# A&E channel **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 19, 2000, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677 "2000-02-19T06:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![siva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7c8e57/32.png) [@siva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/siva)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/1 "2000-02-19T06:27:00Z")
Is the A&E channel legit? I love the A&E channel. It’s informative and interesting. They pissed me off though, when they did a program about " The Blair Witch". I saw the movie and thought that it sucked and that it was a hoax. Was A&E just trying to make money, do they have an affiliation with the movie? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/2 "2000-02-19T07:22:00Z")
Legitimate how? Is it really a channel? I’m pretty sure it is. As for the Blair Witch thing, I didn’t see the show so what pissed you off about it? That they did a show talking about the film? Since Blair Witch was independantly made, I’m assuming A&E has nothing to do with them and was just intewrested in showing a program they figured people would be interested in due to its popularity. * * * “I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![1420Vel.GN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/35a633/32.png) [@1420Vel.GN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1420Vel.GN)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/3 "2000-02-19T07:31:00Z")
A&E has some neat stuff, but I can’t help but think it is largely not worth heeding. I say this because on occasion where I’ve watched a program where I have some special knowledge, I am watching and thinking - that is not right!?!? Chances are that if they are off on a few programs, they are probably not getting alot of it right. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/4 "2000-02-19T08:09:00Z")
I like Investigative Reports, Biography, and American Justice, as well as some of their other specials (they had a history of underwear! That was cool) but some of their stuff really is bunk. Their Ancient Mysteries show is ridiculous, especially the Mysteries of the Bible segments. Those are the shows where people get all these whacked idea about Jesus being an Essene, and that everyone committed suicide at Masada (it didn’t happen, people!) etc., etc. * * * ~Harborina “This is my sandbox. I’m not allowed to go in the deep end. That’s where I saw the leprechauns.” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/5 "2000-02-19T08:28:00Z")
Two words : “Law & Order”. Simply the finest show on tv, and on A&E every 6 hours. * * * “A single lifetime, even though entirely devoted to the sky, would not be enough for the investigation of so vast a subject.” - Seneca ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/6 "2000-02-19T16:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > …they did a program about " The Blair Witch". I saw the movie and thought that it sucked and that it was a hoax. Newsflash: It was a movie, a fictional movie. how sharp of you to pick up that it must have been a hoax… ---
**Author:** ![siva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7c8e57/32.png) [@siva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/siva)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/7 "2000-02-19T20:05:00Z")
I know it was a fictional movie. but the program A&E did was based from facts(whose facts im not sure). The program mentioned nothing about the Blair Witch Project(the movie). They advertised it for weeks when the movie first came out. It seemed as though the A&E program was a hoax as well – almost like an advertisement for the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/8 "2000-02-19T20:12:00Z")
A&E often picks up Brit programs that PBS declines…the INSPECTOR WEXFORD series, based on the Ruth Rendell crime novels, for example. Because the show got wide distribution in England, Rendell’s novels are big bestsellers over there. Because she got shuffled off to cable here in the USA, she’s small potatoes compared to P.D. James and Colin Dexter, whose characters made it to the PBS MYSTERY! series. * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2000, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/9 "2000-02-19T22:31:00Z")
I have to admit that I like A&E more for its reruns than anything. I like catching “Norhtern Exposure” again, and the “Sherlock Holmes” series starring Jeremy Brett(?) is my favorite incarnation of the great sleuth. I used to watch it for the history documentaries, but those have all been moved over to the History Channel. * * * _When someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles to frown. But it takes only 4 muscles to extend your arm and whack them in the head._ ---
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/10 "2000-02-20T01:15:00Z")
Hey people, let’s not forget that they used to show the Straight Dope on A&E. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2000, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/11 "2000-02-20T01:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by siva: > **I know it was a fictional movie. but the program A&E did was based from facts(whose facts im not sure). The program mentioned nothing about the Blair Witch Project(the movie). They advertised it for weeks when the movie first came out. It seemed as though the A&E program was a hoax as well – almost like an advertisement for the movie.** This is what is known, in media jargon, as “hype” or “creating a buzz.” The makers of TBWP did a TV special and sold it to a TV channel. Nothing to get your knickers in a twist about. And if you’re referring to the program I think you’re referring to, it was on the SciFi Channel anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2000, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/12 "2000-02-20T02:58:00Z")
> [@](#): > > …about " The Blair Witch". I saw the movie and thought that it sucked and that it was a hoax. i know this was brought up before, but… WOW. * * * _what is essential is invisible to the eye -the fox_ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2000, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/13 "2000-02-20T15:33:00Z")
Let’s not overlook the fact that the “A” stands for arts (like, say, filmmaking). The “E” stands for entertainment (in the way a movie can be entertaining). I see no problem with a show about Blair Witch on A&E. ---
**Author:** ![frolix8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@frolix8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frolix8)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2000, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-e-channel/7677/14 "2000-02-21T16:42:00Z")
I wish they’d stick to what they know. Over the weekend they repeated the old “The great wall of China is the only man-made object visible from the moon” UL. Note to people who do documentaries: Do some research, don’t just repeat what “everyone knows”. I’d send them a nasty comment but you have to register to do it and it’s not worth that much effort.