My Nana’s favorite series has everything you could want from a television show: fascinating characters, riveting plots of revenge, tear-jerking speeches, and heartwarming reconciliations — all with limited commercial interruption. Despite its numerous attributes, though, I’d bet that very few people are familiar with my Nana’s must watch of the week. It’s called The Televised Town Meeting (live…from Sebastian, FL!).
Forget that cheerleader cutting off her toe and Dancing With the Stars’ results segments. You want a real nail-biter? In latest episode of TTTM, the annual three-day Sebastian Lagoon Clambake Festival was unceremoniously canceled — thanks to ”a group of citizens against everything,”quipped one council member — and things got so heated, an anti-clambake lobbyist was ejected (mid-argument) from the meeting! (No, I’m not making this up — click here for the lowdown.) Coming up on future episodes, anattorney has been hired to represent the Sebastian Clambake Foundation, and more fallout from the "clambake catastrophe" is expected. Set your DVRs!
Hearing about my Nana’s obsession with TTTM got me wondering: What are you watching these days that might not really considered a television show? Personally, I cannot get enough of infomercials for knives and blenders.
I love Ginsu knives and I love watching them cut through aluminmbeverage cans and automotive radiator hoses. I’ve never needed to chopup an aluminum beverage can and I’m not exactly sure what an automotiveradiator hose is, but I feel very satisfied knowing I could cut througheach, effortlessly. But wait, there’s more! I could take a hammer andbeat my Ginsu knife and it would still work perfectly. Again, why I’dbeat a knife with a hammer is inconsequential. I just like knowing thatmy knife would beat your hammer, and it would still be able to cutpaper-thin slices of a tomato. And as for those Magic Bulletblenders, don’t even get me started.
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Every weekend I have to tune in for at least a half hour of “Book TV” on C-SPAN2. No matter what author/book they happen to be featuring I always get hooked. Sometimes I’m treated to a lovely surprise, like the time I tuned in and had the pleasure of listening to Nick Hornby discuss his writing methods and his (at the time) upcoming release “A Long Way Down.” They mostly only feature non-fiction books though so it can be hit or miss sometimes, but I did enjoy listening to Walter Isaacson discuss his newest book “Einstein: His Life and Universe” this past weekend. Oh, and coming up this Saturday? Garry Kasparov discusses his book “How Life Imitates Chess!” Sounds like it’ll be a thrill a minute!
Thank you for mentioning the Magic Bullet! I think I watch that every week. Long live Hazel!
This the television equivelent of only cockroaches surviving an atomic blast. I’m needing my new Daily Show fix bad, man!
I always love it when I see actors I recognize hamming it up for the camera in one of these informercials, like the Mom from Phil of the Future in the Rug Doctor commercials. The steam shark commercial was kind of cool, but I detest the oxyclean guy. Sometimes I like to watch the TimeLife music collection commercials because they play the best bits of the best songs in a genre.
Oh, dear Lord, the Magic Bullet. A friend actually bought one about a year ago, and I had quite a good time laughing at her after I saw the infomercial. But then she made hummus with her Magic Bullet… and damn if I didn’t consider going out right then and there and buying one. Except that I have just too much pride for that.
every time I see that xpress 101 infomercial I have to watch it. I guess I’m fascinated by the stuffed soup. And I actually bought a magic bullet.The recipes on that infomercial lured me in and the only thing I ever made in that is margaritas.
Infomercials have been around for a very long time. My favorite Infomercial parody has to be Dan Aakroyd’s “Bass-O Matic-300″.
Is it just me or is one of the breakfast “guests” during the Magic Bullet infomercial smoking? I’ve watched it five times now and I swear she’s got a cig in her mouth.
I too have a weakness for infomericals and I’ve had to restrain myself to keep from ordering the Xpress 101.
Oh my God – I’ve watched the Magic Bullit infomercial at least 20 times!
And yes – the old lady in the house coat with the fizzy hair and glasses on a chain DOES in fact have a cigarette hanging out the corner of her mouth as she talks.( Her name is Hazel – dear lord they actually named her HAZEL as if the cliche wasn’t complete) It’s insane…and I’m pretty sure the reason I started watching the infomercial in the first place.
Gretchen, I’m right there with you on the blender thing. To wit, best website EVER:
http://www.willitblend.com/
I used to be obsessed with the Nads infomercial. I could not believe that ripping leg hair out at the roots didn’t hurt. So I would carefully analyze the models facials expressions to see the tiniest bit of pain. Once satisfied, I bought some. Man, did that hurt!
I love the Magic Bullet infomercial too!! the old lady with the cigerette i her mouth that isn’t even lit! The horrible acting! It’s a ball of wonderful!
Ames: Thanks for the trip down Nads Lane. Anything I can spread on my face that’s named after a 12 year old boy’s slang term for testicles is alright in my book!
I caught myself watching an infomercial for 20 minutes for some kind of magnetic clasp that makes it easy to put on necklaces and bracelets. Thankfully I was knocked out of my trance by a phone call. Otherwise I could’ve sat there for hours.
My all time favorite infomercial is the Magic Bullet. I love all the “characters” from the lady smoking a cigarette with too much make up on to the guy with the plaid sport coat on that looks like he’s still drunk. Also, love the main guy using the bullet with his wife and his British/Australian accent. You can’t get any better than that. I do an impression of that guy and it always get a laugh!