Game shows
23/07/14 05:40
Somehow in my mind I have made a connection between television game shows and people who are aging less than gracefully. I am not a big fan of television and have no shows that I watch regularly. I did go through a period when I was watching several British comedies on a fairly regular basis, but I’ve somehow fallen out of that habit. Most of what I know about television game shows comes from the few moments I have watched in the homes of members of the churches I have served. I have known people who, if I dropped by during “Wheel of Fortune” would continue to leave the television on and visit with me between rounds of the game. “Jeopardy” is another game show that in its time had a big following, mostly, it seemed, among retired persons.
But as I age, I am also aware that there is a certain amount of mental stimulation that is important to keeping my mind fit. I play Lumosity games on my computer daily and keep track of my scores. And I have found that I enjoy radio quiz shows. There probably is no difference between my penchant for radio quiz shoes and those who watch game shows on television. In my mind, however, I justify the time I invest in listening to the shows by listening to podcasts, which means I can pause the show at any point and return to it at a later time. I listen mostly when I am driving, which is a half hour or more each day. The first game show that captured my attention is “Whad’ya Know?” with Michael Feldman from Wisconsin Public Radio. The show is only barely a game show. It really is a comedy show with “All the News that Isn’t,” “Thanks for the Memos,” and a short quiz.
Then I discovered “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” with Peter Sagal from WBEZ in Chicago. Again, it really isn’t much of an intellectual challenge. They do have celebrity contestants and people who phone in can compete for the prize of Carl Kasell’s voice on their home voicemail. But the questions are often about celebrities, the results of public opinion polls, and other things that are, for the most part trivia.
The third podcast that I listen to that bills itself as a game show, actually has some mental challenges. The NPR show features host Ophira Eisenberg. The show also has its share of trivia, which I rarely know, but also has puzzles and games which are more intriguing to me. The show often features musical quizzes with Jonathan Coulton, the “one man house band.” There are a lot of puns and word games as well.
Eisenberg is a multi-talented actress. Originally from Clagary Canada, she has been a featured comedian in many clubs and programs, including appearances on the Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Comedy Central. I really don’t know much about her except little pieces. I heard her tell the story of being in a very serious car accident as a child on The Moth, which is supposedly all stories rooted in the truth. She is only in her mid ’30’s and has already published at least two books, including a memoir which came out last year. I was turned off by the title of the memoir and have yet to read it, but I suppose that I may do so sometime in the future.
I just wonder if someone who is not yet 40 really has enough experience to write a memoir. That, I’m certain is a bias of an old man and probably not one of which I should be proud. A good memoir comes from the ability to tell a story. Most of us have had enough experiences to tell a good story by the time we reach the age of 30. I, who have never written a memoir, am not held back by a lack of experiences or stories to tell. Ophira Eisenbrerg has published a memoir in part because she has put in the work to write one. There does, it seems to me, appear to be a lot more that will come from this talented young mind. Maybe there will be multiple memoirs.
Looking through the podcasts that I listen to regularly, it does seem that I have a special affiliation for good storytelling. The New Yorker Fiction podcast features the best of published fiction, often read by writers whose works I have previously read. The moth is live storytelling. Snap Judgement fatures stories that are highly edited and produced, often with music to accompany the stories. This American Life is a unique form of storytelling. Even Radio Lab is a form of telling stories as Had Abumrad and Robert Krulwich ask the kind of questions that often inhabit my imagination. Even my favorite music podcast, “From the Top,” features quite a bit of storytelling about the lives of the featured young artists. One of the things that I really appreciate about the show is host Christopher O’Riley’s gift for interviewing youth and teens. As an accomplished pianist, he often accompanies the young musicians who are showcased on his program.
For generations people have valued good storytelling. Those with a knack for spinning a yarn on the front porch or telling a spooky story around the campfire have been recognized as treasures of their communities. At their best, radio, television and movies are media for telling stories. They hold our attention because we become immersed in the stories that they tell. I guess, for me, to enjoy a story, it must at some level be believable. Although I enjoy fiction, a departure that is too far from the life I lead eventually bores me. I’m not much for fantasy. Too much of what is shown on television is so far from any reality that I know that it lacks believability for me. Although I understand the value of being able to suspend disbelief, it isn’t one of my strong points.
