# What if YOUR tastes determined what shows on TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151 "2006-11-12T21:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/61 "2006-11-15T13:11:49Z")
The important thing with the censoring is that the onus would be on the person who wants to CENSOR, not everyone else. THEY have to use the passcodes to lock out the content they dont’ want. They’re free to lock out any and every kind of content they don’t want, they just aren’t free to make the rest of us not watch it. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/62 "2006-11-15T16:39:20Z")
[QUOTE=The Dumbest Guy in the Room] Actors would not be able to hold shows hostage. If an actor asks for too much money/leaves for a better opportunity/dies\* then someone who looks and sounds a bit like them would be bought in instead of messing with the scripts to account for the absence of the character. [/QUOTE] How do you define “too much” money? Television actors are lucky to get one good show, let alone two in their careers. If their show is popular and successful, should they not be paid well? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/63 "2006-11-15T16:52:22Z")
Even on [“liberal”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=314634) :rolleyes: networks like CNN, the political talking heads range from center-right to far-right. I would decree that on the _McLaughlin Group_ or any show like it, there would be a **really** diverse selection of commentators – a Green, a Socialist, a Communist, a Libertarian, a nativist-isolationist-paleocon America Firster (Buchanan’s already got that covered, though), a hardcore religious-rightist from the Constitution Party, and maybe even an outright white supremacist Nazi or Klansman or something (Buchanan, again?). ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/64 "2006-11-15T16:56:03Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Even on [“liberal”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=314634) :rolleyes: networks like CNN, the political talking heads range from center-right to far-right. I would decree that on the _McLaughlin Group_ or any show like it, there would be a **really** diverse selection of commentators – a Green, a Socialist, a Communist, a Libertarian, a nativist-isolationist-paleocon America Firster (Buchanan’s already got that covered, though), a hardcore religious-rightist from the Constitution Party, and maybe even an outright white supremacist Nazi or Klansman or something (Buchanan, again?). [/QUOTE] Maybe we need something like FRX (pronounced “Freaks”) News, staffed by left-of-center types looking at the news from a liberal perspective. Nice counterpoint to FOX. Except the FRX commentators wouldn’t lie – they wouldn’t HAVE to – or even commit egregious spin. And they’d constantly out the lies of the FOX commentators in rude, direct, unforgiving language. Bill O’Liely would have a regular segment truthsquadding him. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/65 "2006-11-15T17:46:40Z")
The inaugural show on the D\_Odds network would be _Ann Coulter: Burned at the Stake_. She would, of course, be naked, so that both sides of the aisle would watch. Second, news shows would have a monthly segment where they savage any Chick Tracts akin to our own pit threads. Any producer or director who allows Fred Phelps to ever have a microphone or camera aimed at him would never, ever again work in any journalistic or media capacity. They couldn’t even clean the toilets at my networks. Sports announcers would have to study Mel Allen and Howard Cosell. They would have to learn to shut up and let the action speak for itself. Any announcer with an ego larger than the players would next be calling Little League games. Personalities whose antics just scream “LOOK AT ME!” would be ignored. I’m looking at you, Tyrell Owens, Paris Hilton, _et al_. Hollywood Gossip shows would be outlawed. Entertainment ‘news’ would be confined to 5 minutes at the bottom of the half-hour and end of the hour of a news program. Michael Jackson’s, Britney Spears, and Tom Cruise’s names would be forbidden to be mentioned anywhere outside that time, including teasers. At least one station would be dedicated to follow politics on the local, state and federal level as relates to the representatives of that district. Households would be required to watch (or at least have on) this station 1 hour / day (maybe include an interactive survey to ensure it isn’t showing to an empty abode) or their TV signal would be cut off. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/66 "2006-11-15T18:47:47Z")
Mythbusters would have new eoisodes . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/67 "2006-11-16T04:38:48Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] Maybe we need something like FRX (pronounced “Freaks”) News, staffed by left-of-center types looking at the news from a liberal perspective. Nice counterpoint to FOX. Except the FRX commentators wouldn’t lie – they wouldn’t HAVE to – or even commit egregious spin. And they’d constantly out the lies of the FOX commentators in rude, direct, unforgiving language. Bill O’Liely would have a regular segment truthsquadding him. [/QUOTE] And Al Franken could head it up! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Dumbest\_Guy\_in\_the\_Room](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@The\_Dumbest\_Guy\_in\_the\_Room](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Dumbest_Guy_in_the_Room)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/68 "2006-11-16T11:03:21Z")
[QUOTE=Fish] How do you define “too much” money? Television actors are lucky to get one good show, let alone two in their careers. If their show is popular and successful, should they not be paid well? [/QUOTE] I just don’t see actors as being that integral to the quality of a show. Once a certain level of acting quality is reached there isn’t really a high change in entertainment value between ‘passable acting’ and ‘amazingly gifted acting’ Actors are just tools to transfer the script to the screen. Writers and directors deserve big bucks, actors should just take what they can, as there’s always someone who can do it cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/69 "2006-11-16T14:50:21Z")
