2007-11-04
Back in the day, they called it VIDEO HITS ONE.
I stayed up last night to watch The Who documentary on VH1. It was quite good, but I was shocked that VH1 A) ran it with no commercials, and B) actually ran a music-related program. Because goodness knows, you don't watch VH1 for music anymore. You watch it for its fine, fine lineup of "reality programming."
Everyone who knows me knows that I'm a pop culture whore par excellence. I have happily sat through marathons of "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," wandering from the couch long enough to refill my vintage Archies jelly glass with something bubbly and artificially-sweetened. I believe in better living through fake sugar, I believe in force-fed nostalgia, and I believe that "reality shows" are acceptable in small, regular doses. Sort of like taking a wee bit of arsenic every morning so that you'll develop a tolerance, for that inevitable day when your enemies attempt to poison you.
But a wall has been hit. Last night's airing of "Amazing Journey" was, sadly, an exception. Because nine times out of ten, if you tune into VH1, you are going to see an episode of "I Love New York 2," or "Hogan Knows Best," or its latest offering, "The Shot," in which a bunch of "aspiring fashion photographers" live in a house together and have lots of challenges and stuff, presumably so that a "winner" will emerge and be rewarded with employment at some slick publication featuring 10 page layouts of undernourished 19-year-olds wearing fireplace screens and far too much eyeliner.
Now that is just scraping the barrel, and I generally don't have too much of a problem with bottom-feeding in terms of my entertainment. But, you know, come on. What's next? "MALL SECURITY: Life In The Food Court"? "America's LEAST Insincere Real Estate Agent"?
You have to go on the interwebs these days to watch a video.
Life has become so difficult.
lisamcc at 6:56 a.m.
6 comments so far
Stephen
2007-11-04 17:07:29
I miss Pop Up Video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzPPtNqYgmQ
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LisaMcC
2007-11-04 20:48:32
I think they're being re-aired on VH1 Classic now and again.
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Bill
2007-11-05 01:26:08
I remember staying up to the early morning hours to catch "Crossroads" in the mid-90s. As VH1 grew more conservative, they shunted untested (read: non-Alanis, Hootie or Blues Traveler) videos there, and it soon became *the* hour where you could be sure to see something interesting. Sadly, the days of excitedly reading rumors of new video premieres are long gone. I'd say 2000 was the last year the music video world seemed remotely viable or interesting.
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lj lindhurst
2007-11-05 07:57:10
I have one word for you: SURVIVORMAN.
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Poo Kay
2007-11-05 13:28:14
How the fuck do I email you from this goddam page? FUCK! I feel so dumb. PLease email me, ya bleedin'cuntwaffle. And yes, they ARE airing poop-up video on VH! classic!
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Lynette
2007-11-06 22:57:40
Ok, I love Gene Simmons' Family Jewels. I said that to a friend recently and she replied, "I don't know. It's too contrived." I was thinking, right. As opposed to all of those other "spontaneous" reality shows. Of course. But I will tell you, I watch it for Gene's son. Holy crap, I would sell my first born for one night with that boy. Damn. I don't know if it's his deep voice, his amazingly long legs or his humor. Oy.
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Stumble It!
