TV & Radio Category
Television and radio programme reviews, trailers, highlights, twilights and cinema news. Also the neglected gems from years past.
In 1979 Philip Glass taught Sesame Street viewers the Geometry of Circles
Our undated picture shows U.S. composer Philip Glass. (AP-Photo/HO)
CONTINUING our occasional look at Sesame Street, arguably the greatest ever children’s TV show, we look back at Philip Glass’s appearance on it.
Geometry of Circles is a series of unnumbered animation pieces created for Sesame Street in 1979. Cathryn Aison commissioned Philip Glass to write music for animation based on her storyboard which had been submitted to and approved by Edith Zornow of CTW.
The shorts consist of the movement of six circles (each with a different color of the rainbow) that are formed by and split up into various geometric patterns. Glass’s music underscores the animation in a style that closely resembles the “Dance” numbers and the North Starvignettes written during the same time period as hisEinstein on the Beach opera.
The film has featured in public screenings and museum exhibits. In October 2012, the third movement from the film was included in the “Century of the Child: Growing by Design, 1900–2000” exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Posted: 7th, June 2013 | In: Flashback, Music, TV & Radio | Comment
Sesame Street presents a Samuel Beckett parody, ‘Waiting for Elmo’
SESAME Sesame presents Waiting for Elmo, a Samuel Beckett parody (a Monsterpiece Theater production).
“A modern masterpiece, a play so modern and so brilliant that it makes absolutely no sense to anybody” – Alastair Cookie
Spotter: Open Culture Biblioklept
Posted: 6th, June 2013 | In: Flashback, TV & Radio | Comment
Photo: the first ever Sesame Street Cast (when Oscar was orange)
THIS is the original Sesame Street cast. As you can see Oscar The Grouch is orange, collars are generous, Big Bird looks three sheets to the wind and children are hanging out with adults with no hint of fear. Sesame Street was always great telly. We feel a a few most posts on this great show coming up…
Spotter: Kottke
Posted: 6th, June 2013 | In: Flashback, TV & Radio | Comment
The creepiest TV adverts of all time
SCARY, creepy adverts stick in the mind. This means they must be working.
Chuck in children and the fear factor is cranked up:
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Posted: 5th, June 2013 | In: The Consumer, TV & Radio | Comment
The Internet Animal Orchestra
PRESENTING The Internet Animal Orchestra:
Posted: 4th, June 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
Doctor Who is racist? And John Simm hates all the fans?
WHOVIANS are some of the most troubling people on Earth, so you’ve got to be careful what you say to them. They’re dedicated to the show in such a manner that they’ll show much more dedication to telling detractors they’re wrong, than detractors care to listen.
So, with this, we shall tread carefully around fans of Doctor Who, for fear of incurring their wrath and ire. We don’t want to ruffle any feathers.
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Posted: 28th, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
Branded A Witch: The church that purges bed wetters of evil
RELIGIOUS fundamentalism is not refined to any one group. It’s a human condition. A group should not always be defined by the most awful thing ever done by one its members. But it should be able to explain itself. Here, Richard Bartholomew looks at the BBC Three show Branded a Witch, in which young British mother of Congolese heritage named Kevani Kanda visited Congo to see the consequences of child-witch accusations in the country.
The statistics are grim: 50,000 children held in churches for abusive “deliverance” sessions, and 20,000 living in the streets after being thrown out by relatives who believe that they are the cause of misfortune or ill-health. As the programme notes, the problem is the result of years of chaos and conflict in the country, which have led to the distortion of traditional beliefs.
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Posted: 27th, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
Lancashire duo killed and roasted lamb in field, a la Bear Grylls
OUR attitude to meat is odd. We’re all entertained when Bear Grylls pops up on the telly to climb inside a hollowed out camel or eats raw zebra. But when Matthew Davidson, 28, and Kevin Sherratt, 33, picked up a lamb at a Macclesfield, Cheshire, farm, killed it with a hammer and roasted it, we’re sending them to court.
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Posted: 24th, May 2013 | In: Reviews, TV & Radio | Comment
Cancer survivor rotates her leg 180 degrees in TV talent show
JEN O’Shea can twist her right leg like an owl can twist its neck. The leg goes all the way around until the heel is facing her chin. O’Shea, whose super-flexible leg is the result of bone cancer, showcased her talent on the Ellen DeGeneres show.
She is now a star. But that uses can there be for her talent?
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Posted: 22nd, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
1970s: Kellogg’s Sugar Smacks and “FREE DR Who Badges!”
FLASHBACK to the breakfasts of yestedday with Kellogg’s Sugar Smacks and “FREE DR Who Badges!” John Pertwee played the BBC time traveller between 1970 and 1974. He drove a jalopy called Bessie.
UNIT was the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. The Brigadier was its stalwart. Jo Grant was a junior civilian operative for UNIT. The Master was the enemy, naturally.
