If you're a fan of zombie movies, I strongly recommend World War Z: An Oral History of the First Zombie War by Max Brooks. I just finished this book the other night and found it thoroughly entertaining.
What makes this different from any zombie movie I've ever seen is that whereas most zombie flicks only follow one group of (usually) randomly collected people struggling to survive against the undead onslaught, this book takes a global perspective. The first chapter opens with an outbreak in a remote Chinese village and we follow the story as the "disease" quickly spreads.
While refugees are the fastest cause of the initial spread, the author uses some other interesting scenarios. For example, it's true that China illegally exports organs and the author makes use of this fact when an American businessman visits Brazil to receive a heart transplant. He's given an infected heart and is soon devouring one of his doctors (the other survived to tell the tale). In fact, the entire book is a survivor's story since the war has been over for a decade. (I'm not giving anything away, this is in the prologue when the author reveals his desire to write about the war. Of course, even though the war is over, there are still white zones -- hot spots that,while contained, are completely infected.)
Brooks is also clever in looking at the geopolitical picture. Israel, realizing the impending danger while most countries are still in denial, takes immediate action to build a national fortress, one that results in civil war. Meanwhile, two other nations (I won't say who, but it's not who you would expect) end up in a brief nuclear exchange because of the flood of refugees along the border. South Africa is forced to use a Machiavellian plan that was originally created in the 80s by the Apartheid government in case of a "black uprising." Even the U.S. armed forces are forced to adapt to new weapons and tactics after losing many battles including an infamous one just across the Brooklyn Bridge (they learn machine guns and high explosive rounds aren't very effective against an enemy that can only die by having its brain destroyed).
The bottom line is that this is more than just a book about zombies. It's well written, smart, and while it gives a global perspective, it does so through a series of very personal narratives.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Babel... more like Crapel!
I'm constantly amazed at what passes for good cinema these days. I've long argued that movies made in the past five years or so have followed a serious decline in quality. I'm not just talking about the blockbusters, but even the so called art house or indie movies. Even the few films I enjoyed don't seem to have the rewatchability (is that even a real word?) of most classic films.
What brings me to this current diatribe? The film Babel. How was this nominated for Best Picture (or anything else for that matter)? After muddling through this train wreck (which, thanks to the subtitles, allowed me to watch most of the film at 2x speed sparing me wasting a full 2 hours and 20 minutes of my life), I felt compelled to read what other reviewers thought of this film. Some gush, but there was one line on rottentomatoes.com that had me laugh out loud.
If misery is your pornography, Babel is your holy grail.
Dave Calhoun TIME OUT
And runner up was this little gem:
If Babel were a football game, I'd flag it 15 yards for piling on.
David Ansen NEWSWEEK
Bottom line, spare yourself sitting through this film and instead partake in a more productive activity for two hours -- like cutting yourself or sniffing paint. You'll probably feel better about yourself and the time will pass more quickly.
What brings me to this current diatribe? The film Babel. How was this nominated for Best Picture (or anything else for that matter)? After muddling through this train wreck (which, thanks to the subtitles, allowed me to watch most of the film at 2x speed sparing me wasting a full 2 hours and 20 minutes of my life), I felt compelled to read what other reviewers thought of this film. Some gush, but there was one line on rottentomatoes.com that had me laugh out loud.
If misery is your pornography, Babel is your holy grail.
Dave Calhoun TIME OUT
And runner up was this little gem:
If Babel were a football game, I'd flag it 15 yards for piling on.
David Ansen NEWSWEEK
Bottom line, spare yourself sitting through this film and instead partake in a more productive activity for two hours -- like cutting yourself or sniffing paint. You'll probably feel better about yourself and the time will pass more quickly.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Afterlife on Tom's
Afterlife has no shortage of press and I may start posting articles, reviews and columns in here. Below is simply the latest (just out today!) and although I'm only including the section that discusses Afterlife, there is a link to the original article at the end. Enjoy!
Another cool graphic novel is "Afterlife" by Stormcrow Hayes and Rob Steen. Hayes is also a striving screenwriter from L.A. It deals with Mercutio, a man who dies shortly before he’s to marry, and searches for his bride among the billions of dead souls in the afterlife.
