Sunday, March 30, 2008
In and Out of the Spotlight
It often gets hard to imagine actors and actresses outside of our little TV screen. Thinking that they often go through the same struggles as us is sometimes unfathomable. Catching the real lives of celebrities outside of the tabloids realizing truth is comforting to most. In this video, this comfort is distributed to parents, but mostly mothers.
The interview takes place with mothers such as June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver, Carol Brady from The Brady Bunch, and Marion Cunningham from Happy Days. The women are asked questions about motherhood in real-life and it's relation to their role as mothers on television. They express the ups and downs of life in show business.
Marion Ross, who portrayed Marion Cunningham on Happy Days, talks about how different her television life was from her home life. She worked on set and would come home to her children, raising them herself because she was divorced. She mentions her children asking why she was so sweet to her "children" on TV! She replied, "I used all my sweet at work."
Florence Henderson, Carol from The Brady Bunch, recalls her children asking why she never screamed at the children on television. "Because they won't let me! Otherwise I would," laughs Henderson.
From Everybody Loves Raymond Patricia Heaton found it eerie how closely related story lines were to her own personal lives. Whether it be her own children at school or struggles with her husband, she was amazed at how similar her real life was to the script.
These are just a few examples of the explanations in this interview. Posted on (www.tvland.com), the interview makes it easy for viewers to relate to these celebrities. Motherhood, whether on television or in our homes, can have its ups and downs. Always remember that celebrities lead normal lives, too!
The interview takes place with mothers such as June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver, Carol Brady from The Brady Bunch, and Marion Cunningham from Happy Days. The women are asked questions about motherhood in real-life and it's relation to their role as mothers on television. They express the ups and downs of life in show business.
Marion Ross, who portrayed Marion Cunningham on Happy Days, talks about how different her television life was from her home life. She worked on set and would come home to her children, raising them herself because she was divorced. She mentions her children asking why she was so sweet to her "children" on TV! She replied, "I used all my sweet at work."
Florence Henderson, Carol from The Brady Bunch, recalls her children asking why she never screamed at the children on television. "Because they won't let me! Otherwise I would," laughs Henderson.
From Everybody Loves Raymond Patricia Heaton found it eerie how closely related story lines were to her own personal lives. Whether it be her own children at school or struggles with her husband, she was amazed at how similar her real life was to the script.
These are just a few examples of the explanations in this interview. Posted on (www.tvland.com), the interview makes it easy for viewers to relate to these celebrities. Motherhood, whether on television or in our homes, can have its ups and downs. Always remember that celebrities lead normal lives, too!
Ditto
I could not agree more with the article written by Gary Hoppenstand. In his article, Hoppenstand discusses what television has become today, producers and audiences that thrive apon participant's humiliation and embarrassment. Hoppenstand finds great comfort in knowing that he has options outside of the excuse we call entertainment today.
I have always loved to watch movies and feel they have been an alternative to terrible television. Whether it is a movie I have seen eight times, or one I am watching for my first time, it is always satisfying to know I have control. I chose my movie. I can pause at any time and continue at my convenience. I have the ability to rewind or fast-forward through any scene. If I'm not happy with the first movie I chose, I can choose another. When I watch a movie, I am in complete control.
Another great technological contribution of our time, box set DVDs. Today, there are several shows that have put previous seasons on DVD collections. These range from shows that were popular in the 50's and 60's to hit series today. For example, for Christmas, I was so excited to open a season of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. When my birthday came around, I was blessed with, my all time favorite, Full House! Thanks to my parents, I now have to capability of watching my favorite shows anytime, anywhere.
In his article, Hoppenstand mentioned how television today isn't based around family, but instead, humiliation embarrassment of those who choose to participate. Although there are usually hefty amounts of cash availabe to those who succeed, I often find myself asking, "What WON'T people do for money these days?" For example, a show recently aired on FOX called The Moment of Truth has participants answer a series of questions to see how truthfully they will reply. These questions range from things at work, in their marriage, previous love affairs, and anything else that has the potential to jeprodize a person's reputation. The catch? The questions often pertain to other people in the contestant's life, and those important people just so happen to be sitting on stage, waiting for the brutal truth. People have been known to lose their jobs, spouses, and even family members. All of this for the sake of money.
