Wednesday, May 3, 2000
Wednesday, May 3, 2000 |
| Keep
that television on By MICHAEL
BOYLAN Last week was Turn Off TV week, and let me just start by saying “Yeah, right.” Sure, it's a good idea. People watch too much TV. But last week? Why? Why not in the summer when all of TV is full of reruns? Did the people behind Turn Off TV week really think I wouldn't watch the episode of “Friends” guest starring Bruce Willis? Am I not going to watch the first new episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in five weeks? And, hello, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” is all new as well. Not to mention that the NHL and NBA are in the playoff portions of their seasons. If you really want people to get behind your idea, show that you care about their feelings and wait until these things are over. I used to work at a cable company, so believe me when I say that I understand the rationale behind Turn Off TV week. I would get calls at all hours about a channel being fuzzy or a program not being on that the TV Guide had listed as being on. People are freaks about TV. Half of the time that I talked with these irate customers, I would think to myself, “Read a book. Play with your kids. Go outside!” I would realize years later, though, that I am no different from these customers... I like my share of programs too. Some people argue that television has no value, that much of what is on the air is violent, perverse, naughty and rude. And that is just daytime TV. To this I say, of course television has value. For every episode of “Titus” you fire at me, I throw back an episode of “The West Wing.” And vice versa. I remember the uproar when “The Simpsons” started, and now it is the longest running sitcom still on the air. And now it is beloved, so beloved. TV has the power to educate, inform, entertain and unite. How many conversations at the water cooler did you have about “Seinfeld” or “The Sopranos”? We all remember the final episodes of “M*A*S*H,” “Mary Tyler Moore” and “Cheers” (even though I saw many of them in reruns). That's part of our shared history. It may not be an annual town taffy pull, but there are millions of people in this country who can remember where they were, who they were with and what they ate. That can't be a bad thing, can it ? So, here's my proposal. Chances are you didn't shut off your TV last week. Why not pick a day each week for the next seven weeks. This way, you can read your TV Guide, see what is on and plan accordingly. After all, the season finales are just around the corner and it would be wrong to miss them. I mean, “90210” and “Party of Five” are going away forever; don't they at least deserve a nice sendoff? One day a week without TV will give you time to read, exercise, garden, write letters, pay bills, call loved ones, or start a hobby. As for me, I'm going to focus on bird calls and practice writing columns. I'll be back in a few months, during Put That Dang Book Down Week.
|