"Afterlife" is a manga comic published by Tokyopop. Hayes and Steen first got together in 2001 because they wanted to break into comics, and they wound up freelancing at Tokyopop, Steen doing layouts, Hayes doing adaptations. Soon they decided to pitch an original idea to the company. “We wanted to come up with a project that very much fit both Tokyopop and a manga audience,” says Hayes. “The original idea was very bare bones. I simply had the idea of cops in the ghost world. It was supposed to be an overcrowded city of the dead. The idea definitely evolved dramatically, especially once Rob started drawing the world itself.”
Soon the idea became big enough that Hayes wanted to “tackle the bigger questions, such as the meaning of life! I think this book has something for everyone: action, adventure, a love story, and philosophical musings about our existence." The first volume is available on Tokyopop.com as well as other outlets.“Also I’m sure your local comic shop can order it as well,” says Hayes. “Let’s face it, if you’re going to order it, you should support your local comic shop over some corporate conglomerate, right kids?”
Read the original article here.
http://www.tomsgames.com/us/fringedrinking/2007/09/uunderground_comics_update_sol.html#more
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer
I was reluctant to watch Buffy, The Vampire Slayer . Apparently, I'm not alone. Perhaps it's the campy title, but despite repeated pleas from my buddy Mike to check it out, I simply wasn't interested. My turning point came last year when I finally watched Firefly on DVD. Mike kept telling me, "If you like Firefly, you'll love Buffy."
He was right.
Season one begins slowly. Buffy was a mid-season replacement and clearly didn't have the budget (nor was CGI as abundant as it is today) to pull off some of its ambitious ideas. The season's lead villain (or "big bad") also wasn't that appealing. However, the monsters never were the point of the series which is why it's easy to overlook the lackluster special effects in favor of the characters and dialogue.
However, season two is where the show takes off -- and never slows down. This season (probably my favorite of the seven) has it all: comedy, tragedy, horror, romance, and probably a host of other genres and styles I can't think of. By the time I watched the season finale, I couldn't believe there were five more seasons awaiting me. After all, it seemed as if they had done it all. I wondered, where could they go from here? Fortunately, the show manages to entertain and enthrall throughout its entire seven year run (despite the addition of Dawn).
This year marked the tenth anniversary of Buffy's premiere. I may have come late to the party, but better late than never.
He was right.
Season one begins slowly. Buffy was a mid-season replacement and clearly didn't have the budget (nor was CGI as abundant as it is today) to pull off some of its ambitious ideas. The season's lead villain (or "big bad") also wasn't that appealing. However, the monsters never were the point of the series which is why it's easy to overlook the lackluster special effects in favor of the characters and dialogue.
However, season two is where the show takes off -- and never slows down. This season (probably my favorite of the seven) has it all: comedy, tragedy, horror, romance, and probably a host of other genres and styles I can't think of. By the time I watched the season finale, I couldn't believe there were five more seasons awaiting me. After all, it seemed as if they had done it all. I wondered, where could they go from here? Fortunately, the show manages to entertain and enthrall throughout its entire seven year run (despite the addition of Dawn).
This year marked the tenth anniversary of Buffy's premiere. I may have come late to the party, but better late than never.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Force Quit
Normally, I'm not a fan of blogs (hence, why I remain reluctant about my own endeavor into this mostly tedious medium). However, there is only one blog that I actually really enjoy reading. Not only is it hilarious (or at least entertaining), but the folks involved actually manage to update it regularly.
I'm referring to Force Quit.
Force Quit is the child of Joe and Caitlin, two extremely talented writers. The blog can be about anything from randomly overheard conversations at an advertising promotional party to political commentary to movie reviews or an extremely abusive "advice" column from Commander Joey.
Either one of these two writers could command their own blog, but by combining their talents, they guarantee a regular stream of interesting anecdotes and prose. However, be warned, there is an extreme discrepancy in the attitude and demeanor of each writer. In one of her own posts, Caitlin describes the difference in their world views between an optimist (Caitlin) and a pessimist (Joe).
Pessimism, however, doesn't even begin to describe the Joey. His unique world view is easily offensive (to most), venomous and dark. That's why I love it. But for every abusive post by Joe, you'll find it counterbalanced by Caitlin's more humane, though equally funny, approach. At the very least check it out and judge for yourself!
