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HGTV & bad programs

Alice in Atlanta | Posted in General Discussion on

3049.8 in reply to 3049.7 

Wow, are you my clone? 

I couldn’t agree with you more.  I too watch a lot of PBS and was a Helen Mirren fan before most people in the US had ever heard of her… uless they watched PBS. 

I have seriously considered droppping the expensive extended cable service but I’d hate to lose Discovery, History and (don’t laugh) The Animal Channel which usually tears my heart out.  I probably missed a couple of others  but I doubt it.  When I was kid in Ohio we only needed an antennae to received television and I have relative around Toledo who still have only that.  The problem is that unless you live downtown or near a TV tower you can no longer get reception for even local programming.  When I programmed my television I deleted more channels than I received.  Who needs (5) Spanish language channels, several golf, car race, basketball, sports channels, oh, and not to be left out, all the religious channels. and the black music channel, uga boo, uga boo?  Now don’t get me wrong, the music is bad enough but those half naked oochie kooshie girls rubbing up against those guys who their pants so low that the crotch is around their knees… I mean there’s no telling what you’d see if the camera took a lower body shot.

HGTV:  How about those stupid decorators?  Anyone remember Bobby Trendy on the old Anna Nichol show, these guys are just about that bad.  Who the hell can do a decent job for $500/1000.  Not in my house, thank you very much.  You said it!  They have dumbed  down HGTV to the lowest possible denominator.  They put all their money in the first season to get people to watch but it was downhill from there.

As far as neighbors decorating each others houses. well, in my neighborhood most people don’t even know their neighbors much less  decorate THAT inner sanctum (the bedroom).  Would you really want your neighbors in there snooping around AND THEN painting the room Pepto-Bismo pink with orange faux fur trim?? 

We should be allowed to pick and pay for only the channels we watch!!  I’m about ready to yank out the whole thing and just watch all those old video tapes I made years ago when Nancy was on at a decent hour.  As you mentioned, the so called craft shows is like going into a kindergarten class and then they trash it up further by adding some really, really stupid humor.  I’m embarrassed for those people, they’ve allowed themselves to be exploited my HGTV! 

Hey ladies, let’s march on Washington and the FCC, we shouldn’t have to pay for crap.  Grab a banner and join the line!!  Whew, I was on roll here.  Let me hear from y’all…you’ll feel so much better, lol.

Not Tacky in Atlanta Alice

Replies

  1. User avater
    TwilaTee | | #1

    I'm on my 5th year of absolutely NO TV! for all of the reason you have stated above! Amen sister! I dare you to take this challenge and cancel your TV subscription. With the money you save go out and get really high powered internet service. A whole world of possibilities open up to you. Pick a topic, anything, and you can see it, learn about it, download it, listen to it, buy it, whatever. In these past 5 years I have NEVER regretted not having cable. The only time I've even thought about TV was 3 years ago I had a New Years Eve party and we couldn't watch the ball drop. But I live in Vegas, and watch the fireworks, so who really needs a ball?
    I have 2 kids, and I think it was the BEST thing I ever did for them. They would rather ride their skateboards and play football or READ. Than wast their time watching the boob tube. - I truly believe the greatest cause of uninteresting people, is TELEVISION. When a kid is forced fed his entertainment, and passively sits and lets the information roll over him, he is NOT engaged. NOT involved. NOT using his MIND. I could go on..... but you get the drift. TV is just BAD MOJO. :)

    1. Alice in Atlanta | | #2

      Well said Twila Tee, especially the part about kids.  I truly believe television and all the murder and mayhem viewed hours each night has a lot to do with the violence we see in our society today.  Caretakers prop kids in front a television before they can even sit up.   I don't blame the children,  I blame their caretakers who are either too lazy or uneducated or both since the two go hand in hand to engage these young minds in better alternatives.  Reading expands the mind and it's portable.  Maybe that's why a lot of people don't know that a lot is two words not one word...they don't read to know any better.

      1. User avater
        Becky-book | | #4

        Yes, take the no TV challenge!

