tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post3265650022763644005..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Time for another RANTBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47851336718045371072018-04-10T06:29:15.140-07:002018-04-10T06:29:15.140-07:00Roseanne is akin to Charles Winchester replacing F...Roseanne is akin to Charles Winchester replacing Frank Burns.<br /><br />Trump and his supporters have been treated as Frank Burns: a one-dimensional, easily mocked, easily defeated character. <br /><br />Winchester's wasn't a punching bag; he was a worthy adversary.<br /><br />Ken and everyone is free to watch or not watch what they want for whatever reason they want. It's not a question about freedom.<br /><br />Rather, it's simply a matter of disappointment. Roseanne was a hit show. Ken is a great writer. Trump is forever in the news. Now he has a cultural ally. These factors converge. People might expect Ken to offer his unique insights. That he doesn't is a missed opportunity, not a crime. Coram Locinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20237292632106017132018-04-10T06:27:50.110-07:002018-04-10T06:27:50.110-07:00Roseanne is akin to Charles Winchester replacing F...Roseanne is akin to Charles Winchester replacing Frank Burns.<br /><br />Trump and his supporters have been treated as Frank Burns: a one-dimensional, easily mocked, easily defeated character. <br /><br />Winchester's wasn't a punching bag; he was a worthy adversary.<br /><br />Ken and everyone is free to watch or not watch what they want for whatever reason they want. It's not a question about freedom.<br /><br />Rather, it's simply a matter of disappointment. Roseanne was a hit show. Ken is a great writer. Trump is forever in the news. Now he has a cultural ally. These factors converge. People might expect Ken to offer his unique insights. That he doesn't is a missed opportunity, not a crime. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46663865164034902882018-04-10T04:32:30.906-07:002018-04-10T04:32:30.906-07:00Thanks Ken, for pointing out the irrational assaul...Thanks Ken, for pointing out the irrational assaults on anyone expressing an opinion on any Web venue, these days. People are never all going to agree with or like everything others write. It's one thing to correct inaccurate information presented as factual, but everyone is entitled to their opinion -- even if you or I think it's stupid. Let's all just lighten up.<br /><br />PS - And Ken's friends and fans, please VOTE, this year! :-)Dana Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10078274424170374795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45392076309550839902018-04-06T23:42:14.566-07:002018-04-06T23:42:14.566-07:00For what it's worth the 3rd episode was much b...For what it's worth the 3rd episode was much better, not quite up there when the series was at its peak, but better than a sharp stick in the eye.Albert Giesbrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17742338183833125104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8142659462408976052018-04-05T02:17:16.175-07:002018-04-05T02:17:16.175-07:00@Tom
Klinger was in a war zone in the US military...@Tom<br /><br />Klinger was in a war zone in the US military. It’s simple incongruity that it’s funny that he’s in a dress, but the deeper humour comes from knowing it stems from his desire to be seen as mentally incompetent and so get thrown out the army. And then later, him getting precious over his attire. Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157630082355224244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20219109907650096672018-04-05T02:14:06.248-07:002018-04-05T02:14:06.248-07:00Watch something, don’t watch something. Like somet...Watch something, don’t watch something. Like something, don’t like something. What it got to do with me?<br /><br />The only possible way taste could extend into a debate is if someone said, “x is objectively without merit, and liking it is definite proof of a severe mental deficiency”. <br /><br />Outside of insulting people, or making broad sweeping statements that claim to be objective, it shouldn’t matter. Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157630082355224244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25064649111906351262018-04-04T19:51:14.457-07:002018-04-04T19:51:14.457-07:00Damn British, causing trouble in the colonies agai...Damn British, causing trouble in the colonies again!<br />By way of clarification, can I say "...the same system that elected good presidents, like JFK..."<br /><br /><br />Oh yeah, forgot about Mel Gibson, but I think he has been forgiven.Looseheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45890337441767074222018-04-04T13:11:03.166-07:002018-04-04T13:11:03.166-07:00In George Washington's time Electors were most...In George Washington's time Electors were mostly chosen by the state legislatures and were free to vote however they thought fit.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79473732509881982762018-04-04T11:02:41.513-07:002018-04-04T11:02:41.513-07:00Loosehead, I think Ken is being more consistent. ...Loosehead, I think Ken is being more consistent. With Roman Polanski and Woody Allen, he says their work is good, but he has definitely advised against watching at least Woody Allen. It would be dishonest to say their work is bad because you don't like them personally. I haven't seen him comment on Mel Gibson's work, but again he has advised not watching him because he doesn't like the person.<br /><br />I haven't seen the show, but I'm getting the impression that Roseanne is not a quality show, and is instead surviving off of being attacked by liberals. All the plot points introduced earlier have disappeared, which is acceptable for a sitcom, but hopefully not dropped entirely with each episode being just random elements thrown together.MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60798511098174285142018-04-04T10:55:09.872-07:002018-04-04T10:55:09.872-07:00@Anon:
