h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One of the major tenets of American humour and entertainment in general, which even many Americans don't get is that it is by and large devoted to escapism. When our society gets too rancorous we look to Hollywood to deliver us from reality.We are very big into this.During the 60's television cranked out an entire crop of sitcoms and series that mirrored the American Dream as well as the silliness of some rural areas.Perhaps you have seen Petticoat Junction, The Beverly Hillbillys, Green Acres, The Andy Griffith Show and several more like these.They had little connection to the times or reality.That was the whole idea.Many people lose the thread here, Americans are into non-reality.

There will always be a slew of US shows to be made fun of, pointed at, and said "this is crap" to. The reason is simple; we have hundreds of television stations. Broadcast networks, independants, cable networks, uhf broadcasts, etc. The female star of TBS's "Dinner and a Movie" says it best in a promotional spot:

"There has to be something on tv. And we're that...something...on tv..."

Why don't we give this whole sily debate a rest. The UK has good comedy. The US has good comedy. The Canadians occasionally produce good comedy. The Aussies...well, the Aussies gave us Yahoo Serious, but I'm trying to find something positive to say nevertheless.

Howard Stern makes me want to vomit.

Hear Hear! Well said! Right on! Bang on! You hit the nail right on the head there!

W.C. Fields to waitress "Where's I haven't seen that old dog around here , lately..."

Saturday Night Live was mostly inspired by our own live television from the 50's."Your Show of Shows" with Sid Ceasar in particular.Jackie Gleason and Milton Berle were also there.Monty was taped before hand and edited highly.SNL was cast in the opposite direction with the emphasis on throwing stuff at the wall before an audience to see what sticks.

I've never been a big fan of SNL, but I've caught glimpses of it and for the last three seasons they've been recycling the same lame jokes and skits.

They do import a lot of "Humour" not "Humor". This is because the majority of the stuff on American TV is crap - as you point out because there is so much. But there are some gems, like the Simpsons for example - I think one of the best in the last couple o' decades along with R. Atkinsons programs like M. Bean, Black Adder, etc.

In Britain TV programs are funded heavily by taxes (on the BBC), the motivation is to provide entertainment rather than excrement to fill space and try to sell advertising space. They also have their fair share of excrement, but disproportionately less. The rest of the world also has excellent humour, and Britain is no more special than anywhere else.

In Canada also, a lot of funding, particularly in Quebec promotes the arts. Therefore we have some good movies and programs (probably more in French than English).

In the USA, there is PBS. This institution seems like it just buys British TV for those who don't want to watch the other crap.

I am shure Jerry Springer is quite rich. But I would not really be very interested in talking to him.

Business is business. Art is Art. Once you take away what is interesting and important and replace it by what can be pushed to anyone with a 2 minute attention span and plug some products to pay for it - then the end result is not very good, unless you think about it in terms of the revenue it generates.

The reason why I think this argument seems to rant on is that TV is very pervasive and unfortunately affects the population in general. People believe, and unfortunately "learn" from TV. When it is mostly garbage that resource is abused and discarded. If there are no "educational" progams or very limited programming on US TV except for "formula sit-coms", instant "sound-byte news" and "chat shows", then that is not good either.

The humor/our thing was a bit of dry British humour.. and there are many better things to do in the US besides wasting your time turning on the television.

So is what is you is tryin' to say, and I am down with that as is all me possee 'an shit, that wot we 'as 'ere and wot dey don't have dere is Ali G. Respect. Power. Chill. Me gotta get me some Punanni now buoyz.

Would he be subject to any trade barriers?

This conversation is getting very long and silly - I do not have a cable modem

Steve Martin stopped being funny years ago? Have you read any of his essays for the New Yorker lately?

Nikita? If you mean the concept, that came from France; if you mean the actress, she's Australian, not Canadian.

I saw one episode of Futurama. As far as I could tell, it was just a run-of-the-mill cartoon show.

Another Mr. Show fan! That show is terrific...although I hardly ever get the chance to see it.

Mark Twain.

My favorite "Men in Tights" moment would have to be "I can see!" [wham]..."Nope. I was wrong." I still crack up every time I see that.

Have you actually read any of the postings in this conversation, or are you just automatically assuming that because the original topic was something "stupid and mindnumbing," that _must_ mean that all of the comments that are being made are "thoughtless" and that none of the people making them in fact ever think at all? And just what do you think this website is for if not conversing about anything and everything?

Because birds don't lead epic lives! Who'd want to read what a bird does? Nobody, that's who!

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is one movie. And you're really missing out if you haven't seen that or The Full Monty.