        We have a "tube" but no cable, no reception, just watch the occasional VCR or DVD.

        Books are a much better avenue of entertainment (the classics) and information.

        Becky-book

  2. meg | | #3

    While my husband and I do watch tv, even with hundreds of channels available there are times when there still is nothing worth watching - even the 'news' channels are sometimes awful.

    We've neighbors who do not have tv.  Their children are bright, old-fashioned-normal, and did I say bright?  The elder of the two children went to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC as the only representative of our state two years ago.  These children are never bored, and during study hall (in school) always find something to occupy their time, even if it means reading an old Newsweek or Time magazine.

    1. Alice in Atlanta | | #5

      The more letters like yours I read the more convinced I am.  (BTW, there is another channel which I like, The National Geographic.)  As I watched TV last night I kept wondering if I would really miss it and what else would I be doing if I didn't have this form of visual chewing gum.  Maybe television is the reason I still have a"stash". 

      Now I have to tell you all, I live alone with the proverbial two cats.  Big house, big yard and I do it all w/o help....no televison out there in the yard.  I've raised four kids and now I have earned the right to do whatever I please.  IBut I struggle with the huge expense of cable but know it's not going to break me even if I am living on my social security checks.  However I do hate buying something which is of isuch nferior quality.  Maybe if I had some sort of social life I wouldn't have time for TV but I only leave the house to buy staples.  So there you are.  Please, don't tell me I need a life, I had one and if was pretty full now I'm content.

      1. meg | | #7

        Yeah,  you do have a life right now!  And especially one of your own choosing.  And you have extra in the form of a stash, so when you are so provoked you may delve into that.  Hooray!  Meanwhile, I'll join you on the National Geographic channel, with one of our two cats on my lap to keep warm...

  3. WandaJ | | #6

    I believe this discussion will lead to somewhere it need not go. I don't believe anyone has ever discussed on this site their disgust with the likes of Anna Nicole Smith and George Dumbya Bush, regardless of what they are dressed in , or not dressed in.

    Save your opinions for Black-oriented and Spanish-oriented channels for another forum or venue.

    The Gatherings Site Monitor may consider deleting this whole discussion section.

    And, by the way don't bother to send back an apology, or something that resembles an explanation for airing your views from the topic wherein you started this thread.

    If you and others carefully read through this thread it can be readily seen how isms including racism are brewing just beneath the surface of one's tongue (or keyboarding).

    1. lilah | | #9

      I have to agree that there is very little TV programming that interests me.  We've had Dish for several years now and recently upped to the next package so I could watch DIY.  I'm highly disappointed in the craft shows that are presented.  I think both HGTV and DIY are too dumbed down for most crafters.  On DIY there's one time slot each weekday (maybe 2:30 PM) that carries a sewing related show, sometimes Sew Much More with Susan Khalje, sometimes Simply Quilts.   Those are fine, but I'm tired of paying $40+ a month and there's nothing to watch 95% of the time.  I love Project Runway but DH can download any shows we watch from iTunes, so we're going to dump Dish.  I like National Geographic and Animal Planet, but most of the time everything is re-runs.  On the weekends, everything is sports, which neither DH nor I watch.  I think I'll put that $40 a month towards sewing.  I just participated in a Neilsen survey and I put a lot of the same things down as comments.  The survey really pointed out how much TV we don't watch.  In fact, there were three days that we didn't even turn the TV on.  We both work long hours, but even if we had TiVo there's nothing we want to record. 

      1. Alice in Atlanta | | #10

        Thanks for you feedback and I'm glad you got the point of my comments.

        At $40 a month I think you have a bargain, my cable, without extras such as movies, is now up to $59.  Having stated that it shouldn't be difficult for anyone to see why I'm complaining.  At this time there are no sewing programs on here with the exception of Sewing with Nancy and a Sue Hausman program but they begin at 6:00 AM on Saturdays...I tape Nancy since I'll never make a quilt.  I don't know how long they were broadcast before I accidentally learned that they were on...the newpaper listings dodn't start that early.  I think it was when I went to Nancy's website that I found out about it.

