The Future of Media: #79 TV and Me

Television has been a large part of my life for as long as I can remember. This photo (left) is proof. If you've lived in Houston anytime prior to 1971 you'll remember KTRK Channel 13's mascot, Kitirik, a play on the station's call letters and a popular kids' show here. It featured a woman in a black leotard and fishnet stockings catsuit (Bunny Orsak) who may have been just as popular with Dads as she was with us kids. My sister, cousin and I were photographed with the Catwoman herself for my sister's birthday at the KTRK-TV studios probably around 1964. That's me on her lap. The kids would sit on a mini carousel and tell Kitirik their favorite food, which, 90% of the time was "p'sketti," as in "p'sketti and meatballs." Actor and fellow Houstonian Brent Spiner also has fond memories of being on the show as a child. If you don't know who Brent is, you're obviously new to this blog - and Star Trek NG, so stop reading now. I've always been addicted to television, further proving it by earning a bachelor's degree in Radio & Television and working in the business for a few years. I must be more of a voyeur since watching TV was always more fun than actually having it as a career. Television has jumped light years from the 1960's and still more since I worked in it but the the glowing "magic box" continues to hypnotize each successive generation. There's an intimacy with television that is lacking in cinema, perhaps because you're in your own living room when you watch it. The internet has rendered that intimacy even more personal when you are the sole person sitting at your computer watching full episodes with "limited commercial interruption." Smart phones shrink the personal space even more. What's next, a chip in your brain that only one viewer has access to? Sites like Hulu and tv.com enable addicts like me. Now, no matter what time day or night, I have access to episodes of Lost or Survivor (not that I would dare miss one!). I did search for another favorite series of mine, Futurama, but could only find excerpts unless you wanted to pay for them for $1.99 at Amazon. I love this episode featuring the voices of Star Trek. Yes, I own this season on DVD.



Joost was touted for having more animation but I couldn't find Futurama episodes there either. It could be because the series is canceled, although Mr. Magoo and Felix the Cat are available. I've never watched a television show in its entirety on a cell phone although Tristan has some episodes of "Lost" on his iPhone. The screen is much too small for me to enjoy it although the quality was very good. Streaming video is a new thing to me and I did get hooked on watching the Shiba Inu Puppy Cam the last litter back. I was saddened to see them go one at a time as they got adopted. I don't think I would ever upload a video, though. One of the things I like about TV is the anonymity of it. Must be the voyeur in me.

Year of the Tiger

Gong hay fat choy!! Happy Chinese New Year!

Surviving Survivor

"Outwit, Outplay, Outlast" is the mantra of the game called "Survivor," a reality show that arguably changed the way we view television forever. Who can resist a good battle of wits and stamina? Love it or hate it, no more are expensive actors and scripts dominating our evening viewing choices. It's cheaper but still chock full of drama as any medical or forensic crime show. Now, I know there are people out there who claim to hate these shows. I've never met a person who says that who has actually watched the program -- or at least watched it enough to give it a chance. So I guess they think they sound more intellectual or more high-brow by claiming that it's "beneath" them to be part of the "common folk." To me, when I hear someone say that, I think, "You're one of those people who turn your nose up at sushi before trying it." Ppppfftt!! You're not better just because you say you are. I admit that I have never missed a single episode of "Survivor." There, I said it. Twenty seasons, every episode. To me, this show was intriguing because it's a game we all play in real life only this time it's in a gorgeous tropical paradise. Every day we all go to work and deal with people we wouldn't necessarily choose as friends but whom we are forced to deal with through crisis and day-to-day strife. We all have a goal: to stay employed and get money. What is my best move? Do I pretend to like this person to get what I want? Should I align with this person because he/she is better positioned to get me ahead? Should I attempt to get this person ejected because I know something bad about them? Who do I suck up to? Who should I stay clear of? Welcome to the game of "Survivor." To survive you have to outsmart, outplay, outlast. Most of us have been playing this game for years. The only difference in watching it is seeing someone else struggle through it, usually wearing a bikini. Although this was the first of its genre, it's true there have been many pretenders which don't do it as well. There have been goofy dating games and weird freak shows, but "Survivor" was the first and, in my humble opinion (remember, I've seen every episode) continues to sit on top. After 20 seasons, there have been some missteps where the game was boring or the contestants were too predictable but overall, it continues to keep the standard. I love the psychological aspect of the game - how it messes with your head, and I'm sure starving and sleeping in the rain every night doesn't help much. The physical challenges are limiting because only the superfit (or the super young) can win, which is okay because it is, after all, television - a visual medium - and who wants to see post-menopausal cottage cheese bellies warbling up a steep incline? (((shudder))) And because there's a voyeuristic aspect to the concept, there's the requisite boob popping out ever so often, but who hasn't experienced that at work??? So to celebrate the 10th anniversary, this season is "Survivor: Heroes vs Villains," a fantastic idea and much better than the controversial "White, African-American, Asian, Hispanic" rivalry, although I loved the concept (guess who won? he he), most viewers are unprepared to look that closely at ourselves. Although my heart is pulling for the Heroes, the better players were the Villains and I expect them to use their underhanded ways to come out on top. In a game of "outwit, outplay and outlast," a smart villain, unencumbered by those pesky moral and ethical restrictions, seems sure to prevail. Is that the way it seems to happen in real life? Ask yourself that. And get over yourself and watch. I am.

A Lesson In Loyalty

There's a movie coming out in May called, "Hachiko: A Dog's Story" starring Richard Gere. It's loosely based on a real dog named Hachi (which means "8" in Japanese - a lucky number) whose loyalty to his master became legendary in Japan. Hachi's master, a professor in Tokyo in 1925, went to work on a train every day leaving his beloved Akita dog there at the station to wait for him until he returned. Professor Ueno tried to get Hachi to stay home but his pet insisted on waiting there at the station until his master came back. One day, Professor Ueno had a fatal stroke at work and never returned. Confused, Hachi refused to leave. The station staff cared for him and tried to get the Akita to a new home but Hachi refused to leave the last place he saw the professor. Each day, Hachi would make his way back to the train depot to await his master's return. This continued for many years, during which time the story of the loyal dog who waited became legendary. Children visited Hachi, the statue became a popular meeting spot and tourists made special trips to the train station at Shibuya just to see this amazing dog. Finally, after eleven years, Hachi laid down at his customary waiting spot and died. Together at last. A year later, an artist erected a bronze statue of Hachi, whose loyalty knew no bounds and whose love for his master transcended life itself. The pictures below are of the real Hachiko (adding the suffix "ko" indicates an endearment) and his statue; the actual dog was stuffed and resides in a museum today. I'm not sure how the new movie will enhance the already famous story and...Richard Gere??? By the way, no way a CAT would ever do this! Oh well, if you want to read the true story, check out the following books: Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog by Pamela S. Turner or Hachiko Waits by Leslea Newman. Wonderful example of a dog's unwavering love for us ...much like my Sam. In fact, as I type he's right here next to me ....hello? Sam??? I guess he had something better to do. *sigh*