So I have been watching some of the summer TV flotsam. . . .
There's no way to determine for sure, but I suspect that the geniuses behind "Don't Forget the Lyrics!" stole the idea from "The Singing Bee" crew and not vice versa. It's sort of your classic "which came first--the chicken or the egg?" puzzler (except with cheezy karaoke game shows). But it seems like "Don't Forget the Lyrics!" is the duplicate. First off, I feel that if they had worked to cultivate a fresh idea, (rather than half-assed a carbon copy of another network's offering) then surely they would have put a little more effort into the show name. And then they have tacked on all these Who Wants to be a Millionaire-esque lifeliney gewgaws to their version--seemingly in an effort to differentiate themselves?? Also the facial hair Wayne Brady (host of Don't Forget the Lyrics) is sportin' these days makes me think of Schneider from One Day at a Time. That last fact is not really evidence of any idea theft but I just wanted it to be duly noted.
Speaking of Wayne Brady... I woulda liked to see him back on my telly hosting a second season of Celebrity Duets. I suppose I understand why that's not possible though. Any champ of subsequent Celeb Duets seasons is going to be a feeble follow up act to the Season 1 champ...the fabulous Mr Alfonso Ribiero. So perhaps they sabotaged themselves by showcasing their bestest contenders the first season on air. But still...it was a damned entertaining show...I probably woulda watched a season 2 even if it was a sadly Alfonso-free season 2.
One thing I am NOT watching this summer (or next summer, or any season of any year) is anything on TLC after 5pm. I think the whole aim of their primetime programming is to give ME bad cartoons ("bad cartoons"= nightmares....in case you did not know. It's what I used to call them as a wee moppet and I've always found that to be SOOO adorable that I never quit the phrase) The other night I spied on the TV Guide channel that, at that moment, TLC was airing "The Boy with the New Head" and during later channel surfing I sort of sped by Ch 49( TLC ) thinking "If I linger there, I surely will see something that will spook me and/or cause me to wet my pants" But then I scolded meself for being such a big wuss, and on my next run through the channels, I did linger on Ch 49. Yyyyikes. I did not piss myself but BLLLLAAARGH!!! I saw a dude that looked quite similar to (& only marginally better than)
the fellow below---
Uhhhh, not Beetlejuice either. The dude on the right.
And then last night, they had on "World's Fattest Man" and I think they have a show on the world's tallest man too1 (I've successfully abstained from viewing either...while not as overtly BOOGLA-BOOGLA scary as Beetlej's amigo there, both are still definite bad cartoon fodder)
Now I realize that it is both wuss-ish and juvenile of me to make such a big to do of a boy who has a legitimate head issue. And I'm not saying his story ought not be told. I am only saying that I am decidedly NOT a fan of the TLC network. In fact, if I had fancy satellite service (rather than old school cable) then I would actually have that channel BLOCKED just to protect my delicate sensibilities.
1. I am also blaming these people for an awful sounding show called "When Surgical Tools Get Left Behind". I've been astounded & horrified to read such a show title on the perpetual TV Guide Channel scroll, and I'd thought it was on TLC. I've since learned that that was a Discovery Health show, but both channels are part of the same co./run by the same brain trust
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