.
I used to like tv a lot better in the old days - but what are you gonna do about it anyway.
: ]
As a wee tyke, I sat by the radio:
Little Orphan Annie, Sgt. King of
the Yukon. So Disneyland in black and white was a real step forward.
These days...meh..Madonna in the
SuperBowl halftime..The Donald hosting a candidates debate. TV
with no sound makes a rather nice
lava lamp effect.
Leticia, women are constantly belittling men but when the 'children' of a 'father' are doing it in sitcoms, new films and TV commercials, it's REALLY bad..and it's frequent. Really bad messages.
Imp, thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed it.. Good comments, too, don't you think?
Hi, BB: "Madonna in the
SuperBowl halftime..The Donald hosting a candidates debate."
I was disgusted to hear about BOTH...MADONNA? Old hat pointed boobs? WHY?
Donald? Just so he can correct them all and look smarter.
God, we've really sunken to such depths.
Z, how very true.
I too get tired of the News Channels although I do watch FOX and try to watch the all the Sunday News shows if I am around just to see the latest spin.
I love cooking shows and movie reruns. We have a NYC station too that I like to watch that takes you through NYC on tours to all the things it has to offer and the history of it.
I'm an American Idol freak too.
I have a Jewish customer who requires me to sing a Christmas song weekly into his voice mail the month of December and he sings Christmas songs in my vioce mail as well.
His requests for me is to sing Drummer Boy and Silent Night.
The term "television" encompasses a lot. Kinda like the term "Internet" encompasses a lot; or "radio"; or "America", or "religion", or "liberalism", or "conservatism".
I can think of both bad and good aspects of all those institutions/phenomena. But I'm not sure where to go next.
Interestingly, just a few years ago, except for my addiction to college basketball, I NEVER watched TV. For a few years (unless some huge news story was in play), I got my info and entertainment off the Web exclusively.
Then people started telling me about certain shows, and I finally gave in.
Suddenly, I found myself regretting the fact that I had missed a lot of "good TV" over the years. For example, I think C-SPAN -- esp. over the weekend -- is good, fair, serious, informational, thought-provoking television.
But the entertainment side is oftentimes just as good. Shows like NatGeo's "Locked Up Abroad" and Discovery's "I (Almost) Got Away With It" are flat-out fun, gripping, and educational, too. Brilliant editing. Excellent storytelling, etc.
On the other hand, I, too, could go on and on about the programming that irritates me; which, of course, may or may not irritate the next person.
Cable news has become SO advocacy-based, I frankly don't trust any of them per se. I feel like I have to take a peek at all of them -- almost simultaneously -- just to see where they agree. It's like being a juror at a trial, hoping I can eventually crystallize some kind of objective truth once the smoke clears.
I don't personally understand the success of the Kardashians et al, but as a businessman, I totally get it. Soap operas were around before TV itself, and they've always been stupid (in my opinion). I loved pro wrestling as a child, but man, do I despise it as an adult. Etc.
When I was in college, my journalism professor defined media was "mass communication", and back then, that meant a relative few number of channels broadcasting to millions.
Of course now, we have millions broadcasting to billions, with NO sign of slowing down...and we can and do archive it -- ALL of it.
That makes for a seemingly infinite amount of content -- of all kinds -- as the years go by. What does THAT portend for the future? Scary, yet very intriguing, too =)
"TV" isn't the problem in my view. It's the programming choices people make, and frankly, I'm not even comfortable saying that since it's a free country where the freedom to communicate is arguably the mostly fundamental thing.
I agree that it's all quite complicated to say the least. Art/Media often imitate life and vice versa. The more media we get, the more intertwined it all becomes. Makes one wonder.
At the same time, the only way one can seriously address the problems of the media is by way of media. Right?
I guess that's my makeshift version of a rant =)
Z: The Madonna "news" isn't getting a great deal of positive news here in Indy, believe me.
The local news posted a sign on our downtown circle that said, "Honk if you are happy with Madonna as the halftime show." Crickets.
Then they posted, "Honk if you don't want Madonna for halftime." and the horns were blaring.
This whole rant reminds me (fondly) of my grandmother. Back when we were growing up in the 60's, she'd sit watching the thirty minutes of news which included no one she knew. She'd sip her high-ball and fret and fret over what was the latest bad news.