Everything would be in Black&White! Even the news broadcast-would be delivered by people dressed in 1940’s fashion- delevery by guys who look like sam Spade! And have ads for 1940’s-looking products! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/70 "2006-11-16T16:17:03Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Everything would be in Black&White! Even the news broadcast-would be delivered by people dressed in 1940’s fashion- delevery by guys who look like sam Spade! And have ads for 1940’s-looking products! [/QUOTE] And new programming, created in B&W, just for the channel! From young directors. And show old Republic Serials, too. 🆒🆒🆒🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/71 "2006-11-16T17:29:23Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] And show old Republic Serials, too. 🆒🆒🆒🆒 [/QUOTE] Especially “Perils of Nyoka the Jungle Girl.” Tasty stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/72 "2006-11-16T17:44:35Z")
[QUOTE=The Dumbest Guy in the Room] I just don’t see actors as being that integral to the quality of a show. [/QUOTE] Ever done any acting? No one person ever is integral to a show’s quality; it’s always the work of the ensemble, some of which work better together than others. Why blame the actors? Actors need performance incentives as much as anybody. Until you educate the public to understand that writers and directors have a greater effect on the _quality_ of a show, you’ll have to accept that actors have a greater effect on a show’s _popularity._ Few people say, “Hey, let’s go watch the new William Goldman movie.” But a bad show follows an actor around, whether or not he was responsible personally; a bad script doesn’t follow a writer, even when it was his fault alone. The actor takes more of a risk, because his face is on screen. The greater an actor’s exposure, the greater risk he takes with his reputation. For instance, who wrote the movie “1941?” Has that bad script followed the writer around? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/73 "2006-11-16T18:04:16Z")
Crime stuff. Really gory true-life crime stuff. No cheesy productions, either. I want DeNiro. I want all the big names, the best make-up artists, and the most heinous acts of inhumanity you can muster. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/74 "2006-11-16T18:16:41Z")
**The Time Travel Channel** : Documentary crews with the capability of travelling backward in time would be able to film any period of history for thirty minutes. This would have to be done very carefully, so as not to be seen by the people being visited. Stephen Hawking, executive producer? **The Live Theatre Channel** : Self explanatory, and perhaps something like this already exisits? And they’ve stopped showing \*Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood \* here in the Atlanta area! I **know** they’re re-runs, but he’s _timeless_ , dammit! Q ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/75 "2006-11-16T18:20:37Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] Especially “Perils of Nyoka the Jungle Girl.” Tasty stuff. [/QUOTE] I prefer _Radio Ranch_. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/76 "2006-11-16T18:34:26Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] The World Curling channel would have curling, curling, and more curling - mens, womens, mixed; youth and senior; World Cup, but also the qualifying national tournaments; classic matches from the past; plus technique and tips. Late night, maybe even experiment with true “skin” curling matches. :eek: [/QUOTE] That, my friend, is the correct answer. Imagine shows like Pimp My Brush and Girls Gone Wild: Broomstacking. ---
**Author:** ![rockyroad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/82dd89/32.png) [@rockyroad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockyroad)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/77 "2006-11-16T18:42:17Z")
Screw all that. I want my fantasy world when I flip on the television. There’s too much reality to deal with in life anyway. heh Scifi Channel sucked the big one when they shut down Farscape. I don’t care how much it was costing them to produce it. This show had the best special effects for scifi, great storyline, dialogue, and a real love story for us to enjoy also. So… I’d have 2 show on television. Farscape, and **“Let’s Torture the TV Executives Who Take The Shows We Love Off The Air”** They’ll be 2 very great series. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/78 "2006-11-16T18:42:54Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] And show old Republic Serials, too. 🆒🆒🆒🆒 [/QUOTE] Let’s not forget newscasts performed by men – not women – in nasal, clipped accents, all performed in the style of the day. “FLASH! A group of swarthy Arabs killed another fine young American soldier today in Falluja! FLASH! In celebrity news, check out the gams on that dame Katie Holmes! Hubba hubba! Whatta’ broad! FLASH! Weather tonight, sunny and mild, like a fine filterless Chesterfield cigarette, with temperatures in the 70s.” ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/79 "2006-11-16T19:43:31Z")
[QUOTE=Fish] For instance, who wrote the movie “1941?” Has that bad script followed the writer around? [/QUOTE] Not that I’m disagreeing with any of your other points, but I don’t think that bomb hurt the director either, and people will watch a film for the director. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151/80 "2006-11-17T01:16:27Z")
Local news would have a soothsayer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-your-tastes-determined-what-shows-on-tv/380151.md?page=5)