With covid-19 wrecking havoc and forcing most of us to stay home, the chorus shouts "Thank God for television!" We know it well... and also every single repeated commercial that often insults ,which we blindly watch.
Books? What are books compared to TV which frees up our hands for important stuff like nachos or popcorn or dinner on a tray in front of the television. Now that's living. Books can't do that.
TV does have some--ok, maybe one or two--redeeming values... like the Golden Buzzer of America's Got Talent.
As someone who pretends not to watch, I occasionally peek at an open screen and find myself trapped between a rock and my wife. So naturally, tears were flowing as the 1 millionth season of AGT (as we aficionados like to say), ended by choosing the best of the best, the $1 million winner, by popular vote... a lyrical poet who doesn't even play an instrument, amaze with magic, shoot arrows at people spinning really fast, cracking a bull whip, flipping a yoyo or singing and dancing. Yes, admittedly, there really are great talents in many areas all over America. Really, there are. This time... the right time, it was Brandon Leake chosen the best.
Why is this really revealing of how much of America at this time, does think and feel this need. It is tender and touching and talented poetic prose by a young man whose talent won over every other form of entertainment, simply using the spoken word, and using it very well indeed.
He touched hearts when hearts needed touching. He reached into our souls to surprisingly bring tender feeling to the forefront. This, in our today world that is feeling anything but tender, we see conflict, anger, outrage, hate, hard feelings and hopelessness. Want to see/hear one of his winning pieces. Go here.
I guess America needed that. Deep down, we are still there. We still need stories so tender that make us cry or laugh, or remember... stories that evoke empathy and passion. I don't know about you but I go to bed too many nights feeling concerned and scared of what is happening. It is seldom win-win. It is mostly I win-you lose, haha. This isn't the promise of America... or anywhere. I'm more than just a little sick of the whole thing and want the real sun to com up tomorrow.
Years and years ago, in the early days of live television (no taping to get it perfect), there was a program called "Queen for a Day." I remember it being enormously popular because it featured women in real need of some of the simple things of life. This was a different time in America where many homes seemed to lack a refrigerator (rather than an ice box which was just what it sounds like) or other home essentials. It was a tear-fest of real woe. These were folks who had a difficult time putting food on the table. (Some things never seem to change.) And the host, Jack Bailey, would hear the stories and ask the questions. "So how old were you when your father lost his job... your house burned down... your best friend was hit by a car... the shark ate your baby... "
At the end of the half-hour show, the audience would applaud as the host put his hand over the head of each woman. The applause meter (which was controlled by someone offstage offering a guess of the loudest) that would determine the winner--or, the most needy loser--and she would get a beautiful new refrigerator... or washing machine... or whatever she lacked, and be crowned on a throne-like seat, presented with a bouquet of roses and cry as the audience cheered. Bob Bailey would say. "You, Mary Smith, are QUEEN FOR A DAY! Then the audience of women would cry. There would be a song, not unlike the winner of the Miss America Pageant, as the program ended.
We are all in-tune for a story that touches our hearts but these days, there are too few of those, too many of the other kind that "shiver our timbers."Aye, matey!
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