Wednesday, June 29, 2005
ipods, brothers, pretty people, and average joes
Yesterday was a good day. Got my Ipod back for one thing. It was like being back with a long lost lover. If my long lost lover was a pasty-white quadriplegic with a bland expression on her face.
My brother was in town yesterday and the two of us went out to dinner and to see a movie. I couldn't tell you how long it's been since I did something with just my brother. Since high school maybe? And that's been what? Fifteen years at least? Oy. We had a good time. We saw Mr. And Mrs. Smith (Sorry BP, I'll see it again. But it was the only thing neither of us had seen). It was decent. It's a bit like drinking a soda. It's not sophisticated by any means and you know it's not good for you, but you enjoy it anyway. There were a lot of plot holes and some strange Hollywood physics but everybody's pretty and there's lots of explosions and kicking - so it's a trade off.
After my brother and I parted ways I settled in to watch the first episode of Average Joe. I have a two-season running love affair with this show. I used to love it because it walked the line between exploitive reality television like the Bachelor and The (completely worthless)Swan and uplifting shows like Extreme Home Makeover and The Biggest Loser. Unfortunately, this year the show seems likely to jump the fence towards all out exploitation. I say that just based on the fact that they're offering some of the guys complete makeovers to help them compete. The theme of the old seasons seemed to be that it was okay to be an "Average Joe." This season they seem to be saying that if you really want to compete you've got to be made over into something else.
I also was a little put off by the fact that the girl said she'd never seen any reality TV due to night classes, so she didn't know the premise of the show. Come on! When you told your friends you were going on Average Joe, nobody told you what it was about? I realize the show likes to focus on the women's reactions when the guys file off the bus, but I never got the feeling that was real to begin with. I mean what person with an ounce of politeness, lets their jaw drop when they see a fat guy get off a bus?
Here's a fun experiment. Watch Averge Joe. Notice the tone of condescending affection you develop in your head in regards to the Joe's. You feel sorry for them. You comment in your mind how the hot model chick would never go for guys like them. Now go look in the mirror. Who do you look more like? One of the guy models they ship in? Or an Average Joe? Now question where that tone comes from.
Post a Comment
My brother was in town yesterday and the two of us went out to dinner and to see a movie. I couldn't tell you how long it's been since I did something with just my brother. Since high school maybe? And that's been what? Fifteen years at least? Oy. We had a good time. We saw Mr. And Mrs. Smith (Sorry BP, I'll see it again. But it was the only thing neither of us had seen). It was decent. It's a bit like drinking a soda. It's not sophisticated by any means and you know it's not good for you, but you enjoy it anyway. There were a lot of plot holes and some strange Hollywood physics but everybody's pretty and there's lots of explosions and kicking - so it's a trade off.
After my brother and I parted ways I settled in to watch the first episode of Average Joe. I have a two-season running love affair with this show. I used to love it because it walked the line between exploitive reality television like the Bachelor and The (completely worthless)Swan and uplifting shows like Extreme Home Makeover and The Biggest Loser. Unfortunately, this year the show seems likely to jump the fence towards all out exploitation. I say that just based on the fact that they're offering some of the guys complete makeovers to help them compete. The theme of the old seasons seemed to be that it was okay to be an "Average Joe." This season they seem to be saying that if you really want to compete you've got to be made over into something else.
I also was a little put off by the fact that the girl said she'd never seen any reality TV due to night classes, so she didn't know the premise of the show. Come on! When you told your friends you were going on Average Joe, nobody told you what it was about? I realize the show likes to focus on the women's reactions when the guys file off the bus, but I never got the feeling that was real to begin with. I mean what person with an ounce of politeness, lets their jaw drop when they see a fat guy get off a bus?
Here's a fun experiment. Watch Averge Joe. Notice the tone of condescending affection you develop in your head in regards to the Joe's. You feel sorry for them. You comment in your mind how the hot model chick would never go for guys like them. Now go look in the mirror. Who do you look more like? One of the guy models they ship in? Or an Average Joe? Now question where that tone comes from.
Post a Comment