I cannot smell whiskey without remembering her listening to a news story of someone falling off a building. She kept repeating, "Oh, my God, did you hear that? FIFTY FEET!"
net...Television is television. My piece was to say what I think's inappropriate and harmful.
I also listed all the shows I love. ALl television is not bad and I never suggested so.
I will say that, more and more, I believe life is imitating art. And that 'art' is scary.
Do you know a person anything like the Springer 'guests' who punch out their competition with their whore-ish girlfriends... young women pulling at other whore-ish hair? Punk "husbands" sleeping with their sister-in-laws and wanting to go on national tv to brag about it? Do you know young men who're thrilled that they're not the Dad, or girls who need to have DNA of 15 guys to find out the father?
Do you personally know anybody who'd grab her crotch while singing The Star Spangled Banner at a sports event on television? ( I could go on and ON and on but why bother?)
Funny, today a young woman knocked on my front door and had to talk to me about something..."I'm from next door, I live with Ben....Nice to meet you!"
I thought about how proud she was that she's single and lives with single Ben and thought "Man, ten years ago, she'd have been shy or humiliated to admit that."
YES, maybe it's twenty years ago, but when I was her age, that would NEVER have been discussed with a stranger like me. EVER.
Bob Beckel, the liberal resident at FOX can't wait for the chance to mention his drug and booze addictions....that's good information?..necessary information? That's pride in oneself? That's what kids hear?
Have some peoples' ideas of morality been inspired by the FACT that our television shows which so many watch are full of sex without marriage, multiple sex partners, really bad language, etc etc?
I think we both know the answer to that.
Thanks, Murphy Brown.
And yes, I KNOW that young women got pregnant before that (Why I have to constantly say this when we should all understand we talk in some generalization in these comments and shouldn't have to constantly explain)...but to have baby showers for unwed mothers whose children are facing lives of daycare and no father? My how things have changed and not for the better.
Television to blame for it all? Of course not. A big part of the numbing of minds and the acceptability of really harmful and sad actions? of course.
end of another rant.
I know you feel differently; my beliefs matter, too. And I speak for MILLIONS whose beliefs are valid and we're tired of being shut up.
So there :-)
Rita "High Balls" What a great remembrance of my grandfather! In the summer, I sometimes have a whiskey and 7 up on ice and I can't smell or sip that without thinking of him.....he used to give me tiny sips when I was very little, too...did yours? :-) Nice that we share that.
I love what you said about your grandmother.
Dad used to watch the news and hated it when journalists asked a mother who'd just lost 3 children "And HOW DO YOU FEEL?"
He'd say "How do you THINK she feels?"
another problem with the worst of television!
If Granny ever let me take a sip, I sure don't remember it. Can't stand the taste of whiskey, but even the smell of it reminds me of her.
And I didn't mention, but Frasier was one of my favorite shows ever. A few weeks back one of the cable stations was playing back to back Frasier and I had forgotten how funny the show was. Never failed to make me laugh out loud.
Grammer just started a new series on STARZ. Yeah, it definitely IS a cable series, lots of bad language and sexual content. But the show is riveting. Grammer is Chicago's Mayor, show never mentions political party, just heavy political corruption.
Once you get past the language and nudity, you find a fascinating drama where Grammer is frightening, as is everyone on the show. Hopefully there really is NO city that could still have that mob corruption, but I'm becoming skeptical.
Of course you could guess the party Imp. But they never mention it in the show. And currently it's all about the primaries, so "whichever" party Grammer is playing it is corruption upon corruption.
Have you watched the show? Even my non-political husband loves it. The first show was good, second better and by last week's show I realized you cannot miss one minute or you miss something. I've watched the episodes several times because I didn't always catch the nuance to begin with. Only one show left to this season, but apparently it is getting rave reviews.
Yes, I know Grammer is a confirmed conservative, which is so odd of anyone in Hollywood. While I loved him in Frasier, watching him as the bad guy in Boss is scary. He really is an amazing actor.
But Z, I must add, it works both ways. A lot of bad values have been inspired by media but a lot of good values, too.
I'm glad as h*ll TV was around during the civil rights movements.
