Buzzr Debuts, A Subchannel Airing Classic Game Shows

[K.M. Richards]

Maybe people didn't know better then. We do know. Freemantle should not be allowing this glorification of cruelty to sentient animals shown to have highly developed intelligence to be seen again.

We learn more from our past mistakes being on display than we do by shoving them in a closet, never to again see the light of day.

 

[frankberry]

Look how we cringe when we hear some of the dialog from All In The Family and similar TV shows.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Last night: The Air Force veterinarian responsible for training "Ham," the chimp sent into space. Tom Wolfe described in "The Right Stuff" how this chimp was abused, brutalized and tortured with electric shocks in the name of "training."

I don't like the idea of that at all.

Not even in the case of a certain music director who in 1997 seemed to think an adult standards station could play "everything".

 

[Oscar Madison]

You guys have a point. It was especially "cringe-worthy" to see these practices depicted as common and acceptable, and a suitable basis for an entertainment show.

Still I don't think it's the same as "All In The Family." What would be more comparable would been a sitcom about a Klan member and jokes about lynching (with no Meathead around, no George and Weezie around, nobody at all to puncture Archie's balloon). AITF worked because Archie was not a bad person. He was your father, your uncle and a whole bunch of people you grew up with and now avoid except for major holidays. He was a product of his environment and a guy coping with changes he couldn't understand. Besides, he didn't really believe most of what he said.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Randolph Duke and Mortimer Duke continue to alternate in the third seat on "To Tell The Truth."

I always considered "What's My Line" to have a lot more class than the other two shows but on the episode this morning, an overweight woman contestant (a toe dancer) and an overweight man contestant (sold fireworks) were subjected to on camera fat jokes from the panel, especially Fred Allen, and even from moderator and then ABC news anchor John Daly. The contests were expected to be "good sports" and smile. Even the audience reaction did not suggest anyone found these remarks out of line or tasteless.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Different era, different concept of what was and wasn't acceptable, Oscar.

Along the same lines as what I said in response to one of your earlier posts: We learn a lot more when past behaviors and practices remain available to be seen in today's light than we would if those incidents were suppressed from history. The Ministry of Truth in Orwell's 1984 comes to mind as an example of the latter.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Not even in the case of a certain music director who in 1997 seemed to think an adult standards station could play "everything".

By what stretch of the imagination was that comment considered on-topic in a thread on the Classic TV board?

 

[Oscar Madison]

Different era, different concept of what was and wasn't acceptable, Oscar.

Along the same lines as what I said in response to one of your earlier posts: We learn a lot more when past behaviors and practices remain available to be seen in today's light than we would if those incidents were suppressed from history. The Ministry of Truth in Orwell's 1984 comes to mind as an example of the latter.

I am aware of that. I am also aware that the 50s is seen as a simpler, more innocent time - a G rated era. I am not suggesting suppressing incidents today considered offensive - even by anti-PC types like me. But I think some sort of text notice about the nature of the comment before each segment might be appropriate.

It was a cruel time to anyone different in any way and such cruelty was not only accepted, it was often socially approved. Nor was such cruelty limited to civil rights marchers and members of what are today considered "protected" groups. And it wasn't limited to Archie Bunker types. The "glitterati" - successful and well educated, people who should have known better - freely practiced it.

John Charles Daly was a pioneer of both television and radio news and an icon in journalism. Maybe his professional stature should be re-examined.

 

[Gregg.]

I saw the What's My Line episode with the plus-size woman who was a toe dancer. I really didn't pick up on anything that negative, especially from John Daly, who would go out of his way to be a diplomat, maybe more so than most game show hosts. I think they were under pressure to be witty. No one wants a dry game show. Maybe they'd sometimes go a bit far but it was rare.

 

[anotherguyTN]

It definitely wouldn't have been as bad as when The Gong Show had a very large woman doing a belly dance in a typical belly dancer outfit.

Once again I wish we had a throwing up smiley here!

