Tuesday, January 22, 2008

American Gladiators Redux

Who watched this show in its original incarnation? Come on, lift those hands. I know you did. This is a safe haven - you can admit here that you watched AG and no one will judge you.

That’s better. Now, doesn’t it feel good to get that off your chest? I thought so.

I never watched the show. Honest to god, I never did. In fact, I know so little about this show that when I finally did watch an episode last night, I was surprised that regular schmoes participate in the events. I thought for sure it was just big hunking lugs from Venice Beach.

To me, it was kind of like the Olympics or the Super Bowl: a sporting event that I never ever watch and know very little about but which is made interesting to me by the inclusion of background stories, those vignettes about the contestants’ home lives that make their win or loss more meaningful to us at home. Frankly, if I don’t know anything about the participants, I have very little interest. Who cares if someone can knock some muscle-bound guy or gal off a pedestal with a giant Q-tip? But if it’s a girl with a mom at home who needs major surgery, then I am right there with ya.

Pass the popcorn.

Your Hollywood connection desperate for the writers to get back to work,
Leigh