i think this is kyles assessment, it is great and well thought out. i wish i could take credit, but, right on kyle. -----Original Message----- From: Yvonne Craig [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 11:34 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Comedy Central's "Premium Blend" I absolutely agree with your assessment, Ken. It's so unfortunate that = many of today's comedians are so dependent on humour at the "other guy's" = expense or on vulgarity to make us laugh. What ever happened to cleverness = and witticisms (other than on this list <grin>)? Or sharp, biting satires? = I don't mind self-deprecating humour if it's done tastefully. But to = objectify or ridicule? Not acceptable in my books! For those of you in Canada, anyone watch "This Hour has 22 Minutes"? I = love this show - though I do miss Rick Mercer, especially his walkabouts. = Very clever commentaries on politics and current affairs. Great satire and = parodies. No holds barred but never vulgar or gratuitous. Yvonne >>> [log in to unmask] 02/19/02 11:04AM >>> Betty, Just read your post after a few days hiatus from the e-world. Comedy Central is part of the MTV network of cable channels specializing = in a particular genres of "entertainment". MTV prides itself on its ability = to relate to the lowest common denominators of pop-culture. Comedy Central also features such nuggets as "The Man Show"--a program showcasing = high-brow antics such as slo-mo video of large-breasted women jumping on trampolines.= See where I'm going here? The easiest laugh is one that comes at other's expense. For exampple, the monologues of Leno, Letterman, et. al, consist almost entirely of deprecating others. Their writers find easy work in this kind of humor because there is no faster way to make one's self feel better than by denegrating others. True comedians were (the past tense is intentional) masters of their craft. Red Skelton, for example, was a comedic genius, = yet I cannot remember one skit that garnered a laugh at the expense of = another. That kind of "real" comedy took work--nothing that today's writers nor = their audience have any interest in, whatsoever. The fodder for today's writers comes almost entirely from events and = people "in the news" so to speak. If it's historical, then it's not relevant. = The writers are becoming more and more specific with their targets because the audience does not have the attention span for anything else. Blame post-modernism for this. A foundational thesis of this current western paradigm is that if you are offended by my behaviour....too bad. It's = your problem, not mine. Fits the American "ME"-ism quite nicely, thank you. You'll find that sponsors don't give a damn about your opinion unless: 1) You are in their demographic target audience. (You and I...are not.) 2) The majority of viewers feel like you (they don't). Optimistically (NOT!) Yours! -Kyle -----Original Message----- From: Betty B [mailto:[log in to unmask]]=20 Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2002 7:58 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Comedy Central's "Premium Blend" Dear All: I am livid. There was a television show on Comedy Central last night called "Premium Blend." It came on at 10:00 and 10:30, and 11:00 PM. I do not watch this show but stopped on it tonight while channel surfing. The 10:30 show, episode number 410, had a comedian who used the last bit = of time in his performance to exploit particular conjoined sisters, Reba and Lori Schappell. He made fun of them, the way they navigate, the fact that one of the = sisters wants to be a country western singer, and how it would be if they were to have sex with somebody. He actually did the humping motion while he was making fun of them. He had the audience too. They were all laughing at the expense of these women. I couldn't believe it. He couldn't have described their physical appearance in an uglier way, and the audience thought the whole bit was hilarious. I just bought my TV a few months ago. I couldn't afford to throw anything at it. These sisters, if you don't know who they are, have an interesting story. = I saw a program about them on TV some time ago, and then a few months ago on another show. They went from an institutional setting to living in their own place, and they are doing fine. They have friends, and have their lives outside of that damnable institution. They are doing life! So, this man learns about these sisters, and all he can think about it is how they are good fodder for comedy material? I can't even imagine how I = would feel if I had been his victim and saw all the people in the audience laugh at my expense. I caught the act too late to get his name, so I sent an e-mail to comedy central asking for the point of contact for "Premium Blend." In the meantime, I'll compose myself and draft a letter. I can plug in the name later. I need to find out about his entire act last night too, before I get started. Who knows what else he said that must also be addressed? No, these woman are pretty fantastic to me. You know how this world is. Their circumstances are a bit rugged for a world such as this. Just the = way that they spent their formative years in an institution, but kept it together mentally to advocate for their own release impresses me. When I saw this = I thought "You go for it. Go for everything and take what you want in this life." It made me feel so great that they were continually overcoming society. I've heard comedians make fun of PWDs before, most of us have, I am sure. This was an attack on specific people though. He described them in such detail that they could not have been mistaken for anyone else. This wasn't = a generic attack. Betty