Don’t Be Al Bundy
Posted on January 23, 2011 | By Patty Pino | No Comments
Way back in the 80’s, television metamorphosized from 12 free broadcast stations plus that weird UHF band into pay television, lovingly known as Cable. Along with more TV options came the bid for another major network, and the badboy of television, the FOX network, was born. FOX was like an unbridled teenager, free to experiment with their programming without being burdened by the trappings, traditions, and history of previous major three networks. In the sitcome space, they lauched “Married…with Children,” one of the most culturally defining television programs of that era.
That was then...
At that time, Al Bundy and his misfit, unmotivated family ruled the airwaves and, I suppose , there was something empowering about this klan. They were sarcastic, selfish, and non-trendy – a huge counterpoint to the buttoned-up, Izod clad yuppies that were so prevalent in those post-Disco, Regan “Just Say No” days. Al, Peg, Kelly, and Bud, in their slovenly simplicity, were harbingers and ambassadors for the soon-to-come Seattle grunge and slacker movement of the early 90’s. They were the original couch potatoes.
But, as ground-breaking as they were in the late 80’s, I’m here to tell you don’t be like Al Bundy. Read more
Reality is Overrated
Posted on January 3, 2011 | By Patty Pino | No Comments
Are you old enough to remember when home video cameras first started to become popular and people started bringing them to parties or family things and somehow, whenever a video camera entered the situation, people changed. You could be having a good meal or conversation and everyone would be relaxed and then some uncle would come through with the say-hi-to-the-camera bit and nervous people got more nervous, and outgoing people turned on the charm, and those in-between just kinda stiffened up and waved “hi” because they didn’t know what else to do?
Then, TV hit the air with a show called “The Real World” where they tried to capture that same social thing where everyone is hanging out together but there just happens to be cameras present? What happened on that show in 1992 was sort of the same thing that occurred with your technical uncle – people became slightly warped, awkward versions of themselves for the MTV nation, and other people found that entertaining.
What was true in your family setting was true for those 20-somethings in that New York apartment – the camera changes things. Read more
Unboundaried, A Meandering Rant from TSF 7
Posted on April 5, 2010 | By Patty Pino | No Comments
Is it OK if they frequently fight,
Is it OK if the bride wears white,
…even if she has a couple of children…
It is OK if she has fake breasts,
and yet her kids are an incredible mess
because she claims they never have any money…
Is it OK if he professes to be true,
but you know that he has propositioned you
…on more than one occasion…
Is it OK for Nick Cage?
Is it OK if he wears a rug,
Is it OK if she’s planted a bug
in their computer,
so she can track all of his online activities…
Is it OK if they seldom fuck,
Is it OK if he tries his luck,
at the casino…with the deposit money for their new home
…and he looses it all…
Is it OK if she swears she’s quit,
but then, occasionally, she takes a hit
just to keep her sane…
Is it OK if she has a drink,
even though you tend to think
she’s pregnant at the time,
…never mind who’s it is…
Is it OK if he roams the night,
because he says that he’s uptight,
and getting out
is the only thing
that calms him down…
Is it OK if they talk so sweet,
when you really know that underneath
neither of them is happy
in this thing, called a relationship, anymore…
~pp
<Don’t be hypocritical. Listen, as well as read, TSF7: Drop Everything or look for it on iTunes. It is slacktacular.>
Why All New Music Sucks, a Meandering Rant from TSF3
Posted on December 9, 2009 | By Robert LaFrance | No Comments
Do we stop appreciating new music after a certain age? AKA Why does all new music suck? Recently re-titled as “Has the now effortless pursuit of new music changed music’s value aka why new music is almost free!”
I long for new music. I easily fall into the media hype of some groundbreaking young band and seek out any and all of their recordings. I have been known to incessantly fight the busy signal of a radio station’s request line in order to ask the DJ the name of the song that was played exactly 27.5 minutes ago. I’ve then called the foreign-based record label to find a local retailer that might actually carry said music. In my eternal quest for the new and different, I’ve canvassed my hip friends for suggestions, begrudgingly tuned in local college radio, combed the billboard charts, made purchases based solely on the esoteric words of a music journalist, I’ve dragged my classy, sophisticated girlfriend (now wife) through the rough and tubmble streets of Greenwich Village, New York City to seek out musty old music shops that carry used records and spend hours flipping through bins of dusty vinyl – only with the promise of returning the favor by agreeing to window shop at Tiffany’s on 5th Avenue, subscribed to new music CD services (remember CMJ?), provided false names to both the Columbia and BMG music clubs… even purchased random CDs based solely on the cover art or some annoyingly pretentious record store clerk.
But, that was a long time ago and much has changed in my life…
What it means to be Generation X, a Meandering Rant from TSF1
Posted on November 28, 2009 | By Christian | No Comments
Ok, lets start this with a look inward. I asked myself “self, what are you?” Once I started looking (and got past the initial chaos rattling around in my head) I realized that’s not such a simple question and a lot of what Generation X is, is what its not. You can’t put a box around Generation X and say oh, its all about grunge and apathy. Or look to movies like Reality Bites and Star Wars… because yes, whether you want to admit it or not YOU were effected by Star Wars and the Jedi bed sheets you had as a kid. Its not about that big hair you had, or gray hair now and looking at 40 as “not that old”. Its not about whether you are “corporate” or keeping it real. Its not about whether you live with someone you aren’t married to or whether you are now a responsible parent or not. Its not about whether you worry about how the lawn looks or whether you are “green”. I could go on for hours but the truth is, its not about a lot.
Now, once we admit to ourselves its not about a lot we have to look at that. Its not about a lot. Is that disaffection I smell? Read more
