PBS finally acknowledges teh internets...

[Darren Dirt]

Hello friend!

Are you sad, lonely, confused?

Do you wish to "academically understand the popularity of different content online", possibly by "identifying common themes such as absurdist humor, cuteness, and a dada-esque ability to recontextualize traditional media for comedy's sake"?

I'm sure you do!

In fact, aren't you sick of your friends and co-workers gloating to you each Monday morning, full of understandingness?

I'm sure you are!

And now there's an affordable way to catching up teh cyber-Joneses!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPIxKXAQXJI

PBS. Never out of touch*. Just a bit slow.


But wait! There's more!**




- - - - - - -

* just kidding, btw. I think PBS has always rocked, I think their Fawlty Fest every year kept me sane in my high school years. And that fast-talking smiling guy who walked into the stars at the end of each 3 minute show was fantastic childhood memories as well. Plus The McLaughlin Group was funnier than the SNL parodies, which were funny. So I'm not knocking teh PBS. Just kinda in a goofy "infomercial" type of mood. So, uh, yeah, why are you even reading this? Darren's weird. Deal with it. It's "hump-day" after all.

** presumably, on their website*** -- PBS.com/some_very_long_URL_that_I_am_not_bothering_to_look_up/although_typically_it_seems_to_have_FrontLine_at_the_start_of_it


***To be honest, the URL is actually http://pbs.org/makeemlaugh -- and the documentary is about American comedy culture, not just the internet (the web is just one "episode", apparently -- here in its entirety)

[Mr. Analog]

I believe you are talking about Jack Horkheimer: Star Hustler. I can still hear Isao Tomita's rendering of "Arabesque No. 1"... but I digress. PBS has had a pretty good web presence for some time. Particularly linking what you are watching to keywords used on the site. So, if you are watching a NOVA special about some topic it's set up on the site for easy finding (and terribly addicting if you happen to have a laptop handy).

On a side note, if you find yourself falling behind the ponderous weight of internet memes, there are plenty of meme aggregators you can check out

[Darren Dirt]

I think my fascination with both physics/cosmology AND british comedy would be tiny or even gone if it weren't for some of the PBS stuff I watched as a kid... I didn't even know I was learning stuff that was normal, common knowledge, but hey I was programming since I was 8 so what did I care what was "normal"

Oh, and yes *slaps forehead* "Star Hustler*" (new millenium, new name), and thanks to your post the whistling song is stuck in my head right now.

and re. memes, well I click "Start" "Run" dic3 Cleveland Steamer[enter key] and UrbanDictionary.com opens up to that word/phrase, and if the description intrigues me enough I think do the "Start" "Run" wiki Cleveland Steamer[enter key] to find out more details. PS: I would strongly suggest *not* looking up my example term (thanks Lewis Black, your rant has resulted in what little remains of my "innocence" being shrunk still further...)



*Ah, the 1980s... check out this article

Horkheimer's shows are luminous, kinetic things, full of rapid-fire references to ancient history, mythology and language. In a recent show, "Night of the Vulcan Moon," Horkheimer managed to drag in Stonehenge, Abu Simbel, Pompeii, the Sinai desert and Mr. Spock of Star Trek. Fact rubs shoulders with fantasy. Ideas and images go off like Roman candles. The big Spitz projector wheels silently on its horseshoe mount, twinkling in the center of an encompassing darkness; and everything sparkles and echoes beneath the grand, overarching dome, against a myriad spangling of stars drifting in and out of pale blue clouds.

Guess his stream-o-consciousness style of delivery opened my mind to the likes of Hunter S Thompson and Robin Williams

[Mr. Analog]

I shudder to think what porn-related google hits we'll get with the combination of words in this thread... shudder...

[Darren Dirt]

I shudder to think what porn-related google hits we'll get with the combination of words in this thread... shudder...

Hustler. Stream. Behind.

Whistling.


Yeah, I see what you mean.

[Mr. Analog]

I shudder to think what porn-related google hits we'll get with the combination of words in this thread... shudder...

Hustler. Stream. Behind.

Whistling.


Yeah, I see what you mean.

Oh yeah and CLEVELAND STEAMER about fifteen times or so *rolls eyes*

[Darren Dirt]

I shudder to think what porn-related google hits we'll get with the combination of words in this thread... shudder...

Hustler. Stream. Behind.

Whistling.


Yeah, I see what you mean.

Oh yeah and CLEVELAND STEAMER about fifteen times or so *rolls eyes*

Stop saying Cleveland Steamer!

[Mr. Analog]

I shudder to think what porn-related google hits we'll get with the combination of words in this thread... shudder...

Hustler. Stream. Behind.

Whistling.


Yeah, I see what you mean.

Oh yeah and CLEVELAND STEAMER about fifteen times or so *rolls eyes*

Stop saying Cleveland Steamer!

I know you are but what am I? Cleveland Steamer