Let's Talk TV

Well, there's no shortage of television here - though I haven't asked the ultimate TV consumers if there are massive numbers of TV channels like DirectTV and Comcast etc. provide.

At the hotel, there's a window on the world. I've found channels in English, Russian, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish (or maybe Bulgarian or Hungarian) and Arabic. There are probably more, but I haven't figured them out yet.

From our great American storehouse of programming (!) - there's MTV, National Geographic, Hallmark, VH1, ESPN and CNN World News channels. There's also BBC Prime.

Individual American programs can be found on various stations - sometimes dubbed, but mostly with Hebrew and sometimes Arabic subtitles. The programs that are dubbed are usually those coming on other foreign language channels, not the Israeli stations.

On the MideastTV (METV) station - which is clearly a CBN-type station - you can find many of the programs from yesteryear -- Lassie (with Timmy etc.), then June Lockhart shows up again in Lost in Space (check out the start of it - looks just like the ATT logo from about 5 years ago), Cisco Kid (I kid you not!), the Lone Ranger, Bonanza and then some Hollywood movies - black and white. The one I saw a part of starred that famous couple - Madge Evans and Bruce Cabot!! Definitely not the A-list from the 30's and 40's!

It's been interesting to see how the English from programs such as Gilmore Girls, Seinfeld, Friends (programs from earlier in the series - boy, do they look young!), and Days of Our Lives are rendered in Hebrew.

There are plenty of American kids programs that are dubbed in Hebrew and then have subtitles, too. Programs like Dora the Explorer, Arthur, Pokemon and more.

There was a great program on Lebanese TV last night. Very basic premise. It was men against women. I don't know if they were stars of some kind, but they did have that shiny "I'm good looking" sense about them. Each of the teams of 4 men and 4 women had an audience of about 40 or so (same gender) backing them up in this endeavor. Then there was an additional studio audience.

So, the players had their hands resting on the big red button (think Family Feud) and a DJ began to play a snippet of a song. The first to give the right title got the point - and then, everybody started singing the main part of the song. Lots of hamming it up, etc.

What song stumped them all? Que Sera Sera by Doris Day!!!!! But once they figured it out, everyone was able to sing along and ham it up. The next song to stump the players for quite a while - until the lyrics began - was Rock Around the Clock. Again, everyone was able to chime in. Oh, yes, the lyrics were at the bottom of the screen - whether in Arabic or in English.

Finally, the program ended with a sexy star singing her new hit and lots of young women dancing in a belly dance, Middle Eastern style.

It's a very clear indication that Arabic language does not equal Muslim extremismt or even traditional Muslim life. If you were paying any attention to the news you would have heard about the Turkish elections and the concerns by the secular public about an Islamization of their government.

Plus, don't' forget, there are Lebanese Christians, Druse etc., as well as Muslims.

Oh, I almost forgot. The end of the program, before the star sang, was a competition between the men and women - each having their turn to go first - trying to identify the differences between two very similar photos. Basic stuff - but a lot of fun was garnered from it all.

I have seen in multiple languages bits and pieces of programs that look like variations on Deal or No Deal, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, and Are You Smarter Than 5th Graders?

We export a lot more than defense technology to the rest of the world - for good or ill - in both cases.

BTW - the only American fast food commercials I have seen are for KFC. But I've not seen their restaurants around here. But - yummy McDonald's (kosher) at the school student cafeteria. I'll blog another time about the great corn nuggets.

Have fun and get out from in front of the TV and enjoy your family and the summer!! From all that it sounds like, I've only picked this up skimming channels looking for news. I have not been hibernating in front of the TV!!

Rabbi Heath