This meanders
Finally, something atrocious enough (besides e-harmony) to give me something on which to pontificate.
Tonight, ABC is running a “film” entitled Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America, which supposedly details what might happen if bird flu reached American shores. Apparently, the answer is death, death, death, looting, carnage, death.
I think it’s very irresponsible of ABC to whip up public fears about something that may not ever happen. Granted, I’ve only seen the commercials, but the network seems to be billing it as this is what will happen, even though it’s meant to be fiction.
If I’m being honest, my intense distrust of the Disney Corporation is fueling this one. When they’re not busy killing off tourists or selling 80 million products to kids who cant differentiate between a commercial and a fact, I’m convinced that Disney execs seek to develop and implement nefarious television shows.
For example, on the rare occasions on which I watch Desperate Housewives, I’m pretty appalled by the way they deal with Brees sons homosexuality. Aside from the fact that the kid appears to have the least amount of morality on the show (despite challenges from several other characters), being gay is also apparently something to be ashamed of in general based on everyones reaction. And isn’t it hilarious that Bree showed all of his disgusting man-on-man porn to his grandparents, who no longer wanted to take him after learning of his proclivities? Comedy gold, that.
What was I talking about? Oh yeah, bird flu. From some review I just read, it appears that the films only purpose is to inspire fear Tom Shales described it as, “a cautionary tale with no recommendations on what precautions to take.” But be very afraid. Oh, and whilst youre reeling from the bird flu, don’t forget to be afraid of Osama bin Laden; ABC has also developed a 9-11 miniseries that they should be trotting out soon.
Why do Americans love being terrified? Why are we so susceptible to it? You never see this kind of garbage on the BBC. Why cant ABC instead run LOST five days a week? On LOST, I only have to be afraid of the fictitious Hanso Organization (www.hanso.org), the occasional polar bear (what ever happened to them?), some black smoke that shows you images from your past (thanks, Mr. Eko), and the Others, who defy traditional American sensibilities by being white creepy island people. Usually, creepy island people are brown or, in the case of Peter Jackson, black devil-zombies. I know he’s from NZ, but still.
Then again, China is emerging as our first potential rival for global superpower in 20 years. Maybe its fitting that ABC address those nascent anxieties with a film where our destruction comes from China. See: Yellow Hordes.
In other news, apparently dolphins pick names for themselves. How fucking cool is that?
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