As for anybody who's telling you or anybody to shut up, they probably don't realize the futility of their efforts. Whether they like it or not, we are ALL free.
Obviously the Hollywood mentality is dump your wife or husband and take up with the latest or greatest. Grammer's latest ex wasn't exactly a bastion of morality either, but maybe that's why those of us stuck in middle America think no one on the east or west coast has any morality. (No offense Z.) Of course that kind of thing happens the world over and no one approves until they find themselves in the middle of it and then they justify that kind of behavior.
As to Harrelson, come on man. That man is just a psycho. He has to be a good actor since he acted like such a goofy character on Cheers and listening to him being interviewed in the last few years you realize he is just plain bonkers.
But watching Boss, Grammer IS really good. From one minute crying over his daughter and then standing over Kitty's chair while he annihilates her is amazing.
Z that is so funny you mentioning High Balls. We went to my grandparents house every Sunday when I was little and my grandfather always made High Balls too and I always begged my father for a sip of his because he was a pushover and he always gave me his maraschino cherry. Of course now we just call them 7 & 7's.
You think tv is depresssing? Then what word do you use to describe when you think of a perfectly fitting Springsteen song only to find out that you've been thinking exactly like Ducky? (I was sure he'd give the rant about the failure of capitalism and the need for BBC.)
If you can tolerate the blue language, commedian Tim Wilson's song "I Could Be Wrong" is the musical version of this rant. (easily found on youtube)
If I can add to the list, how about the NFL pregames where the guys do the tired out bit where everyone hams it up and then laughs as if this were the most spontaneous thing.
bftm
I vote...that this blog addition belongs in the Hall of Fame of all time great BLOGS.
Everyone...has an opinion of how...unfulfilling TV really is.
Rita, NEVER have I watched Frasier where I didn't laugh out loud sooner or later..The lines are INCREDIBLY smart and amazing, aren't they!
Once, they gave Martin a stereo system and huge speakers..remember?
The camera pans down from the speakers and I say "Looks like Stonehenge" to myself....they walk in and one of them says "Looks like Stonehenge!" cracked me up.
I thought 'Man, the day I can be as clever as their writers!" OF course, I'm NOT, but it felt good for a sec!
Oh, GAD!
Who removed the comment from the libs about my blog?
I wanted to keep it......:-(
ah, well.........
?????????????????????
One thing about TV I DO find quite useful: Every now and then it's three in the morning and can't sleep, Animal Planet can be an excellent thing to occupy the brain until I can drift back off.
(Of course, that means I have relocated to the couch...)
Even there, one has to sometimes be subjected to leftist 'we're killing the environment' crap, though.
sue hanes said that she loves Bill Maher. Well I beg to differ. Bill Maher told Rachel Maddow that he “ Hate’s the The GOP as much as she does” on one of her programs that was devoted completely to Republican bashing. And I as a Republican resent that man 100 percent.
And to be totally honest with you, ever since his 9-11 9/11 conspiracy theories remark, and calling American’s cowards, I have had nothing but hatred in my heart fro this “person” But then again, that is standard talk for these left-wing socialists I meant to say Communism (but of course, they are both "left" and there is not much of a difference).
Believe in God or not, it's up to you. But I for one would condemn this traitor to Hell.You may think he’s funny, but I think that he’s a anti-American lunatic
Back to Frasier Z. I normally do not find physical comedy funny, but Niles had that act down to perfection.
I can still see him when Frasier had something stuck in his garbage disposal. Niles was putting his hand in the drain and Frasier was at the other counter and turned on a coffee grinder.
Niles writhing around at the sink thinking his hand was being mangled only because of the grinding sound was classic.
Craig, don't look now, but I don't think most of us feel that way.
But, it was easy meat to diss here, I know.
Brooke...so true about even animal shows! Hey, there's good comedy really late or early in the morning too..sometimes I find Frasier or Everybody Loves Raymond....good luck :=-)
Rita....LOVED that one! How's about when Niles was carrying a ten pound sack of flour around to emulate a baby so he could get used to the idea if he and his wife should have a baby....suddenly, he left the bag on the couch and Eddie broke it open, flour was flying, and Daphne says "Dr. Crane, that DINGO has your BABY!" (remember that case in Australia?)
