A reader recently scolded me for arguing that television was good for literacy without highlighting all the strong programming about books available on C-SPAN.
Who needs C-SPAN? I have new books by Paul Reiser and Drew Carey to prove it and, in this pile of letters over here, still more evidence that TV is potentially the salvation of the printed word. The medium motivates people–not hundreds, admittedly, but some people–to put pen to paper in reaction to what they’ve seen and heard.
Official disclaimer: Some letters may be edited for brevity or clarity or to better set up my cheeky response.
I noticed something in the live production of “ER” that I thought was really cool. Did you catch just about the only clue that related “ER” to Chicago? In the doctor’s lounge, they had the baseball game on TV. They had the live WGN broadcast of the Cubs game fed into the set. Later, Doug (George Clooney) said, “Aw, the Cubs are losing 8 to 1.” Sure enough, I changed to WGN and they were.
–Mark, Chicago
You missed some of the other, more subtle clues relating it to Chicago, Mark. In the background in one scene, it was clear that an escalator was not working and would not be repaired any time soon. Four apparent West Suburban residents wandered into another scene clutching souvenir menus from the Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood jackets, Hard Rock Cafe baseball caps, House of Blues T-shirts and a receipt for a $22 cab ride from one of those places to another. And if you froze the frame and looked closely, you could see that the guy drumming in the emergency room was actually Jimmy Chamberlin, the drummer kicked out of Smashing Pumpkins.
On the Oct. 3 broadcast of “Millennium,” in a preview for an upcoming show, character Frank Black made a comment about the “remaining 799 days.” This is an obvious reference to the 2 years, 2 months and some odd days remaining until Jan. 2000. There is irony in this ordinarily knowledgeable show’s title premise vs. their apparent shared belief in the common delusion regarding the starting date of the next Century and the new Millennium. I am sure you know that this starting date is actually January 1, 2001.
–Robert, Evanston
Duly noted. I will now wait till late December, 2000 to venture out to a cornfield to await the mothership. How sad that the producers of “Millennium” won’t be joining us in the New Society.
Was it us, or were the prime-time Emmys about as interesting as a PBS pledge break?
–Ann and Scott, Hoffman Estates
At least the Emmys are only once a year.
It is amazing to me that you found “Nothing Sacred” “inspirational.” It is merely a laundry list of disloyal unbelievers who tried to get all their beefs into one hour. Would a show demeaning a Jewish rabbi or a Protestant minister make it to the tube? We’re sick of Catholic bashing, whatever form it takes. Cease and desist already.
–Elaine, Chicago
Despite the name, I haven’t heard much protest from Protestants about specific TV depictions of their spiritual leaders, but I actually have heard from Jews who feel “Seinfeld,” to take one example, is disrespectful and demeaning in its use of less-than-ideal rabbis.
To my mind the conflicted priest in “Nothing Sacred” is inspiring. He believes fervently in doing good works with his life, an idea that strikes me as being more religious than adherence to any specific set of dogma.
The broader point is that a healthy institution can and should be able to accept questions, kidding and even a little outright heresy. Just as Judaism will survive “Seinfeld” and the U.S. Constitution will survive the occasional burned flag, so will Catholicism survive “Nothing Sacred.” Especially if so many people, Catholic or otherwise, continue not to watch.
Maybe I’m wrong but no matter what stations you watch commercials are on more than the shows. Maybe we should call TV shows “Commercials.”
–Wanda, Chicago
And we could call news programs “Collections of information segments designed to attract specific demographic groups” and sports broadcasts “Excuses for men to remain beery, uncommunicative and unhelpful around the house.”
In the “Star Trek: Next Generation” episode “Lessons,” what is the title of the music Picard plays on his flute that he refers to as “an old folk melody”?
–Robert, Chicago
You can’t know how happy I am to be able to report that I have absolutely no idea.
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Write to Steve Johnson in care of the Tribune at 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 60611, or E-mail him at sajohnson@tribune.com.
