Television Addicts

[christianpfc]

I currently do not own a TV (I watch TV on a TV in a kitchen I share with others). When I was living in England (2007-2010, no own TV, I watched on TV in common room), I used to watch "Dragon's Den" (a series where budding entrepreneurs present their business ideas to multi-millionaires asking for money in exchange for a share in their company) which I found very interesting (some strange business ideas and a very direct language, bar of political correctness). "Embarrassing Bodies", where people sought professional advice for body features that were not directly an ailment or a disease, but very embarassing (as the title says), was interesting. I never heard most of the titles mentioned by other posters above.

Now I only watch the one or the other movie, or documentations on arte (a German-French combined project, that is aired in German in Germany and in French in France), usually about nature or animals or history or science.

[fountainhall]

"Embarrassing Bodies", where people sought professional advice for body features that were not directly an ailment or a disease, but very embarassing (as the title says), was interesting.

It's run here on True Visions (Channel 17 in Bangkok).

[fountainhall]

This is slightly off topic, but refers back to the mangling of English by some TV commentators.

I recently saw this rather fun strangulation of the English language in a new book about opera. It is allegedly a synopsis of the popular opera Carmen taken from a programme of the Opera in Genoa. Even if you know nothing about opera or Carmen other than this opera features a cigarette factory and toreadors, this might just enlighten you. All you need to know in advance is that the heroine is, of course, Carmen, a beautiful worker at the cigarette factory. Her first love is the handsome soldier Don Jose, but he's poor. Her second love is the handsome toreador Escamillio - and he's rich!

Act 1. Carmen is a cigar-makeress from a tabago factory who loves with Don Jose of the mounting guard. Carmen takes a flower from her corsets and lances it to Don Jose (Duet: 'Talk me of my mother'). There is a noise inside the tabago factory and the revolting cigar-makeresses burst into the stage. Carmen is arrested and Don Jose is ordered to mounting guard her but Carmen subduces him and he lets her escape.

Act 2. The Tavern. Carmen's aria ('The sistrums are tinkling'). Enter Escamillio, a balls-fighter. Enter two smuglers (Duet: 'We have in mind a business') but Carmen refuses to penetrate because Don Jose has liberated her from prison. He just now arrives (Aria: 'Stop, here who comes!') but hear are the bugles singing his retreat. Don Jose will leave and draws his sword. Called by Carmen shrieks the two smuglers interfere with her but Don Jose is bound to dessert, he will follow into them (final chorus: 'Opening sky wandering life').

Act 3. A roky landscape, the smuglers shelter. Carmen sees her death in cards and Don Jose makes a date with Carmen for the next balls fight.

Act 4. A place in Seville. Procession of balls-fighters, the roaring of the balls is heard in the arena. Escamillio enters (Aria and chorus: 'Toreador, toreador, all hail the balls of a Toreador'). Enter Don Jose (Aria: 'I do not threaten, I besooch you') but Carmen repels him, wants to join with Escamillio now chaired by the crowd. Don Jose stabbs her (Aria: 'Oh rupture, rupture, you may arrest me, I did kill her') he sings 'Oh my beautiful Carmen, my subductive Carmen.'"

[RichLB]

This is slightly off topic

Slightly off topic? I don't see even a tangential connection.

[fountainhall]

I don't see even a tangential connection.

The connection - loose though it be - is with two of the posts on the first page of the thread -

I find some of the pronunciation of English by supposedly native English speakers appalling

I do have to agree with Fountainhall about pronunciation

[Captain Kirk]

As I'm watching tv now I can barely believe I forgot to mention one of the biggest irritants over here. I refer of course to this ridiculous nonsense of blurring out anything the character has sticking in his mouth whether it be a gun, cigarette, pen or toothpick. Don't understand what that's about myself.

[lvdkeyes]

I remember seeing a program that involved a wedding. The Thai censors apparently thought the bride's dress was too low cut and showing too much breast. It was blurred out.