war in dance

I love this piece of storytelling through dance. Napoleon Buddy D'umo and Tabitha A. D'umo, choreographers for TV's 'So You Think You Can Dance,' have captured the story of lovers split by war across two pieces. In the 4th season, the team (also known as NappyTabs) choreographed a piece in which the couple dancing learns that the man is heading to war. And in the 8th season, a second piece concluded the story when the soldier returns home. It's such a beautiful portrayal of one of the pains of war. Ironically, the most recent episode began late, as President Obama was announcing his plan to withdraw troops by September 2012.

Soldier is drafted, season 4:


Soldier comes home, season 8:

television set, there's hope for you yet

Was reading an article about Google TV. Google TV will allow us to surf the web and watch video via our televisions through a device that we will buy and attach to our sets.

So we went from group television watching - sitting around the tube with our friends/family sharing a bowl of popcorn to watching solo via laptops and Hulu. For many, television via web has become the preferred method of access to our favorite shows. It lets us watch when we want and with limited commercials.  However, it's made what used to be a shared experience into a lonely activity. Head-phones on, sitting in front of a 13 inch screen doesn't leave a lot of room for companions.

I think the opportunity in Google TV is that it can introduce group watching to Hulu-watching. It will allow us to marry the shared experience of watching television with the benefits of online-show watching. Welcome back to the age of social television.

tell the tube you've had enough

Starting a movement when the world got their entertainment through the tube was as simple as giving a good speech. But now everything is a moment or is attempting to start a movement. We're all mad as hell and yelling out the window is pointless, no one would be able to hear you over their ipod headphones or ringing cellphones. We're all in our own little movements standing for what we believe in, even if we don't really know what the hell that is. Insanity ensues.

What's especially neat about this clip is if you go to Youtube and look at the comments, it's making people think. It applies ever more today and we still don't know how to respond or take control of the messages we are receiving.

reality is cheap

A friend and I are huge followers of the TLC network. From 'Trading Spaces' to 'Jon and Kate Plus 8,' Meghan and I ought to start a club. However, recently our dependable friend, TLC, has changed on us...With new shows like "The Singing Office" and "Ashley Paige Bikini or Bust", TLC seems to be chasing reality guru Bravo and derailing into trash-ville.

They used to be about teaching "lifes' lessons" in a humorous, relatable manner and now...they have become so cheap it feels like they have lost these brand values. Beyond their show line-up something has changed in the delivery of programming. It just seems so...cheap. Even the shows we love like "Jon and Kate" are completely structured by which brand is sponsoring each episode, there is no real story-line. Awww reality, it really is as boring as it looks. I may have to switch to soap operas.

It's my theory though that Meghan and I will not feel deprived of good wholesome reality for too long, I think Lifetime is going to step it up. My former view of the Lifetime network was that it was just ironing board network - in other words for bored stay at home moms to watch while doing their ironing. Not that I could blame them, I'd be right there with them I'm sure. If not though, there is always HGTV.