Quality TV...Or Not

The television writer's strike has created a great deal of furor on the tube...and I don't just mean David Letterman's beard. I mistakenly thought I was watching less humorous reruns of "Grizzly Adams" the other night. And the horrors of Jay Leno writing his OWN material? You know that can't be all that funny. Nonetheless, I am concerned on two fronts: one which relates to something we might never see and one that promises an undending parade of inanity (as we hang on every word!).
Since November, we've been deprived of Duane "Dog" Chapman's adventures as a bounty hunter in Hawaii...not that I watched it every week, but it was interesting in a quirky way: at least until the Mexican thing got everyone all worried that he'd rot in a Mexican Jail (right up there with those in Turkey, they say); then Duane used an ethnic slur over and over in reference to his son's girlfriend and got himself pulled from A&E's programming (temporarily). Now, though, storm clouds gather again over Diamond Head as Tim Chapman (a sidekick but no relation) has been arrested for "performing a lewd act while naked" in his pickup. The explanation was simple: he'd spilled orange juice on himself and needed to take off ALL HIS CLOTHES in order to change his pants...thinking all the while the privacy of his truck sheltered him from view of everyone including the mall security guy who tried to arrest him and was almost run over by said pickup on the sidewalk. I mean, really, that happens all the time here in Green Bay. At least "Dog" won't have far to go if Tim decides to skip out on the bond. But more serious television fare (farce)is approaching...and I'm not talking about the New Hampshire primary (though I must say I watched a speech by Mrs. Barack Obama today and was quite impressed. Is she on the ticket?)
Of course, I refer to the transformation of Dr. Phil McGraw starring in the new Transformers movie as he morphs into the Revs. Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton (take your pick).
It seems Dr. Phil appeared unannounced at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles recently to offer counsel to Britney Spears...who wanted NOTHING to do with him. While psychological help might not be out of Brit's future picture...Dr. Phil? I mean, really! Next, he'll be showing up with K-Fed's attorneys asking for custody of the kids. Exactly why a hospital would allow someone of his stature to intrude on a possible locked-ward situation is 'WAY beyond me.
Dr. Phil's rendition of the episode had him counselling Ms. Spears for an hour though news reports indicate it was something less than 15 minutes, and the encounter was him talking and Brit NOT LISTENING, even going so far as to walk away from him (no, he didn't walk her to her car as he says...he followed her as she ran from him). Oh, by the way, the eminent "doctor" did hint that he'd be discussing the case on his show this week as rumor has it that Britney's family will be appearing. This is far worse than anything either of the aforementioned ministers have EVER done. I will grant both of them that they really want to do some good for others even though it seems they intrude far more than is necessary into the spotlight. But this bit of self-aggrandizement puts Phil McGraw right up(down) there with Geraldo Rivera in my mind.
This will definitely free some time this week for me since I will decidedly not be watching the Dr. Phil Extravaganza.