Just in case the hyperlink doesn't work for any reason, here is the url:
http://forcequit.wordpress.com
Update & Interview
Originally, the intent of this blog was exclusively to post my semi-weekly column that I was writing for the Sri Lanka Daily News (for more information on that, read the very first entry). However, with the resignation of my friend and editor-in-chief Bandula Jayasekara, that has come to an end. So I've decided to hijack this space to write about, well, whatever the hell I want!
So what will I write about? Well, I have some column ideas that I never quite finished but would still like to find an outlet for. I'm sure I'll include those at some point. Otherwise, I'll simply use this space to mention any other random thoughts and ideas I have which is how I imagine most author blogs are used. This will include recommending books (often), movies (rarely -- why do most movies suck these days?), and whatever else comes to mind.
I'll also be using this space to highlight my career (or lack thereof), including signings, convention appearances, etc. I'll jump right in by mentioning my recent interview on Geek World Radio (www.geekworldradio.com). I was recently a guest of hosts AnnaMay and Dave who were very delightful and entertaining. We mostly discussed my graphic novel, AFTERLIFE, but we also briefly delved into my past, the creative process, and how Afterlife was conceived. Click here -- or else the link below will take you directly to the podcast of the show:
http://www.paytherentproductions.com/GW_9_1_07.mp3
Otherwise, I invite you to check back regularly for random ramblings news and updates.
Enjoy!
So what will I write about? Well, I have some column ideas that I never quite finished but would still like to find an outlet for. I'm sure I'll include those at some point. Otherwise, I'll simply use this space to mention any other random thoughts and ideas I have which is how I imagine most author blogs are used. This will include recommending books (often), movies (rarely -- why do most movies suck these days?), and whatever else comes to mind.
I'll also be using this space to highlight my career (or lack thereof), including signings, convention appearances, etc. I'll jump right in by mentioning my recent interview on Geek World Radio (www.geekworldradio.com). I was recently a guest of hosts AnnaMay and Dave who were very delightful and entertaining. We mostly discussed my graphic novel, AFTERLIFE, but we also briefly delved into my past, the creative process, and how Afterlife was conceived. Click here -- or else the link below will take you directly to the podcast of the show:
http://www.paytherentproductions.com/GW_9_1_07.mp3
Otherwise, I invite you to check back regularly for random ramblings news and updates.
Enjoy!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
It's official. My friend and editor of Sri Lanka's Daily News has officially submitted his letter of resignation. I, however, will still continue to occasionally post some of my many rants, raves, observations, comments, etc. as I see fit. So this blog is not dead, simply transitioning. Into what, I don't know.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Discontinued
Unfortunately, it seems my editor at Daily News, Bandula Jayasekara, has left his position in protest of the President. I don't know the details or the circumstances, but it seems my column is, for the moment, on hold. However, I have about a half dozen semi-finished columns that I may try to finish. Also, rather than let this blog fall into rusty disuse as I compained as the fate of most blogs, rather than let that happen, I'll simply post updates about Afterlife and other projects here (though that was never my original intent).
If Mr. Jayasekara resolves his differences, I'll certainly let you know. Otherwise, I would say it's still worth checking back here from time to time.
See ya soon!
If Mr. Jayasekara resolves his differences, I'll certainly let you know. Otherwise, I would say it's still worth checking back here from time to time.
See ya soon!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Video Evolution
It started with Pong.
Pong was the very first video game. It consisted of nothing more than two paddles and a blip. Get the blip past your opponent's paddle and you scored a point. Simple.
After Pong came Space Invaders, equally simple but more challenging as you fought back an unstoppable army of aliens. It truly launched the video game phenomenon. Asteroids, Pac Man, and Donkey Kong quickly followed.
I remember them all.
I grew up during the video game revolution, dropping quarters into the machine like a junkie; sometimes begging my mom for a dollar so I could play four more games, or even being so bold (and so hooked) that when my friends and I ran out of change, we'd hightail it to the fountain in the center of the mall and dip our arms elbow deep into the water searching for nickels, dimes and the occasional quarter, but never stooping so low as to gather pennies. We were never that desperate.
After taking a two-decade long hiatus from video games, in 2003, my friend Larfus Markus turned on his Xbox and introduced me to Halo. I couldn't believe what I was seeing: The two dimensional simplicity of jumping over monkey-thrown barrels or eating dots in a maze was replaced by something cinematic.
