The Mind Is a Dark Forest, Updated

[nonelvis]

I realized as I was falling asleep last night that I may be able to trace my shameful love of The Real World/Road Rules Challenge to my early childhood, when as a family activity, we would sit and watch such top-quality programming as The Gong Show, Battle of the Network Stars (aka "Battle of the T's and A's," which is what my parents called it), and yes, on occasion, The $1.98 Beauty Pageant.

Parents: they fuck you up in ways you can't even imagine.

Comments

[iko.livejournal.com]

I used to watch Benny Hill with my father. I have no idea how that would affect my psyche.

[chanfaina.livejournal.com]

Oh, god. The $1.98 Beauty Pageant. I was just thinking of this the other day. I loved how they would give the winner a presentation bouquet of carrots.

I loved all of those shows. And Benny Hill, even if I didn't understand it most of the time.

[mmancuso.livejournal.com]

Benny Hill was the absolute greatest.... so weird, surreal. We're not affected in the slightest. Not at all in any way. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go play "Yakety Sax" for no reason whatsoever.

[nonelvis]

I also used to watch that as a child. Let's see ... if we extrapolate from that and assume that this gave me a lifelong love of British television, can I blame my downloading habit on my parents, too?

[nonelvis]

I think someone needs to give Rip Taylor another game show to host. It is bound to be more entertaining than "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?".

[nonelvis]

If I have that running through my head all day, I'm going to kill you. (After chasing you around the park at top speed, complete with funny costume changes ...)

[iko.livejournal.com]

I blame PBS for that. Saturday night was date night in high school... but not for me! Saturday night is Brit-night on PBS. Doctor Who. Good Neighbors. Are You Being Served?. The list goes ever, ever on. I blame PBS on my love for The Avengers, too.

[nonelvis]

Yes, I suppose it's fairer to blame PBS than my parents, though again we watched a lot of that programming as a family, usually Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery. I do remember catching The Avengers with them as well. I can't blame the parents for Doctor Who, though: I'm the science fiction geek in the family, and the one who found it on PBS. Maryland Public Television has been broadcasting DW forever. I really miss being able to just turn on the TV and find an old episode playing.