The Formulaic Comforts of HGTV
I grew up on a steady diet of This Old House, but since that’s only on every so often, I settle instead on HGTV. I watch it on the treadmill at the gym, and...
Tagged: television
“Lost” as a Narrative Ponzi Scheme
I was a big fan of the show “Lost” back in the day, but unlike other shows, I don’t care to go back and watch it again. As much as I liked the show...
The Ad-Free Super Bowl Stream
I’m not a sports guy. In fact, I don’t even watch the Super Bowl most years, but this year my friends invited me to a watching party. I decided the party was worth sitting...
The Computer Chronicles
Regular readers of this site will know that I’m big into tech history. I was fascinated by computers as a child and a teenager, and I spend a lot of time writing about vintage...
Media Fragmentation at a Halloween Party
Back in the mid-20th century, most pop culture came from just a few media sources. There were just three TV channels here in the US. Bands like the Beatles dominated music. And virtually all...
The Future of Stephen Colbert
The big news in entertainment this week came from Stephen Colbert. After nine years of filming The Colbert Report, he is leaving the show to replace David Letterman as the host of The Late...
Outrage, Trolling and Hashtag Activists
Last week, one of my favorite comedians, Stephen Colbert, did a segment on the Colbert Report making fun of the racist name of the Washington Redskins. He did so with his own racist impression...
Progress and Science Deniers
A couple of months ago, Bill Nye the Science Guy had a debate with the proprietor of the Creation Museum. Meanwhile, Neil deGrasse Tyson was busy filming a reboot of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos which...
Tom’s Diner: An Influential Song
It’s such a simple little song, a two-minute ditty about a woman sitting in a diner. Eight simple notes played in several variations, with a catchy a capella “doo doo doo doo doo doo...
5 Best New Arrested Development Characters
I’ve loved “Arrested Development” ever since the first episode. I remember watching it on Fox, hoping the TV network would keep the show going. I was disappointed, but unsurprised, when they canceled and doubled...