Posted: 18th, May 2013 | In: Flashback, The Consumer, TV & Radio | Comment
The Smiths’ Girlfriend in a Coma sung to the tune of Tiptoe through the Tulips
ON Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, Tony Hawks sings The Smiths’ Girlfriend in a Coma to the tune of Tiptoe through the Tulips:
Note: Tiptoe Through The Tulips lends itself to laughs. Scroll to the bottom to hear Tiny Tim flower walking with care.
Posted: 18th, May 2013 | In: Music, TV & Radio | Comment
Eric Dunn is ‘running though white people neighborhoods’ (video)
ERIC Dunn is ‘running though white people neighborhoods’ with his shirt off…
Posted: 16th, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
Weatherman gets unfortunate case of the hiccups on air
HICCUPS are a pain at the best of times, but spare a thought for the poor sod who works as a weather presenter who got them while live on air.
Weatherman David Paul, who works for Houston’s KHOU-TV, endured nearly three minutes of throaty torment as he gamely ploughed through his report.
“I have the hiccups of course, this is what happens right when we have heavy weather. But bear with me,” he joked.
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Posted: 15th, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
Peter Andre: My Life – Peter Meets Nick Clegg and Mr Kuntawala
ON last week’s instalment of ITV’s Peter Andre: My Life Peter attends the Asian Business Awards. He meets Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. What happend next:
Pete met Asian business bigshots:
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Posted: 14th, May 2013 | In: Celebrities, TV & Radio | Comment
‘Tired and emotional’ BBC radio DJ is pulled off air
PAULA White never got to finish her last BBC Radio Stoke show. She kicked off at 1pm on Friday afternoon but 30 minutes later she was hooked off.
A listener texted her to ask: “Paula you sound drunk.”
White replied: “I’m not drunk, I’ve had a couple of drinks I’m not drunk.”
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Posted: 13th, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
Bouncers get refused entry (video)
BOUNCERS get refused. This is enjoyable:
Posted: 10th, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
CNN’s Asleigh Banfield talks LIVE on split screen satellite link up to CNN’s Nancy Grace (TV news shark jumps)
WE go live! to a car park in Phoenix , Arizona. Asleigh Banfield is live! for CNN’s CNN Newsroom. Also there live! is Nancy Grace, of CNN Headline News.
They are both in the same parking lot. They are talking to each other over a satellite link. They are around 30 feet apart.
If you look closely you can see live! TV news jumping the shark.
Posted: 8th, May 2013 | In: Key Posts, TV & Radio | Comment
Cleveland hero Charles Ramsey was raised right (video)
CHARLES Ramsey was raised right. The man who saved Amanda Berry, Michele Knight and Gina DeJesus is a star. “I’m the definition of a man, bro'”. Here he is on the telly:
Posted: 8th, May 2013 | In: Reviews, TV & Radio | Comment
The greatest TV reaction shot ever?
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Posted: 7th, May 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
John Lennon Jewelry on QVC is what he would have wanted
JOHN Lennon Jewelry on QVC is what he would have wanted. I particularly like the woman telling her kids “Imagine there’s no Heaven”, and them answering: “But you told us there was! LIAR!”
Posted: 2nd, May 2013 | In: Celebrities, The Consumer, TV & Radio | Comment
The Day My Kid Went Punk: a punksploitation special
THE Day My Kid Went Punk was a 1987 abc Afterschool Special. It posed the question:
“What do you do when your bright, loveable, talent kid turns into a punker overnight?”
Hide your eyeliner?
On with the Punksploitation:
Posted: 1st, May 2013 | In: Flashback, TV & Radio | Comment
States United to Prevent Gun Violence produce this great anti-gun advert
IS this the greatest anti-gun advert? States United to Prevent Gun Violence has message:
GUNS HAVE CHANGED.
SHOULDN’T OUR GUN LAWS?
That’s a great slogan and advert, isn’t it?
Posted: 1st, May 2013 | In: Reviews, TV & Radio | Comment
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch reunion has one big problem
HEADLINE of the week went to the NME for this comment on the reunion of TV show Sabrina, the Teenage Witch:
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch’ reunion would be ‘tough’, says Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart, who played the 16-year-old Sabrina, is 37. You want magic..?
Posted: 27th, April 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment
Typing on the telly: Irish CEO shows us how to no-touch type
NICE typing, Jerry Moriarty, CEO of the Irish Association of Pension Funds. Mr Moriarty was showcasing his no-touch typing on Ireland’s RTÉ news. Mr Moriarty appears to be a graduate from the same typing school Strathclyde Assistant Chief Constable Campbell Corrigan went to.
Posted: 27th, April 2013 | In: TV & Radio | Comment (1)
Jimmy Kimmel dupes Coachella festival goers to say they have heard of non-existent bands
HOW goes it with the cool kids at Coachella? Jimmy Kimmel’s pops along to tell the gang about some great band that don’t exist. Are the festival goers fans? Yep. They are:
Posted: 23rd, April 2013 | In: Music, TV & Radio | Comment
