February 15, 2005
Television - Take 1
I’ll be the first one to admit that I do have a few questionable television viewing habits. I certainly spend more time than is necessarily healthy staring at the box. My wife will tell you that I watch exclusively Fox News, sports, American Chopper, The History Channel, and South Park. While I’ll admit, this makes up a great deal of my T.V. diet, I occasionally give her the remote and find myself staring at something I wouldn’t ordinarily choose. Then I go in the other room and read a book.
Seriously though, while there is some great programming to entertain and inform, the television is largely responsible for much of the idiocy present in our society. It has become the most important influence in many people’s lives. It tells us what’s cool, what’s exciting, what’s expected of us, what we should wear, what’s happening, and of course, how we should feel about everything. So, without further ado, I’ll now invoke upon the maiden voyage of what will be the “Television” category of Cocked and Locked. It’s intended as a therapeutic outlet for yours truly, although it may also represent a well intentioned respite for the loved ones in my life who tolerate my endless ranting at the glowing inanimate object in our living room.
Michael Jackson
For the love of Pete, I’ll never understand what motivates people to pay any attention to this guy. In the rich American tradition of encouraging our entertainers to go with that funky inner self and be what you want to be, this guy has taken it to areas never conceived of. As a six year old boy, he was impressive. As a forty-something year old man, posturing and singing like he’s still six, he’s creepy. No, scratch that, he’s mortifying. Couple that with the weird behavior stemming from his supposed lack of a childhood and, of course, the endless elective mutilations, and you’re left with the freak that we see every day on television. Honestly, if there were no Michael Jackson and some guy moved next door that looked like that, it would certainly incite some reactionary behavior from the neighborhood. I’m not going to say that this guy is guilty of child molestation. God knows I know nothing about the details of Mr. Jackson’s personal life. Would I be surprised? Of course not, and I wouldn’t let any of my loved ones out of my site if he moved next door either. I think the most unfortunate thing about the whole Michael Jackson scenario is that television, and the weird media feast that surrounds this case, insures that the upcoming trial will have absolutely nothing to do with whether or not Michael Jackson molested that little boy and everything to do with who steps forward in his defense. If my neighbor was arrested for the same crime and there was half as much evidence as I suspect there will be in Jackson’s case, he’d already be in jail.
Paris Hilton
Nope, I don’t get it… I understand she’s a rich heiress, but there are scads of those, rich people die all the time. So what else is there about Ms. Hilton that has flashbulbs popping and tabloids printing? She seriously looks like trailer trash, she’s unintelligent, uninteresting, she’s a whore, and she has absolutely no talent or qualifications to do anything whatsoever. I say give her a television show! Good God, what is wrong with people?
Posted by RobF at 05:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
