Things I Don't Get

A Fall 2010 installment...

• Silly Bands - I know...I'm an adult, and I'm not supposed to get it I'm just supposed to pay for it. But my kids, who wanted these as much as most other kids, also don't get it, but they still wanted them. The Pet Rocks and Mood Rings of a new generation. Which isn't to say I don't wish I had the idea first...
• Reality TV - One of the signs of the apocalypse. The total creative energies of the television entertainment industry have devolved to the point where most of what we are being presented to watch falls into one of two categories: remakes and ripoffs, and reality TV. I can see the allure of reality TV from a production perspective. Get a few cameramen and technical staff, find a bunch of emotional/psychological train wrecks, stick them in close quarters and wait for the fireworks. No thought required, and not much expense. Just make sure they've signed the waivers and signed away their rights so that no matter what kind of stupid and embarrassing things they do you can still legally show them to the world. And apparently many people find these shows entertaining (which may be another sign of the apocalypse). I'm thinking primarily of The Bachelor and it's ilk. [You know what an ilk is, right? A big deer...]
• The Porsche Cayenne - a Porsche crossover? Really? Wasn't the Mercedes station wagon enough?
• White Zinfandel - Full wine snobbery in effect here. Yes, Sutter Home, I'm talking to you. If people don't like wine, don't drink wine. This alcohol kool-aid is an affront (I did give you the snob warning). That reminds me, do they still make Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers?

Disclosure: It would be unfair not to point out my own hypocrisy on one of the above items. I watch very little TV these days other than the occasional movie or sporting event, but one of the shows I do watch with my wife would be classified as a reality show - Project Runway. It is part reality show and part fashion design contest. I find it hilarious. Mindless, but hilarious. And it has Heidi Klum as the host so it can't be all bad.