Somewhere along the way, game designers discovered the monolith and the industry evolved out of the primordial ooze of blips and beeps into an advanced civilization capable of intergalactic space flight. Not even the fruit fly evolves so quickly!
Today, games are no longer limited to the arcade or the living room. Thanks to the internet you can form an international team of spies to take out a terrorist cell, lead your favorite sports team to the National Championship, start a dance dance revolution, test your marksmanship against a sharpshooter in Taipei or defend yourself from the relentless roundhouse kicks being mercilessly delivered from a 12-year-old in Topeka. No wonder video games are overshadowing movies' financial success. Who wants to watch James Bond when you can be James Bond!
However, every major new technological development creates a wake of controversy and consequences.
In August 2005, the BBC reported that a 28-year-old South Korean man died of exhaustion after playing Starcraft for 50 hours. Games can be incredibly addicting, but I never imagined someone playing a video game until they dropped dead!
Could the future of video games include halfway houses and clinics for the chronically addicted?
Although it seems unlikely, researchers point out another troubling trend in gaming: desensitization to violence. A recent Iowa State Study by Nicholas Carnagey and Craig Anderson revealed that playing violent games for even as little as 20 minutes significantly reduced the subjects' reactions to real life violence.
Their conclusion: according to Anderson, "the modern entertainment media landscape could accurately be described as an effective systematic violence desensitization tool.”
One institution that welcomes desensitization to violence is the military. Already certain branches use video games to hone reflexes and train soldiers in tactics. Desensitization to violence is merely an additional perk. Killing is much easier when electronic warfare transforms the battlefield into just another game.
Computer simulators that were once used to train pilots are now being used to actually fly Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs. While pilots no longer have to risk their lives flying over dangerous war zones, the atrocities of war become oversimplified; the taking of a human life is as easy as eliminating a blip on a screen.
Despite any negatives, the future of video games is quite bright. Poised to overtake the film industry in terms of gross revenue, games are now attracting the talents of major actors, directors and producers.
The evolution of gaming has been staggering. We've witnessed an ape throwing a bone into the sky as it transforms into a spaceship. Games have come a long way, baby! And the ride has only just begun.
Pong was the very first video game. It consisted of nothing more than two paddles and a blip. Get the blip past your opponent's paddle and you scored a point. Simple.
After Pong came Space Invaders, equally simple but more challenging as you fought back an unstoppable army of aliens. It truly launched the video game phenomenon. Asteroids, Pac Man, and Donkey Kong quickly followed.
I remember them all.
I grew up during the video game revolution, dropping quarters into the machine like a junkie; sometimes begging my mom for a dollar so I could play four more games, or even being so bold (and so hooked) that when my friends and I ran out of change, we'd hightail it to the fountain in the center of the mall and dip our arms elbow deep into the water searching for nickels, dimes and the occasional quarter, but never stooping so low as to gather pennies. We were never that desperate.
After taking a two-decade long hiatus from video games, in 2003, my friend Larfus Markus turned on his Xbox and introduced me to Halo. I couldn't believe what I was seeing: The two dimensional simplicity of jumping over monkey-thrown barrels or eating dots in a maze was replaced by something cinematic.
Somewhere along the way, game designers discovered the monolith and the industry evolved out of the primordial ooze of blips and beeps into an advanced civilization capable of intergalactic space flight. Not even the fruit fly evolves so quickly!
Today, games are no longer limited to the arcade or the living room. Thanks to the internet you can form an international team of spies to take out a terrorist cell, lead your favorite sports team to the National Championship, start a dance dance revolution, test your marksmanship against a sharpshooter in Taipei or defend yourself from the relentless roundhouse kicks being mercilessly delivered from a 12-year-old in Topeka. No wonder video games are overshadowing movies' financial success. Who wants to watch James Bond when you can be James Bond!
However, every major new technological development creates a wake of controversy and consequences.
In August 2005, the BBC reported that a 28-year-old South Korean man died of exhaustion after playing Starcraft for 50 hours. Games can be incredibly addicting, but I never imagined someone playing a video game until they dropped dead!
Could the future of video games include halfway houses and clinics for the chronically addicted?
Although it seems unlikely, researchers point out another troubling trend in gaming: desensitization to violence. A recent Iowa State Study by Nicholas Carnagey and Craig Anderson revealed that playing violent games for even as little as 20 minutes significantly reduced the subjects' reactions to real life violence.