"If the point is they shouldn't pl...@Anon:<br />"If the point is they shouldn't play Wagner's music, does it mean we shouldn't watch those movies?"<br /><br />No, that isn't the point.<br /><br />This isn't actually difficult, really. First of all, there is no question that they "shouldn't" play that music. (As an aside, there is nothing anti-Semitic about it in the first place, unless you have some weird theory about, say, the Rhein-Maidens and their curious interest in gold.)<br /><br />At no point has anybody said that the Israeli Philharmonic "shouldn't" play Wagner. Which as I said, they have. You might have missed that.<br /><br />The relevant point here is that <i>nobody</i> is preventing them from playing that music. And they <i>choose</i> not to play that music. And it <i>doesn't matter</i> why they <i>choose</i> not to play that music.<br /><br />Just as it is of no importance or consequence why Ken should <i>choose</i> not to watch the new Roseanne show.<br /><br />The importance of the First Amendment is <i>not</i> that some bloviating imbecile should be allowed to broadcast his views -- although this is a necessary part of the deal.<br /><br />The importance of the First Amendment is that you, the listener (or in the case of an orchestra, the medium) get to <b>choose</b> whether to listen to, or to replay, the thoughts of said bloviating imbecile. The First Amendment, if only by omission, <i>gives</i> you that freedom.<br /><br />As I say, this should not be a hard concept to grasp.Dr Loserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12717234136006844887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64030448600719457872018-04-04T10:54:01.333-07:002018-04-04T10:54:01.333-07:00I recently watched the cult movie "Volunteers...I recently watched the cult movie "Volunteers." Please don't let my positive reaction to it prevent you from giving it a shot. <br /><br />Remember, this film has been dissed by none-less than the writers. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04952463107375693270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91562177580621943632018-04-04T09:28:14.041-07:002018-04-04T09:28:14.041-07:00In the vein of having to hold your nose while enjo...In the vein of having to hold your nose while enjoying something you don't agree with...<br /><br />Bruce Springsteen has, for years, expressed his political points of view, mostly of which I disagree. I've witnessed him cancel concerts for political reasons, breaking the hearts of thousands of his fans who, to many, a Springsteen concert is a major bucketlist event. I think that's an extremely heartless and unfortunate thing to do under the guise of political righteousness. <br /><br />But ... when it's February and 12 below zero with no end in sight for winter, and I need a glimmer of summer hope, I'll listen to Springsteen. A great many of his songs sound like a warm summer night. <br /><br />Same thing with Aaron Sorkin, who never passes up a chance to mock those not on the left and belittle religion, mainly Christianity. The sad thing is, there's no need for it. From Sports Night to The West Wing, Studio 60 to The Newsroom, all of these shows would be just as good leaving out the politics and religion bashing. <br /><br />But ... I enjoy Sorkin's writing so much that I endure this nonsense to watch how he crafts a story and writes dialog, even though my nose is sore from pinching it extra-tight for an hour. Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00107309396839340695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44198929932719626912018-04-04T08:22:02.518-07:002018-04-04T08:22:02.518-07:00Loosehead:
The "process that elected George ...Loosehead:<br /><br />The "process that elected George Washington and Abraham Lincoln ..."<br /><br />To begin with, those two elections, which occurred more than half a century apart, bear no more than a passing resemblance to the Electoral College of the present day.<br /><br />Particularly since the onset of the 20th Century, our two major political parties have gimmicked up the Electoral College, so that it's now a Rube Goldberg device that the Major Parties use to game each other.<br /><br />The whole Red/Blue State nonsense, Winner-Take-All (not in every state, and subject to withdrawal for whatever specious reasons), Gerrymandering (which exists in order to influence statewide outcomes), regional "strategies" (designed to turn sections of a state against each other), all the "Divide-&-Conquer" crap we see every time ...<br /><br />I'm pretty sure that the Founding Fathers had no idea that this would be the future of the USA when they came up with the original system.<br /><br />As to the Present Day:<br /><br />The two Majors are each in the slow process of fracturing into smaller and more contentious cliques, all at daggers drawn with each other.<br />This in its turn could lead to a Presidential contest with <i>more than two candidates</i>, representing fractured segments of the old Dem. and Rep. parties.<br />If that happens - possibly as early as 2020 - we might see a Presidential contest with <i>no winner</i>: no candidate getting the required 270 Electoral Votes, sending the election into the House, which might well be even more partisan-fractured than it is now.<br />And won't <i>that</i> be fun?<br />(Yes, it won't ...)<br /><br />I know about earlier three-ways at the Presidential level (up to and including the four-way from 1948): admittedly, we missed the calamity those times -<br /> - but there <i>is</i> a first time for everything ...