I thought I'd die laughing and knew 293847239874 million didn't get the joke :)
Another classic Frasier moment. I do remember the flour baby and the dingo line. This Frasier discussion makes me want to go online and buy a Blu Ray set of the entire series.
Martin always reminded me of my grandpa. He had fallen and had that same limp and could deliver a great line like Martin.
I love television. I have always loved television. True, there is much garbage on TV nowadays, but there is good stuff, too.
I've given up watching news except for an hour or so in the morning just to see what happened over night. Too depressing.
I recently found a new channel MeTV which plays only old shows. I told my father about it and he almost broke a leg rushing home to find it for himself.
I watch that, forensic shows and some cooking shows. I stay away from the silly Oprah and Dr. Phil type of shows. And I'd rather watch an hours worth of Joseph A. Banks commercials than sit through the View.
TV is not all good, but it's not all bad either. I still heart TV.
Oooh, I forgot... Reruns of any Trek series are good, too! :)
For the record, I loved Fraiser, too. I have never seen a wittier sitcom.
I generally like Bill Maher similar to how I like Neal Boortz on the radio. I may not see it their way all the time, but when they're cornered, they'll have a reasonable conversation with the opposition.
I used to be a fan of Maher's too...he crossed the line with ugly innuendos and Christian bashing...
And when I heard he was asking 17 yr old girls to his hotel room after having spoken at Loyola Marymount College here, I knew he was a lost and very ugly soul. Of course, I'd already wised up to him so it wasn't a big leap to totally disrespect him upon being told that first-hand story (he did it often)
By the way, I learned this from a young woman with whom I sat at a gathering...I'd just met her and she and her husband and I talked...she used to be the editor of the college paper and in charge of getting speakers in once a month, I believe.
SHe was a conservative and rotated liberal/conservative to the school every other month.
Maher was a frequent speaker until she was told enough times by girls he'd hit on what he was doing.
She told me Karl Rove was the most polite, kind speaker.
Ann Coulter spoke frequently and always asked her to invite six students for dinner after the function...she'd pay and the kids were thrilled.
After she graduated, they got a liberal Editor and they only invite liberal speakers now.
all true.
Well, I knew Maher was a "bachelor-for-life"/playboy type, but I didn't know about his taste for underage girls. Yech.
I'm okay with bacherlor-ism. Not okay with Sandusky-ism.
Also, I hasten to add that over the past year or so, I have found Maher less and less interesting. He's become SO predictable in his attack-dog ways. He often disappoints.
And I don't doubt your story. Esp. considering how left-leaning most colleges are. Frankly, I'm surprised that young lady EVER got the chance to bring in a regular roster of conservatives.
Indeed, I've heard similar stories about Coulter. And when I've seen her on C-SPAN signing books and talking to fans one-on-one, that appears to be the case.
She is still a major turn-off for me as a writer/pundit. But hey, if she, and Rove, et al, are truly nice people on a personal level, then they certainly deserve credit for that.
(Interestingly, Coulter and Maher, I think, very openly refer to each other as friends. I wonder what SHE thinks about his sexual preferences?)
Lastly, with celebrities, it runs the gamut. Back before he hit it big, Hannity was someone that my fellow black GOP-er friends knew very well.
Same kind of thing. He was clearly a nice guy.
It's interesting to observe Hannity and Russell Simmons, the producer brains behind Eminem at al, talk about how they like each other. And it's very believable.
It's probably a question for another time, but if you're a good person in reality is it okay to be a jack@ss on reality TV? =)
Lets try this again. A tidbit HERE. about Republican and Democratic viewing preferences.
net, Russell Simmons said some really low stuff about Hannity (i think that he did drugs or something?) and called to apologize to him. Of course, the damage is done, but even Hannity admitted that was a 'class act'..they do seem to have a begrudging respect and friendship with each other.
By the way, why would you think I had anything against anybody being a bachelor? Did I read that wrong?
re reality tv and jackasses; I'm hoping for the sake of those who do act like jackasses in front of cameras that they're not quite that bad in real life..for their own sakes :-)
scotty, thanks for that article...interesting, though it speaks better for Dems, in my opinion.