I doubt if I am improving my mind by my choice of entertainment any more than those who watch game shows on television. But at least I don’t impose my choice of entertainment on others when they come to visit.
But as I age, I am also aware that there is a certain amount of mental stimulation that is important to keeping my mind fit. I play Lumosity games on my computer daily and keep track of my scores. And I have found that I enjoy radio quiz shows. There probably is no difference between my penchant for radio quiz shoes and those who watch game shows on television. In my mind, however, I justify the time I invest in listening to the shows by listening to podcasts, which means I can pause the show at any point and return to it at a later time. I listen mostly when I am driving, which is a half hour or more each day. The first game show that captured my attention is “Whad’ya Know?” with Michael Feldman from Wisconsin Public Radio. The show is only barely a game show. It really is a comedy show with “All the News that Isn’t,” “Thanks for the Memos,” and a short quiz.
Then I discovered “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” with Peter Sagal from WBEZ in Chicago. Again, it really isn’t much of an intellectual challenge. They do have celebrity contestants and people who phone in can compete for the prize of Carl Kasell’s voice on their home voicemail. But the questions are often about celebrities, the results of public opinion polls, and other things that are, for the most part trivia.
The third podcast that I listen to that bills itself as a game show, actually has some mental challenges. The NPR show features host Ophira Eisenberg. The show also has its share of trivia, which I rarely know, but also has puzzles and games which are more intriguing to me. The show often features musical quizzes with Jonathan Coulton, the “one man house band.” There are a lot of puns and word games as well.
Eisenberg is a multi-talented actress. Originally from Clagary Canada, she has been a featured comedian in many clubs and programs, including appearances on the Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Comedy Central. I really don’t know much about her except little pieces. I heard her tell the story of being in a very serious car accident as a child on The Moth, which is supposedly all stories rooted in the truth. She is only in her mid ’30’s and has already published at least two books, including a memoir which came out last year. I was turned off by the title of the memoir and have yet to read it, but I suppose that I may do so sometime in the future.
I just wonder if someone who is not yet 40 really has enough experience to write a memoir. That, I’m certain is a bias of an old man and probably not one of which I should be proud. A good memoir comes from the ability to tell a story. Most of us have had enough experiences to tell a good story by the time we reach the age of 30. I, who have never written a memoir, am not held back by a lack of experiences or stories to tell. Ophira Eisenbrerg has published a memoir in part because she has put in the work to write one. There does, it seems to me, appear to be a lot more that will come from this talented young mind. Maybe there will be multiple memoirs.
Looking through the podcasts that I listen to regularly, it does seem that I have a special affiliation for good storytelling. The New Yorker Fiction podcast features the best of published fiction, often read by writers whose works I have previously read. The moth is live storytelling. Snap Judgement fatures stories that are highly edited and produced, often with music to accompany the stories. This American Life is a unique form of storytelling. Even Radio Lab is a form of telling stories as Had Abumrad and Robert Krulwich ask the kind of questions that often inhabit my imagination. Even my favorite music podcast, “From the Top,” features quite a bit of storytelling about the lives of the featured young artists. One of the things that I really appreciate about the show is host Christopher O’Riley’s gift for interviewing youth and teens. As an accomplished pianist, he often accompanies the young musicians who are showcased on his program.
For generations people have valued good storytelling. Those with a knack for spinning a yarn on the front porch or telling a spooky story around the campfire have been recognized as treasures of their communities. At their best, radio, television and movies are media for telling stories. They hold our attention because we become immersed in the stories that they tell. I guess, for me, to enjoy a story, it must at some level be believable. Although I enjoy fiction, a departure that is too far from the life I lead eventually bores me. I’m not much for fantasy. Too much of what is shown on television is so far from any reality that I know that it lacks believability for me. Although I understand the value of being able to suspend disbelief, it isn’t one of my strong points.
I doubt if I am improving my mind by my choice of entertainment any more than those who watch game shows on television. But at least I don’t impose my choice of entertainment on others when they come to visit.