Thursday, October 19, 2006

"Television You Can Believe In!"  

During last night's Avalanchian burial of the Toronto Maple Leafs (WOO!... I know I live in Toronto and can rightfully be branded as a traitor), I flipped around the channels during commercials to pass the time. Impatience never was one of my finer qualities.

Being aawesome atones for that.

One of the more frequently skipped channels during my commercial-time perusals of alternative programming is the homely Crossroads Television System. Better known as CTS (which I always thought stood for Christian Television Station). Even better known as the channel that airs Benny Hinn! Say hello to Benny everybody:



I actually decided to pay attention for five minutes during one of his broadcasts, and after he miraculously heals someone he nudges people by the head and they fall like trees. If I ever got a chance to go on that show and pretend to be healed, I would fall like a tree, then feign like my knee snapped on the way down and then sue for assault and false advertising.

But Benny Hinn aside, the CTS... aw heck, I'll let them explain themselves:

"Choosing television programs on CTS TV provides viewers with a range of entertaining and inspirational programs that present values based on biblical principals."

To my delight, and more so my confusion, during my channel-fly-by yesterday, I caught a glimpse of DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince himself on CTS! I had to go back because I was already well on my way to the next channel, and after rubbing my eyes, and confirming with the Internets, I realized this was no mistake. Fresh Prince of Bel Air is one of the many "entertaining, inspirational, biblically principled" shows CTS offers on a daily basis.

The same show that once introduced me to the entertaining idea of poking fun at fat and short people. And inspired me to never go to West Philadelphia where men randomly pick fights at a schoolyard basketball court with scrawny kids (like me).

It just seems like another television network has decided to appeal to different demographics. And while I don't doubt that Fresh Prince was a (dysfunctional) family-oriented show, can somebody show me where the Biblical principles are? Can somebody also show me where Waldo is?

And if this trend of television networks brining in shows to reach different demographics continues, what's next? World Wrestling Entertainment on the Women's network? Survivor - Cook's Island on the Food Network? Unbiased reporting on the Fox Network? Only time will tell.

posted by Buttug McOysty . 11:35 PM .