THE
MIKE
DURRETT
SHOW
Today's
Episode:
Miner's Digest Condensed Looks
Dateline: 05/04/98
Hi, and welcome to the show.
Several months ago when we were brainstorming for this Web site -- and by "we," I mean me. And by "brainstorming," I mean scarfing down a bag of 99¢ cheese corn with Chester Cheetah on it waiting for the Spice Girls to show up on the tube. And by "the tube," I mean any TV show. MTV. The news. Diagnosis Murder. Celebrity Jeopardy. Brahide. I didn't care. Those Spice Girls have a way with the gentleman. Grrrr-rrr-rowl! Ruff! Ruff!
And might I add, 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = they are spicey.
Well, the Spice Ladies, or the Spice Mss., or the Spice Persons -- I'm trying with all my manners to be a sensitive man of the '80s -- never showed. I flipped off the television and picked up a magazine, Reader's Digest. I happen to enjoy perusing this periodical occasionally; so much so -- and I don't mean to brag -- I may be the only guy in America to have read Reader's Digest outside a bathroom.
I'm bobbing my head affirmatively.
When I was growing up, my mother subscribed to their condensed books series. The Digest editors would take a popular novel, like, say, Catch 22, and snip out much of the boring plot, boring action, and boring finely honed prose -- you know, the unnecessary parts of any perfect novel -- and then place Catch 7.8 into a volume with three or four other shortened best sellers.
I read a bunch of 'em. Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Faint Breeze. Herman Wouk's The Caine Pillow Fight. Kate Douglas Wiggin's Rebecca of Sunnybrook Ant Farm. Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Baby Pool. Ayn Rand's The Tricklehead. John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Peevish.
As I thought those memories, I hit upon the idea to somehow apply the concept to my Mining Co. efforts. I decided to collect a bunch of links on select topics, which might not, otherwise, be grouped together, and include brief annotations. (See: "Miner's Digest Condensed Daves").
These recurring portfolios were to be called "Miner's Digest Condensed Looks" in honor of, and with a tip o' the hat to, that popular, exemplary product, Reader's Digest Condensed Books. (Was that enough sucking up? I can suck up more if need be.)
To make a long story longer, I never realized until now that my title would also be the perfect name for an individual feature. My collection of links today are for television, specifically the major networks' umbrella Web sites. I'll include several cable channels which deal extensively with comedy programming, as well.
In some ways these pointers are duplications of the ones we've listed in our Net Links library of specific TV show sites. These links are not totally redundant and are worth highlighting because of the frequent changes in the broadcasting industry, making it nearly impossible, at times, to track every program online.
Many of the welcome pages have images and information you could miss by heading straight to a particular show's site. You'll also be privy to special event material which might not filter down to the subsections or warrant a full, permanent Internet residence.
We'll be mining the following items from a humor viewpoint. The vast bulk of these sites are not laugh riots themselves, unfortunately. They are stuffy. The various comedies touted are generally showcased without any attempt at amusement; although there are exceptions. On average, these sites provide routine information about the comedies and little else.
Here we go, "Miner's Digest Condensed Looks": at television:
- ABC
Most network umbrella sites are beautiful, but content bland, filled with empty calories and lacking fun. ABC tops the list; however, in fairness, the Politically Incorrect section is everything you might desire, especially the monologue and episode transcripts.
- CBS
Wall-to-wall gloss at this site, too, but for fun, as our favorite host might say, "Hold onto something," because there's also the download of the Dave.
Comedy
Central
Now this is
a Web site! Big and wacky, working on all cylinders to induce giggles.
There's a comedy headlines ticker and much more too humorous to mention.
Okay, here's a little more... The Daily Show, Dr. Katz, and South
Park.
Fox
These pages are loaded with shiny, youthful visuals and smiley, lackluster
content. Fox is generic in short skirts. The animated shows' sites are
exceptions and fare better.
HBO
HBO calls itself "The Entertainment Capital of the Web." Darn,
I wanted to be. Oh well, HBO does provide nice coverage to its humor offerings.
Maybe I could be "The Sock Drawer of the Web?"
NBC
If the prime time show you're interested in is the flavor of the day,
you'll see colorful graphics and news, maybe interviews. If not, search
for the NBC search engine. I'll be hangin' with Conan.
The Late Night with Conan O'Brien pages, a recipient of our Best of the Net award, are not to be missed. His Actual Items photographs are ideally suited to the Web and can be hilariously pleasing. Jay Leno's The Tonight Show site works to entertain you, too, offering written material and nightly monologue audio excerpts.
PBS
Play Connect the Liver Spots on Alistaire Cooke, or Strangle My Elmo.
Naw, but we can dream, can't we? Minimal humor provided, so help them out
-- reminisce about your favorite pledge break moments.
WB
At the WB Television Network (Unofficial) page, you'll get tons of
articles and sound files; otherwise, you might find a WB comedy listing
at the studio.
Might. Things should improve when The WB goes online with an official site
announced for summer '98.
UPN
Very little online, a photo or two, and a short by-the-numbers summary
is about all that's up on each comedy program.
Nick at Nite
Nitetime is bright time and this sass-ter site
to TV Land offers hip 'tude to moldy oldies. Remember, mold gave us penicillin.
Mold is good! Click Nick.
TV Land
What fun! Hilarious programs from our collective American past live
on. The sheer volume of Must Have A.V.s is well worth the World Wide Wait.
