Show you azz & azz holes will watch.

Point of order, no more photo journalism from me. Was down and out for three days with chills, fever of 104 and swollen glands, not to mention a sore throat that did not allow me to talk (my students loved that). I was also reminded that it is very hard and even impossible to write when one is sleep – learn something new every day. Any who, was back in class and was about to cover/introduce analysis of variance (ANOVA). I asked my class why we use T-Test and the assumptions of the T-test. They did not know and could not tell me. So I asked them to tell me the name of a reality TV show, and they named about 20. On all case I asked who they were. They looked at me like I was stupid.

So I said in essence, yawl know these folks, who they dating and don’t know what we cover in class. “Tell me who stupid?” Yawl pay about this much”, I proceeded to open my arms as wide as I could and continued. “Is that not more important than some show on TV that aint even real but acting?” They all shut up and I proceeded to write and work my problems on the board. Now what I am about to say is conjecture and the opinion of folk here alone. But I do not see the fascination of looking at something on television that obviously aint real. I mean in most cases, it is merely folks, insincere folks, trying to get famous, make someone or get with some star.

Is the fabric of America so dilapidated that we no longer desire to work for self and cannot think for self and what the easiest way out to what some perceive as success. It seems that folks get on the shows and go to town showing they azz and acting a fool, as if they have no home training. As if the main requirement is to be mentally and intellectually dysfunctional. Not to mention, that many deal with the most morally abject problems in our society – going to jail, greed, and sex. Seems too that the majority of these shows, especially with women, are designed to do what I figure a woman can do without being on TV – find love. What woman in their right mind would be on a show, chasing a man that is boning and grinding and kissing every woman in the house? Women that fight each over in spectacle like the old day gladiators of ancient Rome. And I suspect the men are just as foul too.

Now all this is speculation, for reality TV for me when I was growing up was sports, especially boxing. I figure a reality show should at least be real and teach you something. I remember folks used to say wrestling was real, just as they say this stuff today is real. I have maybe seen a portion of a few of the shows when over folks houses and they would always laugh when I would ask what or who is that. I have only seen two of today’s reality shows that taught me something and close to being real. Survivor man – where I learned how to piss around sand with plastic and a cup underneath to generate water and Man versus Wild (where I learned how to cook a boa constrictor- I normally sauté snake meat).

I don’t know where we are headed, it is as if we care to admire and watch folks that show their azz on TV in an effort to either get attention or attract fame. Even if that means fighting and chasing a man and throwing one’s self after said man as if a groupie or gold digger, when we know their parents or grandparents aint teach them such, or if being a rude tough guy who is disrespectful and self-centered is what defines manhood.

Now I know some of the shows, that deal with singing, or cooking, or moddeling , or designing or home decorating are different in some respects. But still, tell me, why do student I teach care or no more about so-called reality TV than their course work? Why would they laugh at me for not knowing who the fck they were talking about as opposed to laughing at themselves for not knowing what they covered already in class? Well one thing I do know if you show your azz on TV an asshole is sure to be watching.