More Mexican TV Problems

Apparently, their DBAs are also good-for-nothing…”PLACE EPISODE TITLE IN HERE” makes trying to find out what’s on TV just that much more fun!

A side note, I found out today that Rainman, the movie with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise is called Cuando Dos Hermanos Se Encuentran (“When two brothers find each other”). I think I’m going to take this box back and see how many billing cycles it takes for them to credit my account…

Morning News Filth

The Red Sox lost the AL East series yesterday (much to Jessica’s chagrin ) but they lead the pack for the AL wild card and will probably play the Yankees AGAIN.

Even though I never watched it in the US, I record the CBS Early show because it’s the only “network” news we get. Imagine my surprise when I hear this flithy comment by one of the weekend anchors:

And when children are getting ready to watch their cartoons…

(video is slightly off-sync with voice, couldn’t fix)

Get Real Dr. Phil

And this little ditty is about Doc Phil, you know the advise guru who is all about being an ADULT and taking responsibility and appropriate behavior. Looks like the Doc needs to listen to his own advice.

According to the NY POST:

So, what’s gotten into America’s lovable, rationalist pop-culture shrink? I do mean Dr. Phil, a man who was unknown before Oprah gave him a forum. Now he is behaving like a Diva Deluxe. Last Friday, the good doctor was to speak at an obesity forum being held by California’s first lady, Maria Shriver. As a condition of his appearance, Phil insisted the governor introduce him. In between, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s calendar filled up and he felt he had to cancel.

Maria had Dr. Phil called, not once but twice, telling him the governor could not introduce him, just in case he wanted to back out. The day of the symposium, she arrived to find Dr. Phil sitting, pouting. He refused to speak. Finally she insisted he talk to her, and he said, “I am not happy.” Maria said she was so sorry but they had called twice to advise him of the change. He stormed, “No one called me.” An aide said nervously, “Yes, Phil, they did!” Dr. Phil was still irate: “No one told me!”

The great analyst of “getting along” continued to huff and puff. Someone said nervously that perhaps the governor could come by after all. Maria said, “No, we are not redoing the governor’s schedule. Phil, I suggest you just leave if you feel this way.” Dr. Phil insisted he had to use the bathroom first. Maria indicated it was down the hall. Dr. Phil said he could not use a public bathroom. Maria said calmly, “Well, that’s the only one we have. Use it or not. Take your camera crew and go.”

After the doctor availed himself of the facilities, he came back sheepishly and said, “I might as well stay now that I am here.” Maria told him he didn’t have to and she advised him, “My 7-year-old doesn’t act the way you do.” When Dr. Phil pled exhaustion from being absorbed in the Katrina rescues, Maria told him, “You’re tired? How do you think those people feel?” So just in case you wonder, this exchange was not leaked by the first lady. Many people experienced this exchange, and it’s the talk of California and TV land.

I used to like him but then I dunno, he and Robin got to me. I admit it, I keep waiting for the proverbial foot to drop. Maybe he will be found with hookers from Hollywood and Vine, or better yet, hookers from Santa Monica. Get Doc Phil in tight leather pants and a pink boa wrapped around his kneck.

Look, I don’t know the man or have anything against him but something about him has always creeped me out a little bit. Maybe it’s his good ol’ Texas boy attitude, or his Texas twang or shit, maybe it’s his bald head. Whatever it is, I do hope this story embarasses him enough to come back to Earth.

Hehe.. I am happy this has gotten out. And way to go Maria for putting him in his place…

I didn’t know cholera affected speech

Obviously, I’m in Mexico, so as I’ve noted elsewhere on this blog, I don’t exactly get the creme de la creme of American television. As such, I didn’t get to see last night’s telethon hosted by NBC’s Matt Lauer for the American Red Cross to raise money for Katrina victms. Lots of celebrities appeared, such as jazz greats and NO natives Harry Connick, Jr. and Wynton Marsalis, among many other musicians and actors.

One of those “musicians” was rapper Kanye West, on last week’s Time Magazine cover dubbed, “The smartest man in rap.” Apparently, the threshold for what passes as intelligent is about the freezing point of water, because West had such bad diarrhea of the mouth, saying that “they’re giving [the Army] permission to shoot us,” and “George Bush hates Black people,” all with Mike Meyers delivering an Emmy-winning performance holding it together (punctuated by moments of incredulity). This is ridiculously stupid on so many levels. Isn’t Condy Rice Black? As much as I abhor most of Bush’s politics, I don’t think for one second he’s racist. Dim-witted, yes. A bigot, no. The issue is responsibility and leadership, and while race and class are very much factors in this crisis, it’s more a crime of apathy than racism or “genocide,” as the more wacky, fringe groups claim. And speaking of conspiracy wacky, in his lyrics and interviews, Kayne says the government intentionally spread AIDS and implicates Ronald Reagan in bringing down the Black Panthers, specifically by the government’s creation of crack and subversive planting in Black ghettos. Right. Is that a chip in your neck?

As crazy as all of this is, what’s sad are those conservatives who have a stick so far up their ass, they called their local affiliates and self-righteously announced that they’d be donating to the Salvation Army or another agency, blaming both NBC and the Red Cross for allowing this to happen. Well, at least they gave, I suppose, but to me, allowing this to affect one’s decision to give to Red Cross is more reactionary and short-sighted than West himself.