Whose Idol?

Hey fans of the median,

Not that the show needs anymore attention than it already gets, but can anyone please explain why American Idol, though in decline, is still one of the biggest shows on TV? Maybe it’s just me, but the idea of watching someone else achieve their dreams in front of millions of “adoring” fans (at least until the next season’s favorite is foisted upon an ever-expectant public), while TV viewers sit on their couch eating popcorn and exert no more effort than texting into the show the name of their favorite contestant, is just not compelling television. I mean, in the real world, people have to actually work long and hard to achieve the level of success that this show promises. I am not saying memorizing songs and singing them in front of millions is easy, but let’s face it with the exposure people get on that show, potential “contestants” need nothing more than a compelling story or larger-than-life personality to get serendipitous windfalls from this show. It’s called exposure, people. They don’t have to be talented, sophisticated, or even coherent to be featured on that show. Look at contestant “hopefuls” William Hung, or General Larry Platt. Did either of these guys genuinely think they were going to win a singing competition with performances like this:

or this:

I would submit that anyone who watches this show, or seemingly any other major “reality” show on TV these days and believes it to be anything but a blatantly staged (excuse the pun) production, they are delusional. Reality TV? Maybe on another plane of existence, but certainly not on the one I inhabit. Remember kids: friends don’t let friends idolize “celebrities”.

-The Dead Peasant

Hollywood Contemptible

 

Greetings World of Mediocrity,

Let me start off by saying I absolutely despise most everything Hollywood. I am not into most of the TV shows put out these days, any awards shows, or celebrity gossip…I just don’t really care. One recent story in the news, however caught my eye. Paris Hilton getting caught with and illegal substance is about as surprising as discovering Santa Claus can’t really fly around the world in a magic sleigh in one night, delivering presents to kids’ whose names he got of some pedophilia-charged list he keeps year-round (spoiler alert!). This latest incident just proves what most people have known for a long time: celebrities are above the law. Indeed, in most cases it appears that they are. According to the People.com story, “The drug charge carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison if convicted.”  Right, as if any celebrity lawyer or fanboy (or girl) lobby group will ever let that happen to one of their beloved starlets. You want proof? Look at the way the arrest went according to the article: “Hilton was taken into the nearby Wynn Las Vegas hotel at her request, where she was placed in a holding room and took lip balm from her purse.” (emphasis added).

To help make my point, take, for example, the cases of Phil Spector, Michael Jackson, Robert Blake, Jayson Williams, William Kennedy Smith, and, of course, O.J. Simpson.  What do all of these “trials” have in common? They all prove one of two things, perhaps both: 1) celebrities are in fact held to a different standard than non-celebrities and/or 2) the criminal justice system, especially in the United States, is not set up to allow individuals with fewer resources (read as: $$) relative to celebrities to adequately defend themselves when charges are brought against them. In either case, this dynamic is unacceptable in my view. Celebrities are getting away with murder, people. I know this is not news to everyone, but it should be more of an equitable system. This could be argued both ways. Please share your thoughts.

-The Dead Peasant

Picture of the Moment

Hello all,

Today’s POM (Picture Of the Moment) is particularly special. Now, I realize that some people, particularly members of generations previous, may not be comfortable with technology. I have to wonder, though, how things like this happen:

Even if one does not grow up with such new-fangled gadgets such as digital cameras (“What? No film??”) one would have to assume that an electronic version of its analog predecessor would function in the exact same way as the original.  I do feel some sympathy for these kinds of things, but it is still comical to watch the slow progression toward…er, progress.

Picture Of the Moment

Because nothing says ‘I love you’ more than knowing your mom could have taken advantage of a great sale!

Picture Of the Moment

 

Hello friends,

Today’s POM is brought to you by your local Surgeon General’s warning on every pack of cigarettes. I’m no doctor, but this doesn’t seem ok, even occasionally:

 I was under the impression that pretty much everyone the world over understood the harmful effects of cigarette smoke. I’m also fairly certain that by comparison, jackhammer noise is not that kid’s biggest hurdle to its prenatal development. Mother of the year…

Picture Of the Moment

 

Hola,

This POM comes to you from the archives of FAILblog.org, a must read/see for any fan of mediocrity, or anyone who just needs a little lift knowing they are not the subject of one of the site’s features (unless you are one of those people, in which case, well…we cant help you).  Today, we have the savior of…um, a six-pack maybe (not talking about muscle). 

Way to go Spidey. Nice to see you looking out for the good citizens of whatever unfortunate town has you as their protector. Maybe you play the part of a Rent-a-Cop and your only job is to call the real cops, but if so, are you really that “super” of a hero? Of course, the people in this photo seem ok, so maybe he can relax a little. Hey, even superheros get union breaks.

Picture Of the Moment

 

Hey everybody,

You see these now and then under a number of different captions: “Not my job“, “Darwin Awards“, “FAIL“, etc. Personally, I see it as further proof that ignorance and complacency are taking over our society at an alarming rate.  Today I give you:

Graphic? Maybe. Gross?? Perhaps. Evidence of stunning laziness and lack of common sense (and eyesight)??? Absolutely. Close enough for government work, I guess.

Picture of the Moment

Hello fans of the mediocre,

Today I would like to introduce a new series I am starting, inspired by the sheer stupidity and lack of thought and common sense in the world. With each picture posted each week, I believe your faith in the theory of natural selection will fade, just as mine has.  We would like to think that this principle that only the strongest and smartest of the species survive would take these defects of humanity right out of the gene pool.  Alas, I submit to you my first bit of evidence that this Utopian society eludes us for just that much longer.

iPhone vs. HTC Evo

Hey people,

I know this is a little old, but this video is absolutely hilarious. Some of the language in it is not all that necessary for it to still be funny, but great nonetheless:

Listen, I like the iPhone and many other Apple products. In fact, I am typing this on a Mac right now. I would not, however, call myself a fanboy, such as the customer in this video. Call me a killjoy, but I will never understand fanaticism. Don’t get me wrong, I like certain products, services, etc., but having such a blind, almost cult-like allegiance to a particular brand or product is unthinkable to me. I like to think I am an individual and I can think for myself…just like everyone else in the group.

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Party Favors

Hello 50th percentile enthusiasts,

This story from Reuters comes out of Germany, where apparently young people’s education begins with a crash course in anatomy. I don’t know about you, but I was never given a party favor for going to school, let alone something of immense entertainment value. Of course, it could be attributed to cultural difference, but I think German parents were none too pleased to see their children come home with goody bags full of pornography, courtesy of their local German Communist Party community outreach efforts. That should keep those little pipsqeaks busy for a while…

Way to go German Communist Party because nothing says “Vote for us” like giving a the future electorate an early lesson in public relations. Who knows? Maybe this early exposure will lead these little ones to develop into the well-rounded leaders of tomorrow the world so desperately needs.

-The Dead Peasant