TV

An ad to promote eating lamb on Australia Day in 2016, has come under fire. Quite literally, because it contained a scene with what some have dubbed “a blow torch” (although it’s more of a flamethrower) and a vegan. Chargrilling vegetables is fine. It could even be considered gourmet if using a blow torch on them. Flamethrowers, that’s more of a grey area. Allusions to using an incendiary device on people, less fine, as far as complainants are concerned. Lee Lin Chin, whose day job as a serious journalist and television presenter for SBS in Australia, hasn’t stopped her capacity for self-parody and satire outside of work. If anything, Lee Lin Chin’s social media presence involving having a sense of humour has helped to build her profile in the public eye. Which likely made her seem a great idea for Meat and Livestock Australia’s advertising campaign for Australia Day 2016. ...

Struggle Street, the documentary which initially aired on Australia’s SBS has had its fair share of controversy. Before the show even made it to air, commentary about the ads for the documentary were rife. Namely about how it depicted those people in it and the suburb of Mount Druitt in a negative light. Some claimed it was “poverty porn” a voyeuristic thrill of watching those in a worse position than themselves. A peek over to the wrong side of the tracks to check in on how the Joneses weren’t keeping up. Garbage trucks blockaded the SBS Sydney offices in protest over the show. Then it aired, and it appeared it wasn’t quite as one-sided and biased as those outraged by the initial ads suspected. It elicited sympathy. A look into something different, seen through different eyes. That the cycle of poverty can be complex, and there’s no easy answers to ...

“Giving up voice acting on The Simpsons? Even Mr Burns, Ned Flanders, and Principal Skinner?” “They all come from the same voice actor-” “Sure, some wonderful, magical voice actor…” His name is Harry Shearer, and his voice acting has formed an integral part of The Simpsons since the show began back in 1989. Now though, it seems it’s all coming to an end. Beyond Homer’s boss and evangelical neighbour, Harry Shearer also voices characters such as Dr. Hibbert, Kent Brockman, Lenny Leonard, Otto Mann, Rainier Wolfcastle, Reverend Lovejoy, and others. In short, his voices form a huge chunk of the Springfieldians. Fans of the show are still reeling. Some suspect it’s a conspiracy by the Rand Corporation, in conjunction with the saucer people, under the supervision of the reverse vampires… Others are marvelling at the show’s ability to apparently predict its own future: While others still are trying to sift through ...

Who Was England’s Greatest Prime Minister? The question is admittedly a little misleading, since there’s only going to be a choice of two here: Pitt the Elder versus Lord Palmerston. First a bit of background, even if it’s known what’s coming. Pitt the Elder William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham, also known as “the Great Commoner” was described as an aloof individual and a commanding speaker. Although only holding the office of Prime Minister for two years (1766-68), his political career was both far longer and more contentious. Mainly in part due to the wars over the period, tensions with the British colonies including America, and divergent views between the people and the monarchy at the time. He also gave the world the following quote: “Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.” Variants of which are still used today (though the concept ...

The Eleventh Doctor to Leave Matt Smith, the actor behind the current Doctor Who (and the Eleventh Doctor) recently announced that he will be quitting the show. Series 7 ended with a cliff-hanger and the caption: INTRODUCING JOHN HURT AS THE DOCTOR Will John Hurt be the Twelfth Doctor? Probably not, but that’s travelling ahead in time anyway. Given that the show began running back in 1963 on the BBC, it has needed a means to shift between the actors playing Doctor Who. However, this is accepted because as a Time Lord, Doctor Who has the ability to regenerate when near death.  Each time he is effectively reborn, there is the retention of the past personalities, the memories and the shared consciousness, yet the new incarnation will have its own characteristics as well. Whether it is that Time Lords can only regenerate the suggested 12 times remains to be seen. ...