While I'm not a big believer in the end of the world theories so popular these days, there is no doubt that we live in difficult times. It is items like the following that makes these times even more difficult . . .
Charlie Brown a Rap Star?
In what is definitely one of the most jarring moments of the fall TV season - and I say this at the height of all those wonderful political commercials - I just saw the latest ad for the Halloween classic, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" One of my all time favorite Peanuts' specials, I look forward to seeing it year after year.
This year, however, some TV execs or marketing experts decided that the Great Pumpkin must be looking a little ragged and losing some of its appeal to the younger crowd. How best to get them back? By having the promo commercials be filled with the Peanuts characters rapping their words and inviting one and all to watch the show.
Charlie Brown, possessor of one of the most recognizable - and depressing - voices of any cartoon character, now rapping his way to the Great Pumpkin? I was so shocked, I can't even remember the words, though the images remain burned into my memory. What's next? Lucy and Peppermint Patty in a Brittany Spears video? Charles Schultz must be rolling in his grave . . .
Would you like some garlic with that book?
Moving further down the road to Perdition, in a recent visit to the local Barnes and Noble, I needed help finding a book for my youngest daughter. On our way to the juvenile reader section of the store, the woman assisting me apologized for the the apparent mess and mentioned that they were reorganizing the various sections for young readers. When I asked what prompted the need to reorganize, she told me that they were adding several new sections to the young readers division. Most prominent among the additions was the fastest growing section: "Paranormal Teen Romance".
To quote Weekend Update anchors Amy Poehler and Seth Myers, "Really?" An entire section devoted to completely improbable and even dangerous fictional romances involving werewolves and vampires? Novels that have their heroes and heroines struggling with such everyday issues as the choices between immortality and romance with either of the aforementioned Gothic-like characters or just a date with pimply-faced Johnny or Susie at the local burger joint? Isn't it tough enough to feel you're in love as a teenager without having to worry about the possible need for a blood transfusion after your first kiss? Seems to me at the very least, that checking the size of your date's teeth before you go out with them suddenly becomes a top priority . . .
As if the 1989 earthquake wasn't a big enough sign . . .
Finally, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series. I can smell the sulphur already . . .
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