 

[K.M. Richards]

John Charles Daly was a pioneer of both television and radio news and an icon in journalism. Maybe his professional stature should be re-examined.

I find that suggestion every bit as offensive as you appear to find the 1950s statements you cited. Daly, being from that era, was very much in step with its norms and practices. So were those you called the "glitterati". That much should be obvious to you by now, since you appear to be watching these old shows looking for examples to cite.

Again, please stop behaving like MiniTruth and make allowances for a half-decade of progress in these types of statements, rather than attempting to hold past statements to today's standards.

 

[Oscar Madison]

I find that suggestion every bit as offensive as you appear to find the 1950s statements you cited. Daly, being from that era, was very much in step with its norms and practices. So were those you called the "glitterati". That much should be obvious to you by now, since you appear to be watching these old shows looking for examples to cite.

Again, please stop behaving like MiniTruth and make allowances for a half-decade of progress in these types of statements, rather than attempting to hold past statements to today's standards.

I doubt that anyone thought in 1954 thatg these shows would be aired 61 years later. This was before video tape. These were kinescopes of live broadcasts. They were not intended for later syndication. But that fact is these shows are being broadcast now - with today's standards in force. And the shows and the people who appeared on them are judged by today's standards. Just as "Birth of a Nation" is.

 

[K.M. Richards]

But that fact is these shows are being broadcast now - with today's standards in force.

At 2:00 in the morning.

Perspective.

 

[Mario500]

It definitely wouldn't have been as bad as when The Gong Show had a very large woman doing a belly dance in a typical belly dancer outfit.

Once again I wish we had a throwing up smiley here!

Why were you disgusted by this person and what if she had been significantly smaller or thinner than most of the folks around her?

I always considered "What's My Line" to have a lot more class than the other two shows but on the episode this morning, an overweight woman contestant (a toe dancer) and an overweight man contestant (sold fireworks) were subjected to on camera fat jokes from the panel, especially Fred Allen, and even from moderator and then ABC news anchor John Daly. The contests were expected to be "good sports" and smile. Even the audience reaction did not suggest anyone found these remarks out of line or tasteless.

What did you mean by "overweight", Oscar?

 

[Oscar Madison]

What did you mean by "overweight", Oscar?

Well beyond the clinical definition of morbidly obese. Rotund. Corpulent. Or, if you prefer, "fat."

KM: Even by the standards of the day, these successful, educated, accomplished, well placed people were guilty of bad manners with comments one would have expected to hear on grade school playground, not in the salons of midtown.

 

[Mario500]

^I have no preference for the phrase "morbidly obese" or any of the words you had used afterwards for describing the folks you had previously described as "overweight" in the message I had quoted, not even the word "overweight". Personally I would have described them as larger than some or most of the folks around them if I were you.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Why were you disgusted by this person and what if she had been significantly smaller or thinner than most of the folks around her?

Because she was way too big for the tiny outfit she had on. It's comparable to if she had been on the beach in a bikini. She actually was embarrassing herself and Chuck Barris chose to let her do it on national TV. Although I'll admit it's probably no worse than some of the women on trash talk or reality shows now.

I'm large myself, but I don't run around with my shirt off or even in a tank top any more. I heard Dennis Miller say once if you're built like a tank don't wear the top!!!

 

[Oscar Madison]

Tribune Media Has Buzzr

At last, Tribune Media now shows listings for Buzzr

 

[K.M. Richards]

At last, Tribune Media now shows listings for Buzzr

As does Titan, but Fremantle apparently hasn't provided them with an image of their logo yet. (For those who haven't been over at Titan in the past several days, they redid the appearance of the grid and every channel has its station or network logo at the far left, instead of just a text identifier.)

 

[Oscar Madison]

Titan to it's credit, had the channel almost immediately. But Tivo, most other DVRs and most websites that have TV listings use Tribune. Until today, Buzzr programs had to be recorded manually, like with an old VCR.