I feel we have become fortunate enought to have the power to skip moments like these on television. Shows such as the one previously mentioned are a prime example of what Hoppenstand mentions to be purely humiliation. Luckily, we have the power to control what we watch and when we watch it. Technology, can't live with it, can't live without it.
I have always loved to watch movies and feel they have been an alternative to terrible television. Whether it is a movie I have seen eight times, or one I am watching for my first time, it is always satisfying to know I have control. I chose my movie. I can pause at any time and continue at my convenience. I have the ability to rewind or fast-forward through any scene. If I'm not happy with the first movie I chose, I can choose another. When I watch a movie, I am in complete control.
Another great technological contribution of our time, box set DVDs. Today, there are several shows that have put previous seasons on DVD collections. These range from shows that were popular in the 50's and 60's to hit series today. For example, for Christmas, I was so excited to open a season of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. When my birthday came around, I was blessed with, my all time favorite, Full House! Thanks to my parents, I now have to capability of watching my favorite shows anytime, anywhere.
In his article, Hoppenstand mentioned how television today isn't based around family, but instead, humiliation embarrassment of those who choose to participate. Although there are usually hefty amounts of cash availabe to those who succeed, I often find myself asking, "What WON'T people do for money these days?" For example, a show recently aired on FOX called The Moment of Truth has participants answer a series of questions to see how truthfully they will reply. These questions range from things at work, in their marriage, previous love affairs, and anything else that has the potential to jeprodize a person's reputation. The catch? The questions often pertain to other people in the contestant's life, and those important people just so happen to be sitting on stage, waiting for the brutal truth. People have been known to lose their jobs, spouses, and even family members. All of this for the sake of money.
I feel we have become fortunate enought to have the power to skip moments like these on television. Shows such as the one previously mentioned are a prime example of what Hoppenstand mentions to be purely humiliation. Luckily, we have the power to control what we watch and when we watch it. Technology, can't live with it, can't live without it.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
What's in a Song?
Theme songs, although fairly short introductions, say a lot about what is to follow. The Brady Bunch briefly tells the story of how the family came to know each other. "Here's the story, of a lovely lady..." The intro to Cheers says, "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name." This is evident in the show when a group of friends are constantly congregated at the same bar, discussing jobs, family, and life. The Addams Family theme song describes the family to a tee. "They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky. They're all together ooky. They Addams family."
If you could have a theme song to descbribe yourself, what would it say? Who would write the lyrics? Would it be fast paced or slow? What kinds of instruments would be playing?
M.Y.O. TV Schedule!
In regards to my previous post...
If you are interested in purchasing classic television series on DVD, here are a few sites to browse:
(http://www.fiftiesweb.com/shop/index.html)
(www.amazon.com)
(www.eBay)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Summary
A Summary of "'Me' TV"
"'Me' TV", written by Gary Hoppenstand, is an explanation of the replacement of reality TV today by classic television on DVD. Published in the Journal of Popular Culture, the article depicts Hoppenstand's disgust for television today. He presents the idea of television being based solely on reality, with participant embarrassment and humiliation serving as "sadistic vehicles".
Second, he believes that producers today have settled for airing programs that cost very little, disregarding such things as character and story line. According to Hoppenstand, media has been in the power of users since as early as the nineteenth century. Authors in the past realized that placing pictures on the front of published documents developed more demand, especially when the picture was printed in color. This all changed when technology increased, and consumers preferred to hear and watch these stories, instead of reading them themselves. "The invention of sound and color in the motion picture industry literally destroyed, in a heartbeat, silent and black-and-white filmmaking," says Hoppenstand. Since the technological advancement, sounds systems and the quality of clarity have improved drastically and continue to today.
With the invention and wide spread popularity of television, radio readings and talk shows made a drastic decline, so much that radio programs, such as, "Gunsmoke" were made into popular television series.
