Outrage

Last updated on: October 14, 2015 at 8:59 pm by Amy Butler

Outrage 2015-10-14T20:59:16-04:00 Amy Butler

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Admittedly my perspective is a bit foggy, having been prescribed assistance to deal with the pain of recent events (see my Tale of Woe). However, my foggy perspective has not, in my opinion, impacted my astute observations of modern culture or my unmanageable compulsion to comment on those observations.

Here I note a few recent thoughts on the state of daytime television.

Since I have spent the last three days peering through the fog of a pretty bad headache at shows like 50 Hottest Vegas Moments you are probably thinking that I am recoiling in outrage at the drivel telecast while most of the world is busy at work. This is a concern of mine, but what is really fueling my outrage today is the fact that I just wasted about 6 straight hours of my life watching this stuff.

I didn’t mean to do it . . . it just sucked me in and I couldn’t escape.

I started out watching Paula’s Home Cooking, where this woman with a really thick Southern accent bustles around her kitchen cooking a lot of stuff with heavy cream and saying “honey” and “sweetie” a lot. It was very comforting to me in my compromised state. I turned it on because I saw a preview that promised the secret for making the most delicious white chocolate macadamia nut pie, which is something I think everyone needs to learn at some point in life. Right? Why not now?

I watched it all and decided it DID look good, and that it would taste especially good if someone else made it. Not me.

Well, after that show was over I was going to turn it off and sleep for awhile when I saw the lead in to Everyday Italian. It was just that the woman on that show is so pretty . . . and she makes cooking look so delightfully fun (maybe I’ve been missing something all along?). By the end of this show I started to suspect that my brain patterns might have been dangerously altered when I caught myself thinking about when I might make Rack of Lamb with Mint Basil Pesto for dinner . . . .

I thought, “That’s it! This is getting ridiculous!” so I turned the channel to TLC just in time to catch the beginning of A Wedding Story. I figured I could pick up some professional tips by watching a couple plan their wedding. I found, however, that the minister on the show did everything wrong! Certainly not like I would have done it!

It was almost a relief when What Not to Wear came on, though one of the hosts, Stacy London, is a little bit annoying. (And I know this for a fact because my friend Susie was on the show. But that is another blog entry.) Today, though, I got into their project. What would be better? Straight-legged pants or flared bottoms? Short jacket with structure or a longer, loose-fitting coat? Should we go with shimmer on the lips or a darker, matted lipstick shade? In the end I found myself winded–it was like exercise! So many decisions hanging in the balance; surely this could not be good for me in my weakened condition.

So I turned the channel to something more intellectual: Discovery Health Channel. Hmmm, this looks good, I thought, as I watched the trailer for I Lost It!, a new show about people who lose weight. And the fact that I thought this show looked like something I’d like to watch is just more indisputable evidence that I must have suffered brain damage in my recent car accident. What kind of compromised mental state leads someone to think watching a show about people who lose a lot of weight, solve all their problems and immediately begin living lives of bliss would be a fun thing to do?

I almost turned it off in disgust until I noticed the next show coming on, An Adoption Story. I love hearing about adoptions since I have an adopted child. So I watched, engrossed, as a wonderful, beautiful, loving and deserving couple in Seattle successfully adopted a perfect and adorable little boy through the foster care system. It was all perfect and wonderful and beautiful. I finally realized to what a terrible level I’d sunk when I had a momentary out-of-body experience and saw myself sitting on the bed, Kleenex box in hand, crumpled, used tissues scattered about, eyes swollen from crying . . . from the television show I was watching.

This has got to stop. I don’t know what I can do to change the state of daytime television in this country, but surely I could write a letter, start a consumer campaign, lobby for better programming? I feel convicted after my day in front of the television that something needs to be done. And soon.

So I plan to get started on this right away.

Right after A Makeover Story.

Laughing Out Loud

Previous Post

January 26, 2006

A Tale of Woe

Next Post

January 28, 2006 My Sentiments Exactly

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Answering the Call Being the Church Curating Wisdom Laughing Out Loud Living in Relationship Practicing Discipleship Reclaiming Baptist Speaking from the Pulpit Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005

Search for:

Outrage

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

Meta

I was summoned from Lo Debar and ate at the king's table despite my disability. Who am I?