tigerpants's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sometimes I worry I�ve been thinking about some of my personal choices recently, and I�m starting to come to the conclusion that either the country is crazy, or I am. Both are a problem, of course, but which one�s worse? Who can tell? I started to do some serious thinking after the election. I mean, what is up with the country? Are the things I value so completely different from everyone else�s values? I�m so confused by the entire thing. It really does make me sad. In a less serious vein, I was also thinking about my television-viewing choices. ABC announced this week that it gave full-season orders to two of it�s new sitcoms. Seriously, I hadn�t even heard of one of them. And I work in television, people. At a network that is all about entertainment. And this new show is getting so many viewers that ABC felt it was necessary to pick it up for a full season. The other show is executive produced by Mel Gibson, which I have to admit, carries very little weight with me anymore. I haven�t seen his much-discussed pet project, but I did see some clips this week. Honestly, I think Mel may need some therapy. More than some. The movie was in a dead language, for heaven�s sake. I don�t know. I hate to get all wrapped up in it again. Mel is entitled to his beliefs, and is more than welcome to make a film about his beliefs. But just because it�s a movie about Jesus doesn�t mean that it�s a good movie about Jesus. It may be about the Big Guy, but that doesn�t mean it�s respectful cinema. But getting back to the sitcom discussion � I have a theory about sitcoms in this country. Sort of. It�s a little more vague than that. You see, I have nicknamed a certain segment of the population The Jay Leno People. The Jay Leno People (TJLP) watch Jay Leno. Every night. They love him. They love his jokes. They think he�s hilarious. They love his masterful riffing on current issues like politics and entertainment. These people, in my opinion, are keeping sitcoms on the air in this country. TJLP are watching Everybody Loves Raymond like it�s going out of style. They can�t get enough of that King of Queens. They live for the Monday night lineup on CBS. Did you guys even know Still Standing is still on the air? Man. I know I sound like a snob, but I�ve really never found any of these shows remotely funny. And that�s my point. Jay Leno is rarely funny, in my humble opinion. He snickers. He cackles. He takes the time to point out to the Queer Eye guys that he�s straight like 8 bajillion times, just in case they hadn�t noticed the wedding ring. As though Jay is some sort of prize that no homosexual will be able to resist. As though the gays can�t control themselves, so you have to just keep telling them over and over in case they get any crazy ideas into their heads. Gah. The people who enjoy Jay? Enjoy those sitcoms. And honestly? There�re a lot of them. A LOT a lot. And there are more every day. So this is what I worry about. Do I just not get the joke? Am I so far away from what everyone else is thinking that I can�t just sit back and enjoy some comedy? I don�t know. There are a LOT of people out there that enjoy these shows. They can�t all be wrong. So maybe I am? It�s certainly possible. Anyway, that�s enough of that. I�ve got to get home to watch Lost and The West Wing. No sitcoms in my foreseeable future. In closing, I leave you with this parting thought: Why doesn�t Chipotle have a drive-up window? Discuss. � 2004 Tigerpants Nation (Rebecca Gross) 6:39 p.m. - 2004-11-17 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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