Showing posts with label reality TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reality TV. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Completely Conspicuous 429: Keeping It Real

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss the difficulties of avoiding cynicism. Listen to the episode below or download directly.
 

Show notes:
- Check out Matt's new book Like a Comet: The Indestructibles Book 4
- People are desperate for fame
- Matt auditioned for season 2 of The Real World
- The savvy of Boston Rob
- Chewbacca Mom is pushing it
- Trump tapped into a vein of discontent
- He's got a way with nicknames
- We've got issues
- Fat, but not happy
- It's not a bad thing to be cynical
- Changing your Twitter icon or FB profile pic is pointless
- David Cameron and the pig's head
- Sinking to meme level
- The Internet never forgets
- Power + opportunity = Bad life choices
- We're going to remain cynical

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Completely Conspicuous 428: Absolutely Cynical

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss the difficulties of avoiding cynicism. Listen to the episode below or download directly.
 

Show notes:
- Check out Matt's new book Like a Comet: The Indestructibles Book 4
- It's hard not to be cynical these days
- Politics are infuriating in general
- Soccer hooligans can spread joy, too
- Getting cynicism drummed into you as a young reporter
- Kids, don't go into journalism
- NIMBY remains a strong force
- Matt made the mistake of going to back to newspapers a few years ago
- Facts, schmacts
- Saying something stupid won't tank your campaign anymore
- Tapping into frustrated and angry voters
- Blindly loyal political supporters
- Stupid can win
- People are tired of hearing from so-called experts
- Jay: Reality TV makes me cynical
- The Duggars had a show because they had 19 kids
- Some people find The Bachelor fascinating
- So many kids these days have the drive to become famous
- The abnormal lives of huge celebrities
- Tom Cruise can't relate to normal people
- To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Completely Conspicuous 320: Dumb After All


Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss whether the world is getting dumber. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").



Show notes:
- Guy got fired after calling in sick and then posting video on YouTube
- Another guy made it with a cow and had a buddy film it
- Reality TV rewards dumbasses
- It's a lazy Buzzfeed world
- Beard transplants? Really?
- Pre-ripped jeans
- There's still good rock music out there
- In praise of Mark Knopfler
- Bravo, dude who came up with Shit My Dad Says
- Medical bills are obscene
- Selling your old junk
- The bottom fell out of the sports card market
- We fall for stupid memes designed to rile people up
- Outrage culture
- We're all dumb

Music:
Johnny Foreigner - Stop Talking About Ghosts
Spray Paint - Spock Fingers
Pampers - Guts

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Johnny Foreigner song is on the album You Can Do Better on Alcopop! Records. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.
The Spray Paint and Pampers songs were recorded live on the Cherry Blossom Clinic on WFMU. Download the songs for free at Free Music Archive

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Completely Conspicuous 319: Dumbing Down

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss whether the world is getting dumber. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- There are studies that claim humans are getting dumber
- Our IQs are supposedly dropping
- We rely on smartphones for a lot of information
- We're cramming so much info in our heads
- Smart TV: True Detective did it right
- Disney Channel sitcoms hark back to hacky TV crap of the '70s
- Movie industry favors bigger, louder, dumber
- Sometimes it's good to watch dumb stuff
- Anonymous online comments are a prime source for idiocy
- Wasting time online is so easy
- People are so self-involved
- Reality TV is a haven for dummies
- People will do anything to get on TV
- The Onion keeps fooling people
- Beauty pageants
- Our ability to self-incriminate
- To be continued

Music:
Cloud Nothings - I'm Not Part of Me
Eagulls - Possessed
The So So Glos - Lost Weekend

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The Cloud Nothings song is on the album Here and Nowhere Else on Carpark Records. The Eagulls song is on the band's self-titled album on Partisan Records. The So So Glos song is on the album Blowout on Votiv Records. Download all three songs for free at NPR.org.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 272: I Me Mine

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion about our narcissistic society. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Narcissism is on the rise
- Recent study looks at the Internet "narcissism epidemic"
- We are part of the problem
- We're more likely to take photos of injustice than actually help out
- Matt works from home, posts on Facebook to get social interaction
- Some people need to post status updates of their every move
- Gay marriage debate has been ubiquitous on social media
- Linked In endorsements: What's the point?
- Matt's creepy clown photo
- Creating a false impression through upbeat self-promotion
- Selfies are everywhere
- People will do anything to get on TV
- Reality TV has never been more popular
- MySpace was a mess
- Googling yourself is a common activity
- Matt's IMDB page
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
JEFF the Brotherhood - Shredder

Le Butcherettes - Henry Don't Got Love
Sleater-Kinney - Jumpers
Ty Segall - You're the Doctor

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The JEFF the Brotherhood song is on the album We Are the Champions on Infinity Cat Recordings/Warner Music. Download the song for free at Epitonic.
The Le Butcherettes song is on the album Sin Sin Sin on Rodriguez Lopez Productions. Download the song for free at Epitonic.
The Sleater-Kinney song is on the album The Woods on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at Epitonic.
The Ty Segall song is on the album Twins on Drag City. Download the song for free at Epitonic.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.