Out of the Inkwell

A few random thoughts have been going through my mind this week.

Have you ever noticed how many television sitcoms and commercials of late team up an over-weight slob with a good looking woman and want us to believe that they are husband and wife? If ever someone wanted proof that men run the television industry, this is it. You would never see a good-looking guy playing a loving husband to an heavy-set slovenly woman.

Of course some people would argue having most male sitcom characters as knuckle-dragging idiots offsets this beauty bias. I don’t buy that for a moment.


I haven’t heard from the Holland pastor who was staging his “Mr. Heterosexual Contest” since the Sturbridge hotel that was going to host the event booted him out. Perhaps someone did interpret the event as gay-bashing.


Just when I thought manufacturers had run out of plastic trophy animals in which to install audio playback systems do I spy the most grotesque example of this sub-genre of gifts: a talking and singing deer head.
When I saw it I wondered how many people actually would put that up on their wall and display it proudly.
Can you imagine the confusion among the workers who made this thing in whatever Asian country lucky enough to win the contract? What the hell do they think of us? They’re making 98 cents an hour to try to feed themselves and we’re buying plastic talking deer heads.

One of our local TV stations have been doing a lot of man on the street reaction stories to national or international events. It's a cheap way to fill time but as a editor I know that's it not very interesting to audiences

That's why I think the reporters make it a habit to find the most inarticulate trailer trash to put on the air. I've seen some beauties recently.

I think a better technique would be to go to a neighborhood tavern and speak to the folks at the bar. If they're half in the bag, you might get a little amusement value out of the exercise!