buckturgidson

Go Wild, Illinois!

buckturgidson June 20, 2006 0 Comment

The politics stuff is a blast — and no doubt, there’s plenty to talk about locally and nationally. But we’ve months for that, and we don’t want to burn out now, do we?

Since it is vacation season, I want to share something with all of my friends outside of the Chicago TV market (as well as the majority within the Chicago TV market that aren’t public television-watching nerds like me).

Wild Chicago’s Illinois Road Trip.

Wild Chicago was a show on WTTW that went dark a few years ago. The hosts, which over the years included eccentric actor Will Clinger and current Illinois Road Trip host Ben Hollis, traveled, mostly throughout the Chicago area and Illinois (though there was some travel to Indiana, Wisconsin and other Midwestern states – I think they may have also gone to Japan), clueing viewers in on the many oddities that exist in our back yards. Info on that show here and here.

Wild Chicago’s Illinois Road trip is in the same vein, but Hollis takes viewers on a journey throughout our great state, stopping along the way to see an idyllic Japanese Garden in Rockford, on a cruise on the Spirit of Peoria, to the Garden of the Gods in Southern Illinois, and on a number of other adventures in every part of Illinois.

The show has one major sponsor. And in essence, the show’s a half-hour ad for that sponsor. But it is NOT a commercial production. It’s sincere and the host is wonderfully goofy, complete with safari outfit, pith helmet and bad jokes.

I don’t think it shows outside WTTW’s viewing area, but it may (if anyone knows, please chime in). But the web site’s pretty inclusive.

Check it out.

Say what?

buckturgidson June 15, 2006 0 Comment

Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States of America…

“I think — tide turning — see, as I remember — I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of — it’s easy to see a tide turn — did I say those words?”

Yep. His finger’s on the button.

One more thing about…Ann Coulter

buckturgidson June 15, 2006 0 Comment

So, a hearty thanks to Larry for asking me to sub on one of the finest political blogs (and the first one I read). I?m honored and flattered.

And now, if I may use this platform for an indulgence?

?I?ve always taken the Ann Coulters of the world with something less than a grain of salt. She?s no less a shock artist than Marilyn Manson. I don?t believe she believes most of what she says or writes ? but boy does her act sell books.

I typically take my cue on Coulter et al. from the wise Lisa Simpson, who, in Treehouse of Horror VI, in the face of giant, murderous advertising icons, joins Paul Anka to remind us that advertising is only effective if you pay attention, so ?Just Don?t Look.?

Sorry, guarantee void in Tennessee.

But the flip-side of that argument is that words can do harm. And harmful words deserve to be challenged. And a blogger friend of Mr. and Mrs. Turgidson, Heather Peet, provides one of the best challenges I?ve read.

If righteous indignation is your thing, well, Heather?s got it in spades. Blogging from halfway around the globe, Heather brings the perspective of a mom, a member of a military family, and a religious Catholic. It?s compelling, and her posts are funny, well-written, and only sometimes political. Give her a look.

Heather adds some classic Coulter that left me wondering?

She [Coulter] once said, in reference to terrorists, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.”

If I may?our conservative friends have defended THIS type of speech, and then, with straight faces, suggested anti-war sentiment and criticism of the president embolden our enemies and threaten our armed forces? Really? But I thought they hated us for our freedom.