Re: Beg To Differ

[Buffalohead <nsrjm@nursepo.medctr.ucla.edu>]

jjh969@aol.com (JJH969) wrote:
>
> Robb,
> I apologize for that post, it was inappropriate, but I can't 
> completely agree with you either.  Now unfortunately I feel
> compelled to respond to your follow-up. You say that 
> there is plenty that is good about American T.V.  I say that
> such a small percentage of what comes over the airwaves is
> anywhere near what we Americans are capable of, As far as being 
> sneakily offensive, Hell, I really enjoy being overtly offensive.  
> I guess I shouldn't be railing against American television, It's just 
> a reflection of our culture.
> 
>

You fossil!!!!    :-)
	(I read rec.music.tori-amos too.) So, yeah, I have to agree,
noting your comments about Geraldo (grrrr, don't get me started), that
the preponderance of television really...well...sucks. But I hardly
think it's an American phenomenon. One of our lowest-rated shows, 
Baywatch (Babewatch) has become the toast of European television...and
before that, it was Dallas. What I've seen of foreign-produced T.V.
hardly puts ours to shame. Maybe it's the medium -- being a 'passive'
pasttime, TV gives you little reason to think, imagine, or create your
own visuals and voices to accompany the characters. Books and music
force you to do at least one or the other.

	And you can't blame the executives, either. When television is
made well, it is usually received dismally by audiences. What happened
to 'Homefront' and 'The Dennis Miller Show?' They were TOO intelligent
and alienated audiences. I think Kate has the same problem here. I was
watching my just-received Single File video (YES!) today, when some
guy stopped in and said, "Kate Bush? Isn't she pretentious?" Well...
yeah, but that's why *I* like her. Pretentious is just another way of
saying that she works hard at writing intelligent, thought- and
emotion-provoking fare. It's far better than 'pandering,' at any rate.
(Yes, I killed him. Had to. The way he said it sounded TOO insulting.)

	Before you think I'm denigrating American audiences, let me
say I don't think it's that we're not intelligent enough to 'get'
decent fare. I just think we are irked by it...'Who do you think you
are using words like 'tearing you asunder' and basing a song on James
Joyce's 'Ulysses?'"

	Oh well. Enough of this (as I'm sure the other gaffans are
screaming). Besides, Susan Powter's 'Stop The Insanity' is on again.

:-)

Robb