<br /><br />I still maintain, as I have in the pat, that the Electoral College is <b>the main source</b> of all the problems.<br /><b>The Electoral College <i>IS</i> The Problem.</b><br />Regrettably, we're not going to lose it any time soon - because <i>we're used to it</i>.<br />You know, like the Infield Fly Rule.<br />We're used to it, and we're stuck with it.<br />And, God help us, it may require an Electoral disaster like the one I've speculated about above to finally wake us all up.<br /><br />Apologies for the detour, but Loosehead started it ...<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527404061764217504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66218608156961455742018-04-04T06:29:19.266-07:002018-04-04T06:29:19.266-07:00Cap'n Bob: As Leah Remini's series and rec...Cap'n Bob: As Leah Remini's series and recent books by other disaffected former Scientologists make plain, a lot of today's younger Scientologists were brought in as children by their parents. I don't feel it's right to blame them *as much* because, as Remini has made clear, they may be kept quiet and loyal by the fear of losing their families and friends.Wendy M. Grossmanhttp://www.pelicancrossing.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88249012907270559592018-04-04T04:58:01.338-07:002018-04-04T04:58:01.338-07:00Watched the first episode. It seemed like some dep...Watched the first episode. It seemed like some dependable actors struggling with bad material. I expect more of the same.CRLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47165641154496955392018-04-04T03:06:28.728-07:002018-04-04T03:06:28.728-07:00She could be a flaming Liberal and I would still f...She could be a flaming Liberal and I would still find her voice to be EXTREMELY annoying. Plus at least for me she ain't a bit funny. Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31057761778759825682018-04-04T01:58:12.369-07:002018-04-04T01:58:12.369-07:00Ken, I will still keep reading your blog every day...Ken, I will still keep reading your blog every day. Even the baseball ones and the Trump rants even though he's not MY President. Now then.<br /><br />Not only did you not watch her show - there must be many TV programs you don't watch, for a variety of reasons - but you chose to announce to the world (well, to us) that you wouldn't be watching it, and seemed to take delight in telling us why. Fair enough, but to me it jarred with things you've said in the past about Roman Polanski and Woody Allen, and I detected some, well let me call it an "inconsistency".<br /><br />Oh, I don't particularly like Trump. In fact, I think he's an ass, but he did win the election, through a process that elected George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.Looseheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13031206622548006902018-04-03T21:16:11.401-07:002018-04-03T21:16:11.401-07:00Ken;
I read your post with great interest.
You s...Ken;<br /><br />I read your post with great interest.<br /><br />You said, "Am I OBLIGATED to watch a show starring a character spouting a political point of view I don’t agree with? Yeah, maybe, if I were a reviewer and it was my job. Yeah, maybe if I was a program executive for ABC. Yeah, maybe if I were an agent and one of my clients was associated with the show. But otherwise, I can choose to skip it and don’t have to justify my decision. No one is paying me to watch it."<br /><br />I believe you have your own, personal, reasons not to watch the show, but I believed you were more neutral as a comedy writer and could parse out the caliber of the writing from the personalities and political stances of any of the stars. There are very few multi-camera sitcoms made the traditional way, and that, alone, is worthy of a look, in my opinion.<br /><br />You put up a picture from MASH and while it was a good show for many, it never connected with me in a sustained way as a comedy. Especially in the later years when it became a drama with some occasional comedic moments. Like someone else mentioned, I never got a laugh from a guy wearing women's clothes.<br /><br />You don't have to prove that you are an open minded person. You should prove that you are an open minded comedy writer and you take the art of comedy serious enough to look at what has become a megahit and the biggest surprise in the sitcom landscape in a long, long time.<br /><br />So, I don't care if you like Rosanne (the show), hate it or anything else, but it does sort of hurt your review and critique of other shows (including the Oscars or Emmys) when you don't review or comment upon another show simply because you have a personal bias against the star.<br /><br />Wishing and avoiding won't make it go away.<br /><br />In fact, I'd like to know from Ken Levine why he thinks this sitcom works. However, I can live not knowing.<br /><br /><br />Frederick Herman "Freddy" Jonesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11835732232418476412018-04-03T20:59:08.903-07:002018-04-03T20:59:08.903-07:00Maybe it extends from this weird outlook that, if ...Maybe it extends from this weird outlook that, if you're criticizing something I like, then you're criticizing ME. The concept of "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything" is laughably childish; adept and insightful criticism of a work is an art form, and there have been plenty of masters at doing it. Yet apparently lots of people are so insecure in what they like that it's not enough that they personally like it; EVERYONE must like it too, or else that somehow translates into a personal insult. Why are people so invested in this stuff? Disliking something isn't the same as providing insightful and constructive criticism; the only reason you need to dislike