        I guess I vicariously watch the cooking shows since I rarely attempt the recipes.  I could buy a lot of cook books for 12 months x $59.  I surely don't need more,  I need to start culling the ones I have, they only take up space

        I'm glad you got my point unlike someone else who wrote.

         

        1. solosmocker | | #14

          I agree with much you say. HGTV is definitely dumbed down, an opinion I have shared on another post. HOWEVER, AND A BIG HOWEVER, DH and I reecently subscribed to HD TV thru Dish . And if you love to sew, if you love fashion, you will love this. There is a channel called Ultra HD which takes you to a front row seat at the runway shows of every designer imaginable. There are fashion weeks in Milan, New York, Paris, Brazil, etc....and you are ringside for every new fashion and its details. There are in depth interviews with the likes of Oleg Cassini (a fascinating fellow), Tracy Reese, Joseph Aboud, and on and on. It is a sewist's dream of TV. So yes, HGTV has dumbed down, and DIY doesn't offer much for it's additional cost, but the superior programming offered on HDTV, with its no commercial programming, I truly truly enjoy. You may want to look into this option before you throw out the baby with the bath water. NAYY

          Edited 2/18/2007 6:55 pm ET by solosmocker

          1. Alice in Atlanta | | #15

            You lost me with your closing, NAYY.  What's that? 

            That was an informative letter and gives me something to think about.  I don'tget DIY, that would cost even more than the $59 plus change that I already have.  I think I should call Direct TV maybe they have some thing I could use.  Like today, I was cleaning out a bookcase with the television on, guess it's just nice to have a little noise around here since I wasn't watching it.  I should hook up my DVD and play some of my music, I got Verdi's opera "Nabucco" last Christmas and I LOVE IT!!

          2. solosmocker | | #16

            I was brought up on opera and love Verdi. NAYY means No Affiliation Yada Yada.
            I have no personal reason, financial or otherwise, to recommend Dish TV.

      2. Alice in Atlanta | | #11

        Wonder who's sponoring the survey?  It makes me think that I'm not the only one who's unhappy with cable etc.  I'm sure others have also complained.  Wish I could do one. 

        1. HeartFire2 | | #12

          Well, I just started reading this thread!! what a hoot. I haven't had a TV in my house for over 12 yrs, it did take me a while to get over missing Star Trek, but I live without. My kids (now age 22) were veged out in front of the TV when I came home from work, no homework had been done and I blew a fuse. They were in the 5th grade. We cut the cord off the TV!! now my son Josh who has dyslexia has learned how to read very well, Jeff is studying Physics and wants to be a high school teacher, and I don't make any sewing mistakes anymore (this is to keep it sewing related) I used to watch tv while sewing, how many sleeves did I put in backwards???? doesn't happen now. I have my iPod hooked up to speakers and listen to Josh Groban or Enya, or I'll listen to NPR news while I sew.

          1. Alice in Atlanta | | #13

            I'm surprised at the number of people who've dumped TV.  Good for you but especially good for your kids.  I listen to NPR too but my favorite radio program is Clark Howard.  He's all over the country but you'll have to go to his website and find put in your zip code to see if you can pick it up in your area.  http://www.clarkhoward.com   He's a great consumer advocate who helps you save money and keeps you from getting ripped off.  

            BTW, the front of the sleeve has one snip (notch)  the back always has two...it's always that way.

            Edited 2/17/2007 8:02 pm ET by Alice in Atlanta

            Edited 2/17/2007 8:11 pm ET by Alice in Atlanta

            Edited 2/17/2007 8:13 pm ET by Alice in Atlanta

  4. mrosem2 | | #8

    Alice:  Who needs (5) Spanish language channels, several golf, car race, basketball, sports channels, oh, and not to be left out, all the religious channels. and the black music channel, uga boo, uga boo?  Now don't get me wrong, the music is bad enough but those

    Oh please!  Isn't this supposed to be a place to talk about fashion, fabrics, sewing, etc.  I find it amazing, and actually quite alarming to see the above in print on this day in the year 2007.  Can't we get back to *threads*?

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