On the rare occasion we'll catch The National on CBC, the one channel where we get Canadian news and, hopefully, without the satellite hiccups so annoyingly provided by our cable company.
Two nights ago, we were watching a Canadian correspondent with a live report from Chile who was describing the recent dramatic events surrounding the rescue of the trapped miners. He recapped the events of the mine's collapse and elaborated on the current situation at the mine where many family and friends were gathering. To paraphrase, the reporter said, "the atmosphere here has become almost carnival like. Rescue efforts will continue throughout the night. The clowns are expected to arrive tomorrow." [Live report ends]
WTF?? They're going to send in the clowns??
Last night we again watched the CBC news - mostly to find out the purpose of the aforementioned grease-painted personnel and, while waiting on the follow-up news bite of the Chilean rescue efforts, another foreign correspondent was reporting on a situation of a military conflict that I believe was somewhere in Africa. I was in the other room during the story, not really paying much attention, and the only words I heard were, "...more crisis arises in this unpopular war". Since when is war ever "popular"??
Immediately after that story, the rescue update was aired with video coverage taped earlier in the day. Yes, there were clowns. And, what was not made clear the night before, they were there to entertain the family and friends of the trapped miners, not the miners themselves.
I don't mean to make light of the unfortunate use of words or phrasing by these reporters - on the contrary, their missteps brought a bit of levity into stories that are otherwise sad and dire, but without detracting from the serious nature of those situations. Shit happens. And, apparently, so do clowns.
Thank you. I'll be here all week.
I think they should send the clowns to the war zone. Think of what they'll save on equipment. You can fit 25 clowns in each tank!
ReplyDeletedufus: Ha, ha! It brings to mind that "Picture of The Day" blog you have (the one which shows the clown)! Yes, what they save on equipment they can surely spend on Depends! (Oh, and of course, the tanks would have to be make by Volkswagon!)
ReplyDelete;-)
I don't like clowns. I have one on my blog that got punched. I think he deserved it.
ReplyDeleteYea for the rescue efforts!
I find it more and more difficult to watch the news as well.
ReplyDeleteIt's all so overwhelming.
And that's without clowns!
It could be much worse: there could be clowns.
*grin*
Reffie: I never liked clowns either, except for Red Skelton's version.
ReplyDeleteAnd *knocks on wood*, the rescue effort is going smoothly so far.
Quirks: Heh, heh. If they had clowns reporting the local news, it might not be so depressing after all!
ReplyDelete;-)
I was glued to CNN for 24 hours watching the rescue of the Chilean miners. Most newscasters are clowns (but without the greasepaint). One poor miner had a wife and a mistress and they were trying to ascertain which one the lady who greeted him when he came out was. Say what? Who cares!
ReplyDeleteI've always said that every mine rescue should have a clown.
ReplyDeleteLinda: Ha! We watched the first miner being rescued and, throughout the time he was loaded into the capsule to the time he arrived at the top, there was a newscaster with a British accent describing the situation - he was so animated in doing so, it sounded like he was calling a soccer match! It was hilarious.
ReplyDeleteWe missed the rescue of the miner with the wife & mistress, but heard he had invited BOTH of them to the site. Oy!
Ziva: Heh, heh. And maybe a Mariachi band?
ReplyDelete;-)
I don't care what anyone says... clowns are scary and should not be allowed anywhere!
ReplyDeleteCatLady: Yeah, I was kinda scratchin' my head at that creepiness too. I only saw the one clown in the next newscast and he looked more like a Mardi Gras jester - so, not so creepy.
ReplyDeleteThe CBC has been known for it's conservative approach to the news. In their re-branding efforts in recent years they have tried to modernize and allow their reporters to stray from the usual reporting of the facts and start showing some personality. Or it just may have been a bad reporter.
ReplyDeleteShawn: Welcome! I can't imagine it's easy for anyone having to think on their feet in a live report in the middle of such distracting activity. I commend those reporters that have to, including those mentioned in my post. I didn't say they were bad reporters, just probably a little flabbergasted.
ReplyDeleteAs for the CBC, it's a good thing they didn't send its clown, Rick Mercer.
;-)
That mining rescue in Chile was a media 'circus' from the beginning, complete with clowns and profiteers. It's awesome that they were rescued and I hope the miners themselves get compensated, but yeah, it really says something about the world we live in.
ReplyDeleteCheesyMike: I couldn't agree with you more and I was quite hesitant to run with the circus thing, so to speak, since none of the miners had yet been rescued. Heh, heh, in hindsight, the CBC reporter wasn't so far off, eh?
ReplyDelete;-)
The mining company has, apparently, filed for bankruptcy but it's reported that all the miners will be compensated in one way or another, in addition to being approached for book and movie rights, as well as endorsements. Yes, this is the world we now live in.
Came over here from Nonamedufus's place because I liked your caption to "Pause, Ponder and Park." I'm a Canadian too and I always like following other Canadian bloggers - I feel "in" on all the cultural reference jokes. Just don't get me started on the CBC. - G
ReplyDeleteGeorgina: Welcome fellow Hoser! And thank you! Yeah, unfortunately, we only get CBC for Canadian news here. When we can catch it, we rely on the Rick Mercer Report to keep us up to date on the other stuff. Heh, heh.
ReplyDeleteThe only other thing the CBC has going for it (well, actually most of the Canadian stations), is that they don't censor language, etc. if they can help it.
I'll drop by your place, too!
There were clowns? Really? Did they make balloon animals? Can you seriously imagine coming up from the ordeal of being trapped underground for all that time to the glare of camera lights in your face and such a circus atmosphere? And I heard only the mistress showed up.
ReplyDelete"Unpopular war." That's hysterical.
Jayne: Really!! We had to wait until the next day's broadcast to make sure that, a) we didn't hear it incorrectly, but mostly, b) that the reporter wasn't being sarcastic.
ReplyDeleteLike another commenter said, it was a total media cirus, clowns or no clowns.
;-)
"Unpopular war" - yep, there's a bell you cannot unring. Hell, I've choked on my own heel a few times myself, but never on national television (thank whatever god!).
I think they should make clowns fight all our wars. Fewer clowns, and funner fights. It would be a win-win situation.
ReplyDeleteBonyMike! Glad to have you back! Ha, ha - I can picture it: Cream pie catapults, tart slingshots and water baloon grenades! Oh, and a baloon Trojan horse, of course.
ReplyDelete;-)