Their conclusion: according to Anderson, "the modern entertainment media landscape could accurately be described as an effective systematic violence desensitization tool.”
One institution that welcomes desensitization to violence is the military. Already certain branches use video games to hone reflexes and train soldiers in tactics. Desensitization to violence is merely an additional perk. Killing is much easier when electronic warfare transforms the battlefield into just another game.
Computer simulators that were once used to train pilots are now being used to actually fly Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs. While pilots no longer have to risk their lives flying over dangerous war zones, the atrocities of war become oversimplified; the taking of a human life is as easy as eliminating a blip on a screen.
Despite any negatives, the future of video games is quite bright. Poised to overtake the film industry in terms of gross revenue, games are now attracting the talents of major actors, directors and producers.
The evolution of gaming has been staggering. We've witnessed an ape throwing a bone into the sky as it transforms into a spaceship. Games have come a long way, baby! And the ride has only just begun.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Here Comes Reality
Over dinner the other night, while talking about this column, I was offered one simple piece of advice: let people in other parts of the world know that not all Americans are rich, self-absorbed jackasses like the celebrities who get most of the media attention.
However, if I'm to be brutally honest, then I must confess, American society really is materialistic. After all, part of our obsession with celebrities stems from the fact that they are rich and own lots of cool toys (cars, airplanes, mansions) that we would all like to play with. The only question is--how do we score those toys?
Many people believe that someday, somehow, even if it's just by winning the lottery (odds of being hit by lightning are far greater) they will get the chance to be rich and famous.
This thought feeds us, drives us, keeps us going through the night while we work third shift bussing tables for drunken teenagers at Denny's. But were we always this way?
It used to be that if you wanted to be famous and rich (fame comes first since it's the new 21st century drug), you would work hard developing some kind of talent: preferably something musical, comedic, or artistic. However, if you merely wanted to be rich, you would work hard to become a doctor, lawyer, real estate speculator or work on Wall Street.
Those approaches have vanished.
Today, everyone wants his or her fifteen minutes of fame NOW! They can't wait to learn a trade or skill, they can't take the time to hone their craft, it's now, now, NOW!
There are two unfortunate causes for this. The first is talentless whores born into immense wealth such as Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Kim Kardashian. Wow, I'm embarrassed I even know who these people are.
The other reason for this new affliction is reality television. Anyone can be on a reality show. John and Suzie Q. Public can make fools of themselves just as much as the most outrageous celebrities: all they need is a lack of dignity.
Most reality shows are simply game shows with a twist. This means that regular game shows have had to amp up their "reality" edge. Contestants on Deal or No Deal and the other prime time game shows must now be "personalities," in other words, kooky, crazed, overly emotional, easily excitable, occasionally unstable gamblers who are willing to risk everything for a chance to win increasingly large amounts of prize money. And unlike game shows of the past where you would keep some of your earnings, modern game shows are an all or nothing proposition. Casting calm, even-tempered people makes for boring television since no one wants to see someone who will be content with $50,000, when there's still a million dollars at stake.
Although not the first, Survivor launched the reality craze. The very first season of the show revealed people at their best and worst. Of course, the liars and backstabbers thrived and won.
Fear Factor offered average Americans a chance to perform dangerous stunts and also eat some of the most nauseating objects found on the planet, everything from animal testicles to live, squishy bugs.
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette forced a single person to attempt to find their perfect mate amongst a group of conniving, ego-driven contestants. The real reality: most of them were actors or models trying to further their career with TV airtime.
The short-lived Temptation Island may be one of the foulest ideas to emerge from any network. The concept here was to take couples in trouble and offer them incredibly beautiful and handsome alternatives with whom they could cheat.
Finally, there is the juggernaut that is American Idol. It's been said before that American Idol is nothing more than a karaoke contest, and I quite agree, with one major difference. When a karaoke contest is over, the contestants return home to their dreary lives. When American Idol is over, the world has to suffer through the glut of soulless, manufactured music that continues to spew not only from the winners, but from the runners-up as well.
All of these shows promote the idea that television can change your life. In a few rare cases, it does. But most of the contestants, when their 15 minutes of fame is up, are forced to return to their normal lives. Reality shows have become so popular, there's no room to parley them into long-term careers.
