Thursday, November 13, 2008

"Reality" TV...

I'm with Marko - I don't watch television, and don't feel that I'm missing out on anything. I've never seen an episode of American Idol; I've never seen a single episode of Survivor; I have no idea what the latest sitcoms are; I just don't care. I watch about 45 minutes of the local news in the morning while working out, and that's all the television I'll see in a day.

Sure, the kids watch Nickelodeon and Disney and Cartoon Network (that's new; and we only let The Boy watch that one...), and Mrs. G. loves the "reality" TV (Not me. I leave the room when she turns it on - I can actually feel my brain atrophy the longer I'm exposed to it). I am a huge fan of the Simpsons, but I haven't seen a first-run episode in years - not coincidentally, ever since they started coming out on DVD. I don't see the point in wading through commercials.

So I'm pop-culturally deficient. And I feel fine.

You know what, though? Look at my motorcycle trip post. Every single person I've linked there is a hundred times more real to me than anything that could flash across the boob tube. I'm far more interested in the goings on of a small town cop like LawDog, or the trials and tribulations of T-Bolt as he fights the flinch. I'd rather hear about Brigid's flights of fancy or look at Les's awesome pictures than watch any primetime drama. In short, I'd rather read about real people doing real things in the real world than watch beautiful people pretending to be real any day of the week.

That is all.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen Brother!

Sabra said...

I don't own a TV. Traded it for help moving. Got the better end of the bargain.

Sometimes I miss it, but then I go somewhere there is a TV and realize why I don't own one anymore. It's a great feeling to hear folks complain about Christmas commercials & have NO clue what they're talking about.

My girls get more than enough TV over at their grandparents' house. One reason I never got along well with my in-laws. They simply do not understand my disdain for television; his mom will sit in her chair and watch it literally four or more hours straight. I can't take that.

Borepatch said...

Now South Park - that's the flippity floppity floop.

Sevesteen said...

I just spent 15 minutes watching the manufacture of a S&W .500. That is more TV than the total of what I've watched in the last month--We have deliberately arranged our house so I can see and talk to my wife from my desk, but I cannot see the television.

There is some stuff I'd like to watch, but nothing interesting enough to remember schedules or get in the habit. Without my wife, I would be unlikely to own a television.

DJK said...

I'm with you... But, I do like NatGeo, Discovery, Science, and all the other Nerd channels.


But THIS is real TV...

http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/oceanside-north-jetty-southern-california_4238/

Anonymous said...

I dubbed the TV at Casa de Jimbob the "Idiot Box" after walking into the family room and seeing my 3 daughters (all 3, like ducks in a row, tallest to shortest)sitting on the couch, vacant 1,000 yard stares and mouths hanging open..... mesmerized by the screen. It was as if that infernal machine had sucked the brains right out of them, leaving soul-less, unseeing pod-people. Cable was cancelled posthaste.

That was like 3 or 4 years ago. It's not like they are missing anything good. What with sports, Destination Imagination and band practices, they don't have time. On Saturday, Eldest will attempt to bag her first deer. Wish us luck!

danno said...

If you have some sort of pay TV and get the FX channel.. Have you seen "Sons of Anarchy"?

I don't ride, and the show portrays the criminals as the good guys (probably because there are no good guys on the show) but it's the one show I catch every week.

Anonymous said...

My wife, who is a rocket scientist - LITERALLY - is freakin' addicted to things like Iron Chef, Dancing with the Stars, what not to wear and other nonsense... at least she doesn't like Survivor, thank G-d! I just leave the room and surf the net or read.

This post is anonymous because I'm too embarrassed to sign my name...

scotaku said...

I'm addicted to MythBusters, but that's 'cos things always seem to go "boom," and that's a good thing. Other than that, it's History, Discovery, Cooking and sporting events. So I'm not all that Enlightened. But I am extremely allergic to "reality" programming.

Lissa said...

I agree with Ted! Sorry, Jay G, but without TV my Ziva-girlcrush would wither away and die, and we wouldn't want THAT.