Enough "altered" Reality TV (a pop culture rant)
Thursday, Dec 14, 2006
I love my Television... Thursday night is a huge night... two of my fav's... Survivor and The Office.
We're in the age where people, myself included, love Reality TV.
In the old days, it was called, "The News".
American Idol, Survivor, The Amazing Race, American Inventor, Last Comic Standing, The Real World, Making the Band, Popstars, American Chopper, Blind Date, The 5th Wheel, Temptation Island, the Bachelor, Beyond the Bull, ElimiDate, The Bachelorette, Joe Millionaire, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance, Cops, Dog the Bounty Hunter, The Mole, The Apprentice... the Apprentice: Martha Stewart, Dancing with Celebrities... nice list... and about 1/8th of the shows that have been on the "Tube".
So, tonight, while watching The Office... a sitcom that is made to look like a reality television show... so, a reality tv "Spoof"... I saw a promo for the next new Reality TV Show.
This one "has it all"
Singing: a la "American Idol"
Dancing: a la "Dancing With the Stars"
Viewer Interaction: a la "American Idol", "Dancing With the Stars"
...America will vote on... wait for it...
The next cast for the Broadway musical "GREASE"
Yup. Tune into NBC in January. See some good singers and dancers, and the specifically chosen to look bad on television poor singers and dancers (William Hung meets Jerry Springer)
The Cameras have left the dirty cast-away Island and hit the bright, clean and flamboyant Broadway strip.
It's become a mess. The old sitcom days are over. Seinfeld got out when the going was good. Cheers closed down in time. Friends parted company in the nick of time...people want to watch regular people, behaving badly. They want to laugh, cry, cheer and react to "the guy next door" on TV eating pig intestines.
We've become Voyeurs. Soon, celebrities will become a thing of the past. Instead of the next TV star getting his big break and moving to Hollywood, he's going to move to some small town in Alabama...the site of the next reality TV Show..."So you think you can change a truck tire and spit tobacco".
Will I watch the Grease Show? Oh, probably. But during the commercials I'll be turning to one of the Retro TV Channels to watch Frasier, Married With Children, All in the Family... but of course I'll turn back to the Grease show to see who wins... I may know him and try and get an autographed remote control to put on Ebay.
Keep it real,
Scullz
My Personal Battle with Tim Horton's
Thursday, Dec 07, 2006
First, I must say... I love Tim Horton's. The Coffee Haven, technically a QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) has been the venue for a gazillion great memories.
In High School, I was there almost every day, enjoying a coffee in a mug with all my fellow school-chums...
College... I would drive 5km out of my way just to grab a java enroute to class... especially on Friday mornings after enjoying 3 hours sleep following DJ'ing the night before...
To Rodeos... from the time the committee brought a huge Carafe for the crew doing a live breakfast TV show with a 5am wake-up... to the times the entire convoy stopped and sat around swapping stories...
...to the time a police officer stopped us at the door asking us where we were coming from and where we were going... to which I replied, "I don't even know, maaaan..."... that could have ended scary, but didn't...
My vice: XL Regular. I love it... it's always too hot the first sip... hot the second and third, and Perfect for the last 3/4's. If I go smaller, it's too hot the entire thing... and well... they don't go larger than XL.
But now... I'm waging war with "Timmies"...
I remember when an XL was $1.35. A loonie, a quarter and a dime.
Then it jumped to like $1.45. Still cool. A loonie, 2 quarters, and you get a nickle back. (Ironically, that's how the band Nickleback got their name... from the lead singers time working at Starbucks... every order, he would say, "Here's your nickle back").
Then $1.50. No worries, so I don't get a nickle.
Then $1.55. Still cool. A loonie, 2 quarters and a Nickle. It was that price for like 2 years.
Now... it's $1.58. Why not $1.60...I don't know.
So, now, every coffee (and I usually get 2/day)... they want to give me 2 cents back. Every day, 4 cents. 5 days a week, that's 10 pennies.
I already suffer from the "George Costanza Wallet"...
Here's what I'm doing. It's all about the Exact Change, baby!
A loonie, 2 Quarters, A nickle, and 3 pennies. I have a stack of change in my truck, and Tim Horton's is going to get it.
Why? I'm hoping that counting out the small change becomes a bother, and they up the price to $1.60. Yes, I want to pay more... so I don't have to collect the pennies.
Yes, I know it's wierd... but... I also have a "next step"...
If I have to wait long... I start substituting.
I start with the quarters.
0 seconds-30 seconds: a Loonie, 2 quarters, a nickle, 3 pennies
30 seconds-45 seconds: a loonie, a quarter, 2 dimes, 2 nickles, 3 pennies
45 seconds-60 seconds: a loonie, four dimes, 3 nickles, 3 pennies
etc.
Today...I did 3 quarters, 4 dimes, 5 nickels, 18 pennies.
They should make sure that I don't have too much time on my hands while staring at all my change... waiting for my Java.
Who knows... it may make a difference... if not... atleast I'm practicing my math.
