Sounds Like Now
A blog by saxophonist Brian Sacawa
Archive for Television
December 24, 2006 at 3:27 pm · Filed under Blog: Winter 06, Pop Culture, Television
The Yule Log, that odd perennial entity that has burned brightly and constantly to the sweet sounds of midi harpsichords and recorders on televisions for forty years, is making news this year. Born in 1966, the original WPIX-TV Yule Log is now being challenged by a “new-and-improved” Yule Log in high definition. (This isn’t the first year that The Yule Log HD has been on the scene—it’s actually been around since 2003, and it is only this year, perhaps due to the growing number of households with INHD service, that the media has decided to play up the rivalry.) TYLHD was created by some yuppie with a vested interest in INHD and who shows no regard for holiday traditions simply because the film looks “grainy[,] 30 years old [and] is not going to fill up the full screen.” So? What’s wrong with that?
Although The YL isn’t a necessary component needed to conjure up fond memories for me of Christmastime at home, the original WPIX Yule Log has definitely been as ubiquitous a presence in my parents’ house during the holidays as homemade cookies, certain movies, and cats chewing on ribbon. And it’s the WPIX Yule Log I sip the taste of Christmas in front of, not some “new-and-improved” fancy-schmancy HD thing. No, I’ll stick with the original, grainy, old, and whatever YL.
However, I do think it’s a bit ironic that although the original Yule Log was conceived as a gift for New Yorkers without firelaces even in houses with fireplaces (read: spaces for their own Yule Log) as in ours, it’s the Yule Log on the television that the family gathers around. Indicative of modern times, I guess. Or, put a little more eloquently in the AP article cited above: “Christmas is also a day to slow down, to set aside life’s frenetic pace for enjoyment of family, and nothing symbolizes that unhurried attitude better than a picture that doesn’t change for hours.”
December 23, 2006 at 1:28 pm · Filed under Blog: Winter 06, Humor, Pop Culture, Television
The holiday for the rest of us. Popularized in an episode of Seinfeld, the “holiday” is now celebrated in varying degrees of seriousness throughout the world. Here’s a small Festivus primer for your celebration today:
+ The symbol of Festivus is a bare aluminum pole, an icon chosen for its opposition to the highly-decorated and overly-commercialized Christmas tree. During the holiday, the pole is displayed unadorned and praised for its “high strength-to-weight ratio.” (For the DIY-inclined, click here.)
+ The Festivus dinner seems to be undefined although according to the book, it (the Festivus dinner) should be accompanied with hearty beer, rum, bourbon, or wine.
+ Following the Festivus dinner comes The Airing of Grievances, a ritual during which each member of the family tells the others all the ways in which they have disappointed them throughout the year.
+ The final tradition of Festivus is The Feats of Strength. Traditionally, this is where the head of the household challenges another participant in the celebration to a wrestling match. Festivus can conclude once the head of the household is pinned to the floor.
SLN wishes everyone a Festivus Miracle.
(N.B. In somewhat similar off-beat holiday news, don’t miss this article from yesterday’s Times, which considers the rebranding of Xmas. The Christmas makeover was commissioned by WNYC’s Studio 360. Read about and hear the program here.)
December 8, 2006 at 12:42 am · Filed under Baltimore, Blog: Fall 06, Performances, Television
Update No. 1: Unsilent Night was highlighted on boingboing today, generating a ton of interest for Baltimore’s version of the piece tomorrow.
Update No. 2: I’ll be appearing on FOX45 news tomorrow morning at 8:30am EST, promoting and talking about the evening’s big event.
Update No. 3: With all the press and interest this has pulled in over the last few days—CITYPAPER, Sun, FOX45 News—I’m beginning to worry if I’ll have enough copies of the piece for all those eager and interested folks who plan on showing up tomorrow night. As of this moment, I have in my possession over 100 copies of the piece (that’s 25 complete copies of all four parts), including 40+ cassette tapes and 60+ CDs. Time will be at a premium tomorrow so I’ll do what I can. I think Phil’s capped participation (at least on the performing level) at 200 boomboxers (and has had an estimated 1,800 others just along for the ride).
October 27, 2006 at 10:45 am · Filed under Blog: Fall 06, Humor, Pop Culture, Television
(Or: why Sacha Baron Cohen is a genius.) Sacha Baron Cohen is the chameleon-like British comedian best known for his HBO series Da Ali G Show. On the show, Cohen interviews unsuspecting people in the guise of three very unique, but equally maladroit, characters.
Ali G, the show’s namesake, is a wannabe gangsta/hip-hop journalist from the west-London “‘hood” of Staines. (The irony is that Staines is not exactly the ‘hood, but rather an upper-middleclass London suburb.) Ali G regularly interviews people who have held prominent positions in American politics and culture, including John McCain, Sam Donaldson, and Donald Trump, usually making them feel extremely awkward and leaving them extremely confused. At his core, the Ali G character is an idiot, who conducts his interviews under the premise that he is connected to youth culture and that he understands how to communicate with them. To that it extent, it is amazing how patient some of the interviewees are with SBC since by being interviewed they believe they are reaching a demographic that is largely beyond their reach.
Brüno is a flamboyantly gay reporter from Austrian television, whose topics include fashion, celebrities, entertainment, and homosexuality. The Brüno segments often leave you in a state of disbelief about 1) how apparently stupid and clueless his interviewees (often members of the fashion cognescenti) are, 2) how easily they are manipulated into agreeing with outrageous statements, like boarding all the unfashionable people of the world onto trains and shipping them off to camps, and 3) how quick some people are to change their opinions (sometimes prompted by Brüno, who informs them that their stance is not what his viewers will agree with; and sometimes purely out of their own airheadedness).
Borat Sagdiyev is an awkward and bumbling Kazakhstani journalist sent to report on American activities and culture to his home country. Unlike Ali G and Brüno, who mostly interview famed or influential members of society, Borat instead mingles with regular (and quite unsuspecting) American people. And unlike Ali G and Brüno, people generally embrace Borat because of his sincere desire to understand America. The humor with Borat comes from his sincerity. He often extolls his “cultural” beliefs, which arise out of racism and misogyny, putting his guests in awkward situations but at the same time putting them at ease, which in turn facilitates their voicing of their own prejudices and hypocrisies.
It’s hard to believe that the same person portrays all three characters. They are each so believable (and ridiculous) that it’s easy to take what Cohen is doing for granted. But SBC is a comedic virtuoso in full command of all his facets and well aware of what he is up to. Robert Siegel did an interview with him in 2004. (It’s interesting to hear Cohen in his own voice, which most closely resembles Ali G.) If people haven’t heard of SBC yet, they will soon. His new movie, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, opens on November 3.
(N.B. For those who have seen the show, I’ve actually been to the gym that Borat visits in South Beach in S1. I used to go there when I had performances with the New World Symphony.)
February 28, 2005 at 11:52 am · Filed under Blog: Winter 04, Classical Music, Performers, Television
Did anybody see Yo-Yo Ma’s performance of the Sarabande from Bach’s 6th suite at the Academy Awards last night? The piece was supposed to serve as a requiem of sorts for the folks that passed away this past year. But the audience’s clapping for the deceased, who had their pictures flashed on the giant screens as Mr. Ma played, was both annoying and distracting. What’s up with these Hollywood-types? Don’t they know how to act?
