ok maybe i'm a hypocrite b/c i'm currently watching "e true hollywood story: britney spears," but i'm a bit miffed at the state that PBS has become. growing up, PBS was the one channel on tv - including cable tv - where one could find chamber music concerts, the best documentaries, and "poirot." well now the shows are still generally decent. mainstays like "nature" and new intriguing shows like "supernatural science" are airing, but the problem is that, in addition, PBS has decided to pour on the velveeta. like big time.
case in point - "andre rieu: in wonderland." wtf?! ok i barely forgave PBS for airing sarah brightman and andre bocelli concerts, but i have to draw the line at andre rieu. this man is the kenny g of the violin, except kenny g is so much cooler than andre rieu. i am speaking volumes here, but this shouldn't be confused with admiration for kenny g. oh no no no. i'd advise you to check out an andre rieu concert but it's like recommending you to watch the aftermath of a particularly gory multiple car accident. it's terrible to ask of someone because his shows are just so crass, mind-searingly cheesy, and especially life-changing. really. because when i first saw him many years ago, i finally realized that classical violin wasn't always a lofty and noble art. yes this was before i had heard a vanessa mae album (i wanted to hang up the fiddle after that). but at the time i felt as if i had blood on my hands. the very same songs i had played on my own violin had been veritably destroyed by the man. because i enjoyed these songs, i felt like an accomplice to his unforgivable crimes against strauss and stradivarius. it was disgusting.
on PBS tonight, i saw an ad for "celtic magic," which appeared to be a concert featuring an irish version of N*SYNC. except there was some folk music with guitars involved, and a piece involving a greasy-haired guy in leather singing opera, and a greasy-haired little tyke crooning in his pre-pubescent soprano a love song from the '50s that you would hear on the local oldies station. the audience at this concert was made up of people older than my parents. they must have been blind b/c my parents would vomit at the sight of these performers. and they didn't sound too good either.
these are just examples of what i've witnessed in the last year from PBS. i just can't reconcile with my expectations from public television these programs of a channel showing what i'd expect VH1 for the elderly to air. i really don't feel like donating $100 for a mug if i'm sponsoring this garbage.
this britney spears show is truly awful. i'm going to go read a book. take that, hollywood! eat my shorts.
Posted by L at February 28, 2008 10:55 PM