What's Wrong With America? Friday Edition

"Fox's 'The Moment of Truth', the new lie-detector reality show, was seen by 23.2 million viewers Wednesday night, the most-watched series debut in more than a year."

So here is how it goes...a lot of people like the Idol show -- I get the appeal, it's not for me, but I get the appeal. And frankly when my kids are a little older we will probably watch it together because frankly there isn't much else we can watch together. We tried American Gladiators, the net result was a severe beatdown that I took from the kids later that night as we tried the home version of the Eliminator and Joust. My back has yet to recover. In my defense, they tag teamed me and I didn't see it coming.

Back to the rant...
So what it comes down to is that 23 million people were so frickin lazy, they couldn't pick up the remote control when the show was over and pick something else. Anything else. Instead, they stayed around (and justified for FOX) a show that asks people if they have inappropriately touched a co-worker or cheated on a spouse. Some thoughts...
1. There is a chance everyone was repulsed (car accident style and had to watch once) - I will feel better if week 2 scores less than 10 million idiots.
2. There is a chance that the show is super clever and the next big thing and I am dogging it without watching it. I am sure this is the reason. Uh huh.
3. America has nothing else to watch (copyright writers strike day 112) -- but I will not buy this. Watching good or better TV is too easy -- but we still fall into a pattern of leaving the TV on to see what's next.
It's time we got involved in our viewing, time to take command of the TV Guide and program it --it is still programming too many of us. There is just too much good TV still out there to be seen. That's all I am saying. Let's not give credence to FOX reality shows and the lot -- it will only spawn more. And just when we thought this crappy phenomenon was over, the writers cannibalize themselves. They really did.

SOME OTHER THOUGHTS FROM THIS WEEK:
-Check out the new Law and Order -- the stories are better and the new cast members are excellent.
-Watching Gene Simmons on Celebrity Apprentice has been a treat, I will definitely tune into his other show 'Family Jewels' when it comes back. He is a total trip. I also looked him up and found out his real name is Chaim Witz and he was born in Haifa. I never knew that. Too funny.
-I will now be tuning out Celebrity Apprentice now that Gene Simmons got himself fired. Never seen anyone ask for it like he did. I assume he was bored.
-Did I mention Lost comes back next week?
-I think I am going to try Eli Stone, the new lawyer/fantasy show.
-Avid reader M.R. from 'Smokedale' reminds me to mention that it's getting harder and harder to read and enjoy Bill Simmons on ESPN.com. I mention this here only because Simmons has been my favorite on-line read for years. In reality, he is the writer I always wanted to be, and made it happen on his own, his way. It's a great story. His knowledge of sports mixed with pop culture is rivaled by no one and he can weave it perfectly into a 10,000 word essay. The problem is, with all the recent success by him home teams - Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots - and his continued use of the same 10 movie analogies, we are subjected to Boston articles littered with re-hashed pop culture almost endlessly. It is now to the point of saturation where I think I just need a short break from Simmons and his endless references to the Karate Kid and Shawshank. I hear the cries of reader M.K. -- but it will be hard to quit him. And yes, that was my shout out to the legacy of Heath Ledger.
-One benefit of the strike is that all major networks, during what is normally a sweeps month, will be devoting prime-time coverage to Super Tuesday. Wow, what a novel idea...

Happy Weekend to all.