Unfortunately, we can't be happy living in syndication. No one is ever happy with their current circumstances. The real tragedy of Americans is that because we are so materialistic, we always want more. Consequently, we are all in some way trying to be in the sequel to our own lives.
If we stepped back long enough we would realize that it's not a question of ratings. After all, we are taught over and over again that it's not quantity that matters -- it's quality.
Once upon a time, the sitcom was king. A few decades before that, the Western and the variety show dominated the airwaves. In time, reality shows will most likely fade in popularity, though I doubt they'll ever disappear. The genie's been let out of the bottle and there's no turning back. Until then, I guess we just have to live with "reality."
However, if I'm to be brutally honest, then I must confess, American society really is materialistic. After all, part of our obsession with celebrities stems from the fact that they are rich and own lots of cool toys (cars, airplanes, mansions) that we would all like to play with. The only question is--how do we score those toys?
Many people believe that someday, somehow, even if it's just by winning the lottery (odds of being hit by lightning are far greater) they will get the chance to be rich and famous.
This thought feeds us, drives us, keeps us going through the night while we work third shift bussing tables for drunken teenagers at Denny's. But were we always this way?
It used to be that if you wanted to be famous and rich (fame comes first since it's the new 21st century drug), you would work hard developing some kind of talent: preferably something musical, comedic, or artistic. However, if you merely wanted to be rich, you would work hard to become a doctor, lawyer, real estate speculator or work on Wall Street.
Those approaches have vanished.
Today, everyone wants his or her fifteen minutes of fame NOW! They can't wait to learn a trade or skill, they can't take the time to hone their craft, it's now, now, NOW!
There are two unfortunate causes for this. The first is talentless whores born into immense wealth such as Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Kim Kardashian. Wow, I'm embarrassed I even know who these people are.
The other reason for this new affliction is reality television. Anyone can be on a reality show. John and Suzie Q. Public can make fools of themselves just as much as the most outrageous celebrities: all they need is a lack of dignity.
Most reality shows are simply game shows with a twist. This means that regular game shows have had to amp up their "reality" edge. Contestants on Deal or No Deal and the other prime time game shows must now be "personalities," in other words, kooky, crazed, overly emotional, easily excitable, occasionally unstable gamblers who are willing to risk everything for a chance to win increasingly large amounts of prize money. And unlike game shows of the past where you would keep some of your earnings, modern game shows are an all or nothing proposition. Casting calm, even-tempered people makes for boring television since no one wants to see someone who will be content with $50,000, when there's still a million dollars at stake.
Although not the first, Survivor launched the reality craze. The very first season of the show revealed people at their best and worst. Of course, the liars and backstabbers thrived and won.
Fear Factor offered average Americans a chance to perform dangerous stunts and also eat some of the most nauseating objects found on the planet, everything from animal testicles to live, squishy bugs.
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette forced a single person to attempt to find their perfect mate amongst a group of conniving, ego-driven contestants. The real reality: most of them were actors or models trying to further their career with TV airtime.
The short-lived Temptation Island may be one of the foulest ideas to emerge from any network. The concept here was to take couples in trouble and offer them incredibly beautiful and handsome alternatives with whom they could cheat.
Finally, there is the juggernaut that is American Idol. It's been said before that American Idol is nothing more than a karaoke contest, and I quite agree, with one major difference. When a karaoke contest is over, the contestants return home to their dreary lives. When American Idol is over, the world has to suffer through the glut of soulless, manufactured music that continues to spew not only from the winners, but from the runners-up as well.
All of these shows promote the idea that television can change your life. In a few rare cases, it does. But most of the contestants, when their 15 minutes of fame is up, are forced to return to their normal lives. Reality shows have become so popular, there's no room to parley them into long-term careers.
Unfortunately, we can't be happy living in syndication. No one is ever happy with their current circumstances. The real tragedy of Americans is that because we are so materialistic, we always want more. Consequently, we are all in some way trying to be in the sequel to our own lives.
If we stepped back long enough we would realize that it's not a question of ratings. After all, we are taught over and over again that it's not quantity that matters -- it's quality.
Once upon a time, the sitcom was king. A few decades before that, the Western and the variety show dominated the airwaves. In time, reality shows will most likely fade in popularity, though I doubt they'll ever disappear. The genie's been let out of the bottle and there's no turning back. Until then, I guess we just have to live with "reality."
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