I read a lot of periodicals and check out a lot of websites on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The Tennessean, the New York Times, The Nashville City Paper, the Week, Current, Esquire…you get the idea. It’s part of my job. Entertainment Weekly isn’t one of those mags. Not for any particular reason, it’s just not one I pick up often. But I was in the airport this weekend and picked up the new one with Johnny Depp on the cover. The issue’s “What to Watch” guide to TV includes some PBS offerings, with trademark EW-irreverent descriptions, some of which I really don’t get.
Tonight, Monday, May 14, 8-10 p.m. CDT: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: ALEXANDER HAMILTON – EW says “Actually, not an ex-prez. Hey, go use that on a fifth grader before they find out. Hurry! Who knows when those Children of the Corn will strike next?”
Can someone help me with that? Am I missing some Stephen King reference here? Or is this a reference to that “smarter than a fifth-grader show?”
Somewhat less dubious:
Tuesday, May 15 8-9 p.m. CDT: FRONTLINE: SPYING ON THE HOME FRONT – EW says: “PBS makes you feel all warm and fuzzy about the feds’ penchant for spying on you.”
Tuesday, May 15, 9-10 p.m. CDT: INDEPENDENT LENS: SENTENCED HOME – EW says “…but it’s still better than being shipped out. Meet the deported.”
Okay, I get the last one.
2 Comments
I’m an EW subscriber and love the What to What section. There are PBS mentions almost every week. The sense of humor of the person doing WtW right now is kind of odd and takes some getting used to. But I think the American Experience blurb is both a jab at the fact that most people don’t know their presidents like they should and a reference to the game show with fifth graders. The Frontline one is, I think, using the term “warm and fuzzy” very sarcastically.
All in all, I think EW writers are fans of the smarter sorts of television shows, including PBS.
Hey Loonytick,
Thanks for clearing that one up. I actually used to be a subscriber, and always loved it’s style of humor, especially the “hitlist” section. It had been awhile since I picked it up though, so I was glad to see a bunch of PBS shows still being highlighted. I guessed right on the fifth-grader thing, but what’s with the Children of the Corn? Any guess? I hate when humor gets by me.