This And That

It's Monday and you know what that means!

But just to mix things up a little bit, instead of simply tossing out the results of the past week's poll, I decided to write a rather short Random Thoughts column.

I haven't read too much about it, but headlines on several websites tell me South Park is going to have a wrestling-themed episode. I might be excited if I hadn't written a wrestling-themed South Park episode...in 1998!!!! Believe it or not, I even contacted the company that produces South Park about what was involved in submitting said script, only to get semi-politely told to go F' myself because they weren't interested.

Ironically, I have never watched another episode of South Park since (although I did see the movie when it hit theatres). It wasn't a conscious thing but I think it had something to do with the creators (Trey and Matt something) doing a lot of interviews about how they had to sneak in the backdoor of Hollywood. Nice of the two of them to slam the door shut on the rest of us.

Not that I'm bitter or anything. (Well, I am, but that's another post for another time.) But just to toot my own horn for a second, does anyone else here think 1998 was a much more appropriate year in which to make a wrestling-themed episode of South Park than 2009?

Just sayin'.

USA Today's Pop Candy website questioned as to whether last week's episode of The Office, entitled "Mafia" was the worst ever. (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2009/10/last-nights-office-worst-episode-ever/1)

I would suggest that, while not the absolute worst ever, Mafia definitely reminded me of some of the bleaker episodes of Season 3 (and even the odd time in 4 and 5), when the writers seemed to put Pam and Jim on the back burner and instead sent Michael spinning off into an endless series of misadventures, each more uncomfortable than the last. The whole interaction between Michael/Dwight/Andy and the insurance salesman/suspected mobster kinda left me cold. During the scene at the restaurant, I found myself wondering "I wonder what they're doing back at the Office."

But what saved the episode for me was Kevin and his misuse of Jim's office, which led to Kevin accidentally getting Jim's credit card cancelled. I think Brian Baumgartner's Kevin is one of the unsung heroes of the show. He doesn't get a lot of screen time, compared to the Dwights and Michaels of the show, but he definitely puts what time he does get to good use. (Having said that, I think Kevin's character is one that is best used in small doses.)

Take away the Kevin subplot and Mafia certainly loses a lot. Of course, coming off one of the best episodes of the series in Niagara, almost any episode is going to pale in comparison. Which reminds me, I should have an Office marathon spread over several days, and compile my "All Time Office Episode Ranking".

And turning our attention from a faux reality series to a shameless attempt to get a "real" reality series, anyone else finding that perhaps this whole "Balloon Boy" sham should, once and for all, show the TV industry that their reliance on giving anybody who even remotely passes for a D-level celebrity their own TV show is perhaps NOT a good thing.

And I don't see where there's a debate over whether or not this was a staged event. When the kid basically turns to his father and, in response to the question of why didn't the kid tell someone where he was, answered (and I'm not 100% accurate but I'm thinking I'm close) "You told me not, too, because of the show."

The real tragedy is, due to these morons trying to get what my Dad calls "their fifteen minutes of fame" some area farmer's field was torn up by all these rescue trucks racing to follow an empty balloon. And if there's one thing that never changes no matter what the economy is like, and that's farmers always having a tough go of it. Why doesn't TLC or whatever do a show on how a farming family struggles to survives day to day? I'd certainly think that'd be more compelling than "Balloon Boy". Although if his moronic family tried some stupid publicity stunt that made them the laughing stock of an entire nation EVERY week, I might tune in an episode or two.

Actually, I should use my poll this week to...well, poll, my readers (all two of you, apparently) on their opinions of this whole Balloon Boy "controversy". Although, I have to be honest, I figured my "What's Your Favourite Movie Franchise?" poll was user-friendly enough to have brought in record numbers (i.e. 4) of votes. Instead, I got two votes: one for Rocky and another for Indiana Jones. (What? No Star Wars? No Godfather?)

Okay, one more user-friendly poll. If I don't top the four vote mark this week, it's "Who was your favourite Intercontinental Champion of the 1980s?" (The Honky Tonk Man will clean up, right?)

Okay, I kid about going hardcore wrestling on you, but please, VOTE. I like it when people vote because it's a tangible measure that people are reading my blog. (Alternatively, you could just drop me a comment about something I've written here...or better yet...VOTE AND COMMENT! It's what all the cool kids are doing these days!)

Speaking of wrestling, I can't sign off without sending out R.I.P. to Captain Lou Albano, who died this past week. And for those who remember 78-year-old Captain Lou, I think I speak for all of us when I say, obviously this is yet another in a long-line of steroid abuse-related deaths that continues to plague pro wrestling.

Do a google image search on "Lou Albano" and you'll see what I mean.

But rather than look at the bad side, I will leave you with a link to remember Lou by:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJNrsNe54AE