Tuesday, September 30, 2008

TV Small Talk, Robin Meade and Noah's Love Boat



I don't know why this is really bugging me today but I have been catching the last two or three minutes of local news all day just before the programs I was watching and its amazing how terrible news teams are at the small talk banter they have to do when they need to kill a few seconds before the commercial break. Weather men are pretty good at it but the sports guy looks like a racoon caught in the headlights and the over achiever news women acts like she never made small talk before in her life. Does she really believe she got the job cause of her skill as a reporter? She got her job cause she managed to charm some higher management type long enough to get him to take his eyes off her breast long enough to imagine that she would sleep with him cause he was SOOOO charming and funny. So why can't she FAKE it for ten seconds with Skippy the failed athelete and Fatty the weather slug...I mean my cat can shmooze the mailman for the ten seconds they meet every weekday. It hurts to watch and it never gets any better no matter how long the news team has been together. Don't these people interact off air...around the donut cart? The makeup room? Can't we see a little of that humanity that you usually save for that perfect storm or that oh so unbelievable goal. I mean I try and I hate people...but I have people SKILLS. To find someone who really gets the small talk and is beautiful to boot check out Robin Meade on Headline News. She raises the level of not only the banter but is a solid reporter and newcaster.

Speaking of which...I was talking about religion today with somebody in anticipation of Bill Maher new movie Religulous. I am a huge fan of Bills. Real Time is one of the weekly shows I HAVE to download. I appreciate his intelligence and his practical, HONEST approach to the issues of the day. He can spot a hypocrite from ten miles away and there is nothing better than seeing him skewer someone trying to peddle their baloon juice and usually its some religious nutjob or republican dimwit. The movie explores religion and all the issues that brings up and I like the fact that Bill asks the questions and challenges the people that take the Bible LITERALLY (one of my own pet peeves...drives me insane when I see or hear peoplel like Elizabeth Hasselbeck on the View...I guess pretty doesn't always mean smart)...like Noah lived 9o0 years and collected two of every animal... including the thousand of species of insects... and THEN got ythem all to mate??? And tell me this what happen to the dinosaurs? No room for them? And how did they keep the carnivores away from the herbivores? What did you pack gazzels for the cheetahs to eat? And who did you choose which two to bring with you and which went into the freezer? LOOKS???? PERSONALITY..I know...you held a contest like American Idol and the two Wildebeast that sang the best or did the best magic trick got the spot on the boat. INSANITY!!!!! The person I was talking to came back at me with the arguement..."Well, what is you are wrong? What if there is a God?" Hey...If I am wrong about there being a heaven then its a pleasant surprise for me. I have a feeling they are gonna be alot more let down expecting there to be something waiting for them after death. "Ah shit! And I was so SURE." Its like expecting presents at Christmas and then being told that your family converted to Judism that morning. And believe me...getting a draddle sucks. And its the certainty that amazes me. We aren't uneducation manure farmers in ancient Palestine anymore. The time for cute little fairly tales is over. Time for all the hillbillies to stop holding social progress back. Stop looking for the odd phrase in the Bible to justify your homophobia or prejudice.

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