I subscribe to Rolling Stone magazine. With its East Coast elitism and left-leaning liberalism, I generally enjoy reading and tend to agree with its contents. Some of the best and thought provoking articles that I have read were in Rolling Stone. Here are a couple that I managed to find on the internet: Sex, Lies and Phys Ed and The Fort Carson Murder Spree. Both of these articles made me think about issues that I hadn't given much thought. They are really compelling stories and I highly recommend reading them when you have a chance.
Despite my enjoyment, I have a problem with one article. It was in a recent issue and it talked about "mindless summer entertainment" and included attacks against the incredibly popular and fantastic ABC show, Wipeout. If you haven't seen this non-Emmy award winning program, here is all you need to know.
Sure Wipeout is cheap to make and requires an intelligence that even Bob Sagat snickers at. Sure the announcers are really annoying and each episode is basically the same. These things do not matter. The real question is how does it make the audience feel? As a member of the audience and a mouthpiece for unemployed Americans, I can proudly say that we need shows like Wipeout. I can watch as contestants are beaten to the gentle ambiance of fake sound effects. They are whacked and attacked by moving walls, spinning paddles, and also most frequently, their own stupidity. Rolling Stone, do not touch my guilty pleasure. Wipeout is essentially the American Dream with red pads and pain. It sends a message to the kids that if you get knocked down, get up again. It also reminds us that in America, if you work hard and don't give up, you can be on a crappy tv show for a couple of minutes.
God Bless America and fat people getting hit with stuff. It makes me feel better about myself.
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