Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

Reality TV, Rome had it too.
It was the beginning of the end.
Don't like cutthroat? "You're fired!"
"You're voted off the island," you
couldn't outmaneuver the others.
Don't like reality? "It's fired!"
Boom done, onto the more
important self-stroking.

Tacitus could not have said it better I been pretty depressed at the state of our democracy. Sorry Mark, that is almost a sentence. You know I don't believe you when you say I am one step ahead of you. I wish I had your succinctness. When I say I that trump pumps my depression I mean I am trying to get past my "John Wayne" induced Ho-wood tribal patriarchal ego trip of mine. When I get past that I feel more cheerful I envisionsioun the USofA as it appears in Vonnegut's Slaughter House 5. Our best future is we will be "Balkinized" and the Russians win and China runs the show but we will be tolerated as harmless petty states with no interest in world domination.
I guess you got a TV again, my zen practice is to watch grade B science fiction black and white movies on TV with Dino. I watched one called "Prehistoric Women" Dino would have noticed that the women all had long hair but the men all had good haircuts.

sorry for the ramble
I saw him hug a flag, the last refuge of a , a ,...I dont know what , a scoundrel?
They must love him in China. They are working on AI big time and trump as eviscerated the grant money

High Jack

reality tv - now there's an oxymoron for you - like "civil war" (or "holy war"), "free puppies", "compassionate conservatism".....

Reality TV

irony?

When in doubt, wrap it up in the flag! Remember how much shit Obama took when he didn't wear a flag lapel pin one time? I mean, nothing wrong with putting one on of course, nothing at all. Ya gotta know the basic Rules! Lucky he didn't get voted off the Island ... No Jack, still no TV in my domicile. Haven't had one for awhile. Really, since about the time "Reality TV" became a thing. I knew that was the beginning of the end ...

And yes, oxymoron is a good place to start when considering the phenomenon...

I've still got a tv, but it isn't connected to the outside world - use it only for watching my remaining few VHS tapes. (Apollo 13, Forbidden Planet, The Outer Limits [1963-65]...) The talk shows & "reality" shows that infest the airways now prevail because they're cheap to make - and look it.

And some of them speak to ... our "values." Hey, maybe that's reality!

This post leaves me out! Sure, t.v. has it's bullshit but in between the commercials one can find some decent broadcasting, if you like history, whatever sports you might enjoy, educational shows, i.e. PBS... hell, nowadays with cable you can pretty much pick and choose from one hell of a lot of programs to fit damn near anyone's tastes. Like the old saying goes, "don't toss out the baby with the bath water. But I do understand why some would prefer not to watch and would prefer to listen instead. But please don't believe t.v. is all trash and bullshit. That can easily be an excuse to ignore it... and miss some fine programming.

... stepping down from the podium and returning the program over to mnaz, truck and sasha now.

Really I don't have any particularly strong feelings against TV per se. (I was even considering getting one.) Actually Cec, those shows we watched at your place last time I was down Texas way opened my eyes. They were on a level of well-made art. So yes, nuggets are found in the refuse. It's just a certain kind of TV that I was carping about ... (and how it's invaded our collective psyche?)

We don't have any interest in or watch that genre, "reality tv" and I never saw "tv trumps" show his entire run.

In order to enjoy the tube, which we do, you *have to* be selective and ignore the crap, period. And since we have Nathan, if it weren't for tv, dvd's (watched on tv), he'd be bonkers. As it is his interest in various programs, movies, wrestling and music is damn decent... he is very selective in what he watches (as we all should).


Just like books or movies and even foods, nobody should read just to be reading, or watch a movie that hasn't hooked them and food... don't eat what isn't good for you and that you enjoy. Life and it's tv is a choice related enjoyment... and giving ourselves a break when needed stokes the choice department when it's time...

Thanks, amigo.... just venting and not intentionally criticizing other's choices.

Exactly. Ignore the crap. Instead of becoming it. Just say no!...

Second. I realized about 10 years ago that I'd lost interest in "mainstream" tv programming when I had my roof replaced, losing the aerial in the process. Never replaced it, despite no longer being able to watch PBS (WGBH, Boston) - the Natl Geo documentaries, anything David Attenborough, "Washington Week in Review", "NOVA"... there is quality programming out there, but it's in the tails of the distribution, not under the peak. The lowest common denominator prefers televised liberal bashing, jiggling titties, & inane chatter about who our plastic celebrities are banging. These rake in advertising dollars, and commercial broadcasts are more about revenue than entertainment, and certainly not about edification. Their audiences vote with their dollars to cut Federal funding to public media, allowing them to put the yearly nickel they save to good use.

There are a lot of good documentaries available for free streaming, and a lot of classic TV series as well - rewatched "Combat!" a few years ago, and am currently enjoying with my morning poached egg an old BBC program from the 1980s called "Tales of the Unexpected". There are oases in that vast wasteland.

the insidious aspect of TV , beyond the inane programming on many channels is of course the advertising....when my kids were allowed to watch cartoons, the rule was...You must mute all commercials....if I came in the room and they were listening to one, the tv wen't off for the next 3 days...very quickly they caught on and never forgot to do this.....then at random times I'd say...OK, let's watch this ad and discuss it....it didn't take long for them , after spirited discussions, to explain to me how the advertisers were trying to dupe them....I do think it helped them understand the principle of brainwashing, that continued throughout their lives....they were critical watchers/listeners.....

I like my Baltimore Orioles....so I do have a tv.....and as has been previously mentioned, tucked in the forest of schlock is some damn good programming

choose wisely grasshopper....

O my the advertising. Want content with that hustle? It never lets up, only keeps multiplying. You'd just drown in that deluge if your natural drown- out- too- much- noise mechanisms didn't kick in at some point. Naturally.

I just loves me some jiggling titties