Of course, all of it's awful stuff, so I guess it speaks badly for TV; which was my main point here, of course!
Yep, you read that part wrong, Z =)
I was just saying that I knew Maher was a playboy, but I DIDN'T know he was into females that young.
Also, I'm aware of Simmons' comments about Hannity. But frankly, I think Simmons was using Hannity's name to make a more general statement about conservatives. And, if I had to guess, Simmons was probably also responding to somebody's criticism of hip-hop.
I'm only guessing here. But I'm pretty sure Simmons was trying to say that certain rappers, like for example, Common, are probably less "racist" and less "gangster" than your stereotypically jingoistic conservative media pundit, based on issues like foreign policy and illegal immigration.
In fairness, Simmons analysis may or may not be true. Nevertheless, in context, Simmons words about Hannity was far from a baseless personal attack, which is probably why Hannity brushed it off so easily. He knew Simmons didn't "really mean it".
And let's face it. Simmons has probably spent a LOT of time defending hip-hop from all kinds of people -- including non-conservatives. So he's probably used to delivering that spiel.
I've seen Simmons and Huckabee together, too. From what I can gather, Simmons is a serious, thoughtful, likeable, politically active, extremely successful entertainment businessman with a very left-wing world view; kind of like Bono, I guess.
His apparent decency seems to have earned him the respect of others with very different world views.
Net, and maybe you could go so far as to suggest the conservatives who bother having him on their shows are pretty open minded , serious, likeable and all the rest, too, huh?
I sometimes wonder at the fact that you call yourself a conservative ...
odd. You haven't sounded conservative in ages
Z,
I DON'T call myself a conservative! lol
And for the record, I haven't used the term "conservative" to describe myself in well over a decade.
Interestingly, for a while I felt comfortable with the label "libertarian" -- until the Tea Partiers kinda seized "libertarian" , as well as "conservative".
But honestly, Z, my political views have been remained quite steady since the turn of the millennium. But the connotative definitions of terms like "conservative" and "liberal" have changed.
I describe myself as very right-leaning economically, and quite left-leaning socially. But I don't know what that makes me =)
I know a LOT of good people who used to OPENLY call themselves conservatives AND GOP-ers, who haven't changed their world political views at all, who now absolutely refuse to use those terms to describe themselves. Just like me.
If anything about me HAS changed, it's probably the fact that I no longer care about how others label my politics. In the end, I just want to be fair, decent, logical and truthful.
Z, maybe one day you can ask your readers in a post, "Define liberal. Define conservative. But take the emotion out of it. Candid, sterile, simple answers only."
I'm curious what you would get.
One last point, Z.
"maybe you could go so far as to suggest the conservatives who bother having him on their shows are pretty open minded , serious, likeable and all the rest, too, huh?"
Actually, I do that a whole lot with my non-conservative friends, Z.
You know, it's probably just a personal thing, but I don't see the point of bragging about the virtues of conservatives in a place where the vast majority of participants are solid conservatives. It's too much like preaching to the choir for my taste. And if I were in a room full of hardcore liberals, I would feel the exact same way.
If conservatives are being attacked unfairly, I speak up. If liberals are being attacked unfairly, I speak up. If Christians or Muslims or atheists are being attacked unfairly, I speak up.
Another thought: Z, I wonder if the reason I sound less conservative to you now, than before, has something to do with uptownsteve.
As I am sure you recall, back in the FPM days, he hated me and I hated him, and almost all of our arguments were about African-American economics and education, two areas where I am quite "conservative".
I spent so much time responding to him and his cr@pola, I didn't have a lot of time to discuss much of my other views, many of which are quite liberal.
On issues like gay marriage, the death penalty, drug decriminalization, I'm flat-out liberal. On abortion and global warming, I'm probably somewhere between slightly-right-of-center and not-sure-what-to-think, but definitely not "conservative".
And even though I will never understand why so many white conservatives in particular see "atheism" as a "liberal" thing, I guess being an atheist -- at least, from THEIR perspective -- makes me "liberal".
Not long ago, I saw some "conservative" commenters on another another site label George Will and Michael Medved as "RINOs" or "liberals". If that's the case, I'm not sure WHAT "conservative" means.
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