something is that you don't like it. You tell someone you can't stand Roseanne Barr, and someone will pop up and tell you're that wrong, and you should watch her some more and then maybe you'll "get" her. That's like arguing with a person when they tell you they hate peas, or snow, or their mother in law. Mention on a forum somewhere that you find The Walking Dead to be one of the most tedious, boring programs you've ever seen and you'll get ten paragraphs from a fan that not only tells you you're wrong, but that you're obviously brain damaged for not liking it. You know, it's okay to hate Barr's persona; I do, and no amount of counterargument from a fan is going to change that, any more than you could convince me that I actually like liver. If you like her, great; there's no right or wrong answer, and I'm surely not invested enough in my dislike to try and argue someone into seeing my point of view. It's the same with Trump; I despise him, but I wouldn't waste a single moment arguing with one of his supporters. If someone watched his conduct during the campaign and first year and a half in office, and could still remain an ardent supporter, then there's absolutely nothing to argue about with them, because our individual interpretations of what's good and bad would be so far apart that there's absolutely no common ground to even argue about.Aaron Sheckleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14313936180205783312018-04-03T20:52:02.821-07:002018-04-03T20:52:02.821-07:00That is some tremendous moving of goalposts. No o...That is some tremendous moving of goalposts. No one said you were obligated to watch the show. YOU chose to state that you do not want to watch because of Roseanne's politics. You could have said a number of other things. I've also found her voice grating and comedy not funny(but John Goodman was great). As long as you weren't being dishonest and finding excuses while the real reason was you don't like her politics, that's fine. <br />You shouldn't complain that people get upset with you for not watching and give a defense that is different from the reason you said.<br />What will you do if Kelsey Grammer says he likes Trump? Will you then refuse to watch 'Underlings'?MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43174458302194753272018-04-03T20:11:31.269-07:002018-04-03T20:11:31.269-07:00@Unknown I have similar problems with Taylor Swift...@Unknown I have similar problems with Taylor Swift. Hate that little narcissistic whiner, but her songs are on the radio a <i>lot</i>, and when I complain about it, the response is always, "If you don't like her, don't listen to her." It's like when there's certain commercials that you can't stand that are aired over and over and over again when you least expect it.Joseph Scarbroughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02572781083272335747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80647585183173461982018-04-03T18:45:25.553-07:002018-04-03T18:45:25.553-07:00This reminds me of a strange criticism paradox tha...This reminds me of a strange criticism paradox that some people try to trap others in. First, if you're watching something (or reading something) and you write some criticisms of it, you might be told, "If you don't like it, don't watch/read it." Then, if you're not watching/reading it and you write criticism of the same thing, you might be told, "If you're not watching/reading it anymore, you can't criticize it." It's a strange no-win situation, where no matter what you do, you aren't allowed to criticize something.<br /><br />I don't know if anybody else has experienced the same thing, but it always drives me crazy. I assume that there is a group of people for whom any criticism of a favorite show/series/whatever is a heretical notion to be stamped out immediately.<br /><br /><br />Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16953057335661313093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46117185480322309832018-04-03T17:02:48.362-07:002018-04-03T17:02:48.362-07:00I’m actually glad to see many people agreeing with...I’m actually glad to see many people agreeing with Ken that ANY REASON whatsoever is good enough for not watching Roseanne or any other show. I was shocked to read (in comments on previous post) that some people seem to consider it a character flaw to NOT watch Roseanne! I felt like I was in the twilight zone. Diane D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89923888061533804142018-04-03T16:51:38.478-07:002018-04-03T16:51:38.478-07:00@Matt Same here. I don't follow any of these n...@Matt Same here. I don't follow <i>any</i> of these news sources, I prefer to use my own powers of observation in seeing what's going on in the country around us. It still ain't pretty either way.Joseph Scarbroughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02572781083272335747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40297284245937867982018-04-03T16:49:23.298-07:002018-04-03T16:49:23.298-07:00Ahhh..Ken....Said perfectly.....I have no desire t...Ahhh..Ken....Said perfectly.....I have no desire to watch Roseanne and I somewhat line up with her viewpoint. I don't think any less of anyone for the choices they make in their viewing or listening....and I am perfectly fine with watching shows that spout a point of view different than mine. I won't watch political shows though..not out of fear of being offended but I am just so sick of hearing #45's name at this point....<br />It is amazing..I can hear something that offends me and my life actually was able to go on...as normal...<br />Ken, write about what ever you want...say what you feel and I will more than likely read it...although jokes about banjos are off limits...but that's just me. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com