Hoppenstand concludes the amount of control consumers have today, whether it be over their home theatre sets or personal programming, technology has made great strides. Instead of being forced to view reality TV, we now have the option of watching endless reruns of "Laverne & Shirley", "Full House", or what have you. Hoppenstand leaves us with the following statement, "With 'Me' TV, I get to make the programming decisions about what I want to watch and when I want to watch it. Control is a wonderful thing."
WORKS CITED
Hoppenstand, Gray. "'Me' TV." Journal of Popular Culture 39 (2006): 707-8.
"'Me' TV", written by Gary Hoppenstand, is an explanation of the replacement of reality TV today by classic television on DVD. Published in the Journal of Popular Culture, the article depicts Hoppenstand's disgust for television today. He presents the idea of television being based solely on reality, with participant embarrassment and humiliation serving as "sadistic vehicles".
Second, he believes that producers today have settled for airing programs that cost very little, disregarding such things as character and story line. According to Hoppenstand, media has been in the power of users since as early as the nineteenth century. Authors in the past realized that placing pictures on the front of published documents developed more demand, especially when the picture was printed in color. This all changed when technology increased, and consumers preferred to hear and watch these stories, instead of reading them themselves. "The invention of sound and color in the motion picture industry literally destroyed, in a heartbeat, silent and black-and-white filmmaking," says Hoppenstand. Since the technological advancement, sounds systems and the quality of clarity have improved drastically and continue to today.
With the invention and wide spread popularity of television, radio readings and talk shows made a drastic decline, so much that radio programs, such as, "Gunsmoke" were made into popular television series.
Hoppenstand concludes the amount of control consumers have today, whether it be over their home theatre sets or personal programming, technology has made great strides. Instead of being forced to view reality TV, we now have the option of watching endless reruns of "Laverne & Shirley", "Full House", or what have you. Hoppenstand leaves us with the following statement, "With 'Me' TV, I get to make the programming decisions about what I want to watch and when I want to watch it. Control is a wonderful thing."
WORKS CITED
Hoppenstand, Gray. "'Me' TV." Journal of Popular Culture 39 (2006): 707-8.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Oops!
While browsing the web looking for items related to my topic, I found a website full of bloopers and outtakes from classic television. There are clips from "M*A*S*H", "Mork and Mindy", "Laverne and Shirley", and so much more! If you are in need of a good laugh you should definitely visit this site posted in my link list!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Marsha's Nose
This video is SO hilarious! Marcia no more than steps out the door and she gets nailed in the nose with a football! Her nose swells up so huge. You can find Brady Bunch clips and other shows at:
www.youtube.com
www.tvland.com
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Women in Television
How has the status of women in television changed over time? It used to be that women were portrayed in the home, taking care of the children, cleaning and preparing meals. We often saw women wearing dresses and aprons, rarely wearing pants.
Today, women are portrayed with a similar status to men. No longer are women shown working in the home, but instead, they are detectives, holding executive positions or being doctors. Taking care of the children and providing for the family is no longer portrayed as a man's job, but a joint effort between husband and wife.
In the "real world", women are seen in television, in and out of sitcoms and national televsioin. In the past, women were not main characters, but today, have their own shows! Women today are news
anchors, talk show hosts and carrying lead roles in movies. Take Oprah, for instance. Oprah is one of, if not the most, successful women in television today. Millions of viewers tune into her talk show each day, to hear stories, recieve advice about health and parenting, and, of course, take home her favorites!
(http://www.oprah.com/)
The representation of women has changed drastically in television. Women have gained rights and respect over they years, as well as air time!
Today, women are portrayed with a similar status to men. No longer are women shown working in the home, but instead, they are detectives, holding executive positions or being doctors. Taking care of the children and providing for the family is no longer portrayed as a man's job, but a joint effort between husband and wife.
