158: Friendly Ribbing

[tranzorz]

Keith and Chemda:

Retailers make next to NOTHING for lottery ticket sales. I've spoken to many a liquor store / convenience store manager and I always get the same response. "It's a convenience for my customers, but I've been kicking myself in the ass every day since I had them install it. Between the paperwork and reporting involved, it isn't worth the few cents per ticket that we make."

z-

[mblaze]

Hollywood Poker does work with Macs. I have an account it seems like a decent site.

[DoM5961]

Yeah...Fuuuuuuck you Dane Cook.

[william]

How come no one ever came down on NBC's The Contender.

When was it on?

Not Ten PM.
Not Nine PM.
Not Eight.
Seven.
SEVEN PM!

In most reality shows, the contestants have to solve some kooky puzzle or contest. On The Contender it's not so complicated. Here you won by beating your opponent senseless. Punch after punch, broadcast for your viewing pleasure, all during prime time. All during an hour where most kids over five are still up.

True to the hypocrisy of America, I don't recall any protest or loss of sponsorship due to the violence in The Contender or the broadcast hour. But if there was a show in which a contestant bared her breast, the next morning it would make headline - HEADLINE - news!

What I found especially disturbing was that their wives and children were also spectators to this violent mess.

You read that right -children.

These poor kids were being forced by their parents to watch their father fight with another man, taking blow after senseless blow, all-the-while listening and seeing their mothers root on!

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury - I am no prude. I am as open-minded as they come. But something has to give. That show was repulsive.

Sylvester Stallone had something to do with this fight-fest. I didn't watch enough of it to understand his role other than seeing him nod in appreciation each time a fist was smashed into a man's face.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I respect Stallone for having given us "Rocky." That movie is a masterpiece whose ending taught us all what being a true winner really is.

1976 was a difficult year to be an Oscar contender. Robert DeNiro was up for his role in Taxi Driver. And given a choice between Stallone and DeNiro - whose portrayal of Travis Bickle was amazing - I'd would have still given the Oscar to Stallone, even though Taxi Driver is one of my all time favorite movies (Would you believe that Peter Finch in Network won? Go figure!)

And by the way, Fight Club is one of my all time favorite movies. Why am I pointing this out? To show that I'm no pussy when it comes to violence. But I'd rather have my daughter (or a son if I had one) see a breast any day than seeing a reality (as in this is REAL) show whose premise is watching two men beat on each other.

By the way, this is the same show in which one of the contestants committed suicide. It had nothing to do with the show, but being in the show obviously didn't enhance this poor young man's life. How sad.

[adopted from one of my rants]