Two columns today: my tribute to Phil Rizzuto the broadcaster, and a mailbag column about all the smoking on "Mad Men," that Hawaiian version of "Over the Rainbow" you hear everywhere, and the proliferation of bugs.
(Since both stories run more than two pages, I've just linked directly to the printer-friendly version. If this is actually more annoying to some people, let me know in the comments, okay?)
This is not about the specific question you answer in this column, but a general comment. When I see people complain about the amount of smoking going on in "Mad Men", I always remember that there were some that were irritated by the way women talk in Death Proof. ("Nigga, please" etc.) That is, I wonder how much more politically correct can our society afford to turn, before something, I dunno, breaks.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Alan, does nj.com take down the older articles? Because I was searching through some older blog posts and the links to the newspaper site were leading to absolutely nothing. If they take them down, couldn't you repost them here by editing the original post?
Columns generally stay up two weeks, but sometimes can linger for a bit longer, and blog entries like the Sopranos stuff are supposed to stick around forever.
ReplyDeleteI can't post the full versions, unfortunately. As I've said before, The Star-Ledger owns that content.
Maybe it's time for a What's Alan Watching FAQ...
I prefer the link to the printer-friendly version, though it's a tad annoying that visiting that page also launches my printer dialogue box, as if I actually intended to print the piece. I'm accustomed to clicking that away by now, and the p-f format is much easier to read.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find (amazing, amusing, WTF worthy) is that Mad Men viewers are more disturbed about the smoking than anything else. Much pearl clutching has ensued.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the amount of smoking has been exaggerated for dramatic effect. Would revisionism have been better?
Love the blog Alan. You just made it to my bookmarks.
actually I like the smoking--and totally assumed they weren't *really* smoking--but I keep wondering how accurate it is. Can people possibly have really smoked THAT much? I'm 36 and it seems unbelievable to me. But a nice detail if it's accurate.
ReplyDeleteanyway the printer-friendly version is great, I was too dense to get why my printer pop-up appeared but now I get it!
At what point did that "Over The Rainbow" pass from "endearing" to "cliche"? It worked for the Dr. Mark Greene Death Episode, but since then, I got sick of it. Sorta like how Green Day's "Time of Your Life" was okay when sung by Gloria Reuben at a funeral on, yeah, ER, but was completely out of place as part of a Seinfeld farewell clip montage.
ReplyDeleteI hate those friggin' bugs with a passion, especially the that go across the entire bottom of the screen (and in particular, the animated ones, bleah). I was watching a movie on Showtime and kept getting distracted from it because of all the "Weeds" and "Californication" ads. It's one thing if the film is letterboxed and the ads fit in the black space, but another when the ad blocks part of the dang film. Is there anyone we can complain to and would it do any good if we did? I'm really sick of it--as well as when they compress the credits of a film so they can run another frackin' ad!
ReplyDeleteI love the printer-friendly versions because I almost always print the blogs/ columns anyway to take outside on my smoke breaks.
ReplyDeleteSo there you go....
Printer-friendly is better for me as well. This way I don't get the annoying survey question every time I progress to the second page. The reduced number of ads is a minor bonus.
ReplyDeleteI far prefer the printer-friendly, because when you link to that, NJ.com doesn't require me to tell them I'm a man from a randomly chosen zip code born in 1957/69/86. (I am none of those things.)
ReplyDeleteHere's another vote for the printer friendly version, for exactly the same reasons that Anthony stated. As one of those who used to pollute ad agency air long ago (I'm hanging my head in shame here), I can assure sal that people actually did smoke that much, and sometimes even more (I had a five pack a day habit back then).
ReplyDeleteThat version of "Over the Rainbow" first became really well-known when it was used in a TV commercial for the late, unlamented EToys. But they only included the wordless introductory part -- which was completely original to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole -- so people had no idea what song it actually was.
ReplyDeleteLove the printer friendly version....
ReplyDeleteHate the bug(s)....
Alan, your column about Scooter brought a tear to my eye. Great writing.
ReplyDeleteAh, memories of the series finale for Pasadena hit me like a brick every time I hear that version of "Rainbow." Sigh.
ReplyDeleteWhat a weird/wonderful little show that was. Thanks for reminding me of it.