Which I'm not on today, or tomorrow, but still...
It's Canada's daily cultural conversation. And it's available on your radio on CBC, Monday to Friday at 2pm and 10pm -- and on the internet via podcast and cbc.ca, 24/7.
Obviously I'm biased, but go read Jim and let go of the smug.
I've got more years than most listening to CBC arts programming from both sides of the microphone. I've been interviewed by everybody over there from Peter Gzowski and Lister Sinclair to Barbara Frum, Sheila Rogers and Andy Barry.
Most often, it was with regard to plays, movies or TV shows which they'd never seen, nor likely would see, but which had somehow touched a nerve, caused a frisson of interest or maybe just offered appropriate fill on a slow news day.
There was a distance between me and them that approximated the chasm that exists between us and Cherry Nation.
Jian Ghomeshi, who hosts "Q", is different.
In listening to this guy's interviews, you immediately sense the presence of somebody who cares, who wants his audience to understand and connect with the people who visit his show.
He's actually listened to the albums of the artists he interviews, he's read their books, seen their movies and TV series and engages them through impeccable research, asking the questions that form in my own mind as the discussions progress.
This is a media guy who wants the artists and Cherry nation to get to know each other simply because of how much he knows they have in common and how much they'll get off on one another once they get to know each other.
Of course, a little praise for Jian doesn't make this sketch from 22 any less funny...
4 comments:
Are these guys script writers on strike or something? Please tell me no one wrote that garbage for them?
What a waste of airtime. They cancel easy to view, fun shows that drag our tortured brains away from reality for a few minutes and leave THIS type of crap on the air? God help us all - what a couple of idiots -
Susanrr21: If you don't watch The Hour and listen to "q" on CBC tv and radio, I'm afraid the sketch will be completely lost on you- it's a bit of a canadiana in-joke for those that are all too familiar with the strombo's mannerisms and Jian's interviewing styles....
red jane - Thank you for trying to clarify the show's concept- and no, I haven't seen "The Hour" nor do I listen to "q" on CBC - unfortunatley I'm in the States and it's not available to me. However, I do understand the intended humor -I'm no virgin to this type of show/humor -I happen to have a wicked sense of humor myself- but that particular episode was still a waste of airtime. There's funny stupid (think Mad TV) and then there's just plain stupid. This one qualifies as just plain stupid. Oh well..
I'm gonna take a crack at this.
Everything is context, Susan. Now, I know you're gonna find this hard to believe. But imagine, if you will, that there were countries out there where nobody really knew much about Hillary and Obama. (I know, I know.) If you were from one of those places and you saw the SNL sketches from the last few weeks, where the whole point was that Obama got an easy ride from the Press and Hillary got grilled, you'd probably not find it funny at all. Because you didn't have the context.
When I was in South Africa, I watched a sketch comedy show in Afrikaans. And it was mystifying and fascinating. I couldn't even recognize where the punchlines were. I can watch italian or french or german comedy (okay maybe not german) and at least see what the construction is -- even if I don't get the joke. But when you're missing the essential tools to appreciate it, it just looks buggy.
The coolest thing about being in South Africa for me was that they were so, so far from the American cultural orbit. What was going on in the UK was far more important than the American influence.
Americans tend to think that their cultural reference points are the world's. And while it's true that everywhere else in the world is inundated with American culture -- it's being viewed very, very differently.
In the case of that sketch, if you don't get the context of who those two people are, what they mean for the viewer, what they say about the CBC and their current strategies -- and also, how great and dead on the impersonations are, of course there's NO way you're going to think it's funny.
But it is. It's hilarious.
Just not to you.
Because you're missing the tools. See, Americans will leap and say "that's not funny" and assume that it's not funny because they don't get it.
Most other places in the world will take a half second and -- having spent years scratching their heads at American eccentricities -- ask themselves, "I wonder why that's funny to that particular culture?"
And by the way, there are many Americans close to the Border who can pick up the Hour off air. And anyone can listen to Q every day, by going to the CBC.CA website and listening to the streamed audio.
Best.
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