In the "real world", women are seen in television, in and out of sitcoms and national televsioin. In the past, women were not main characters, but today, have their own shows! Women today are news
anchors, talk show hosts and carrying lead roles in movies. Take Oprah, for instance. Oprah is one of, if not the most, successful women in television today. Millions of viewers tune into her talk show each day, to hear stories, recieve advice about health and parenting, and, of course, take home her favorites!(http://www.oprah.com/)
The representation of women has changed drastically in television. Women have gained rights and respect over they years, as well as air time!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Today vs. Yesterday
Have you ever considered the differences between TV today and TV in the past? If viewers from the years of classic televisions watched TV today, things might get ugly. Television today differs from the past in ways that today's generation doesn't even realize.
Let's take my favorite show, I Love Lucy, for example. In the "Lucy" days, not only was the color and definition different, but morals and values, as well. I Love Lucy was filmed when people were a bit more conservative and life was considerably more simple. Lucy and Ricky were rarely filmed in their bedroom. On the occassion that they were, Lucy slept in her own bed and Ricky slept in another. NEVER together. In television today, people are not only filmed in the same bed, activites are often televised that are private and not appropriate for all ages. In movies today, people are filmed "doing the deeds", and little to nothing is left to the imagination. We have all been watching a movie with our parents and felt the awkwardness of a sex scene. Imagine what people of the past would say!
Controversy arose on the Lucy show when Lucy became pregnant. Producers and directers debated as to whether to continue filming or to postpone. In today's world, mother-to-be's lives are documented, followed by the birth of their child! What a difference?
Language is another huge difference. Television today is often edited, but slang and swearing of today would not be accepted in the past. Language today often defines the rating of today's movies and television, but wasn't even a factor of the past.
Today, viewers often find interest in the suffering of others. For example, FOX recently came out with a show called The Moment of Truth. During the course of the show, contestants are hooked up to a lie dector and asked serious questions about their life. For each question they answer truthfully, they advance to the next level, coming closer and closer to the cash prize. The worst part of the show, is that important members of the contestant's life are seated close by, listening to all of the terrible truths.
What is reality television coming to? It is crazy to see what people will do for money! Moments on the show I just mentioned have the potential to ruin the participant's lives, jobs, families, and futures. What even happened to the days TV was real, but pure and simple. There were situations viewers could relate to, but not without revealing those terrible truths that aren't appropriate for everyone.
Is TV today responsible to the behavior of our youth? Does what we see on TV cause envy and jealousy within our lives? Just how much of an influence does TV have on YOUR life?
Let's take my favorite show, I Love Lucy, for example. In the "Lucy" days, not only was the color and definition different, but morals and values, as well. I Love Lucy was filmed when people were a bit more conservative and life was considerably more simple. Lucy and Ricky were rarely filmed in their bedroom. On the occassion that they were, Lucy slept in her own bed and Ricky slept in another. NEVER together. In television today, people are not only filmed in the same bed, activites are often televised that are private and not appropriate for all ages. In movies today, people are filmed "doing the deeds", and little to nothing is left to the imagination. We have all been watching a movie with our parents and felt the awkwardness of a sex scene. Imagine what people of the past would say!
Controversy arose on the Lucy show when Lucy became pregnant. Producers and directers debated as to whether to continue filming or to postpone. In today's world, mother-to-be's lives are documented, followed by the birth of their child! What a difference?
Language is another huge difference. Television today is often edited, but slang and swearing of today would not be accepted in the past. Language today often defines the rating of today's movies and television, but wasn't even a factor of the past.
Today, viewers often find interest in the suffering of others. For example, FOX recently came out with a show called The Moment of Truth. During the course of the show, contestants are hooked up to a lie dector and asked serious questions about their life. For each question they answer truthfully, they advance to the next level, coming closer and closer to the cash prize. The worst part of the show, is that important members of the contestant's life are seated close by, listening to all of the terrible truths.
What is reality television coming to? It is crazy to see what people will do for money! Moments on the show I just mentioned have the potential to ruin the participant's lives, jobs, families, and futures. What even happened to the days TV was real, but pure and simple. There were situations viewers could relate to, but not without revealing those terrible truths that aren't appropriate for everyone.
Is TV today responsible to the behavior of our youth? Does what we see on TV cause envy and jealousy within our lives? Just how much of an influence does TV have on YOUR life?
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