I sent some feedback on C4's website asking why they hadn't scheduled The Daily Show this week as new episodes are being broadcast this week in the US. I received the following response:

"Greetings,

Brace yourself! For reasons currently unknown (to me... And everyone I have so far enquired with at least) C4 have decided not to pick up The Daily Show for 2010.

I wish I had better news for you...

Regards
TV3 and C4"

At least clips are available online, but I'm disappointed.

So let us direct our EML-related love and/or scorn here.

I'm currently feeling amorous towards the photo of Jeremy as Clint Brown in the doorway with the black eye.

It has alerted me to the existence of "Deadliest Warrior" – an American programme which scientifically answers the age-old question "Who would win in a pirate vs ninja battle?"

It probably helps if you have friends in England who regularly send you videotapes of British telly, but there are enough clips and context to enjoy the show on its own.

Of course, you'll also need friends in England to get hold of episodes of YHBW, but I hear the YewChoobs might have it too.

Series four of Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is currently screening in the UK. Screenwipe is a bit like Eating Media Lunch, only because it's the BBC, it has a slightly higher low budget.

In this episode, Brooker took a look at television news, including the modern phenomenon of the 24-hour news channels who need to find stuff to occupy all that time.

And amid the humour and anger is a short made by Adam Curtis ("The Power of Nightmares") about TV reporters over the ages.

It's based around British news, but there's a lot New Zealand TV viewers can get from it.

Part two, part three.

Seems to confirm what elder siblings will perhaps claim to have intrinsically understood since the arrival of younger siblings.

The Colbert Report starts on NZ television on Wednesday ... apparently Sky now has a Comedy Central channel (...that won't be airing The Daily Show ).

Hat-tip: TV Tattle

Read here. Seriously, do.

The following words are from the TED website:

Barry Schwartz makes a passionate call for "practical wisdom" as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us, incentives often backfire, and practical, everyday wisdom will help rebuild our world.

For some reasons the words "Barack Obama" and "Nanny state" spring to mind.

Audio of the entire documentary might be available here.

So instead of snappy 8 minutes of Prof Tetlock that the BBC have hidden, here's a much more in depth look at the insights and the many wrinkles that exist gathered from nearly 2 decades studying the accuracy of political forecasts.

I think the distinction between hedgehogs and foxes is an important one to understand and develop.

So here's a link to the Weekly News Review from SW Radio Africa covering the
cholera outbreak, the delay to the start of the 2009 academic year, the political situation, torture & abduction allegations.... Eye opening is not the word.

It is Stephen Fry's "podgram" regarding Language, which seems to play only in the embedded player from the earideas page.

Alas I was unable to determine what I needed to do to listen directly from Mr Fry's own site, but it seems an excessively complicated process was required.

In this revealing documentary, Stephen Fry investigates the story of one of the most important machines ever invented – the Gutenberg Press.

Somewhat blurring the line between reality television and documentary, an experiment is conducted in which 3 leading mental health experts are asked to identify mental illness in group of 10 volunteers, half of whom have previously been diagnosed with a form of mental illness.

The program perhaps inspired by David Rosenhan's fascinating experiment in 1972 and by Lauren Slater's controversial re-examination in 2004 of the impact Rosenhann's experiment (also fascinating).

part 1

part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5SWQJWm6Tg

McCain does his bit too, and has a good appreciation of 'timing':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irXS4Q7mUKQ

And then Palin does a bit on Saturday Night Live (2 clips, via Huffington Post)

see them here

I thought Palin was particularly stunning on SNL (much as I hate her politics) her performance skills are great – compare hers with Alec Baldwin, who couldn't even look at her. (Maybe he was just reading an autocue)

Do they owe Nicky Hager a pint or two for the name (or T S Elliot for that matter)?

1. The Wire: After being Wire-less for too long, TV2 belatedly resumes the outstanding crime drama from its fourth season (the fifth, and final, is screening in the United States). In focusing on children as the biggest casualty of civic corruption and urban decay, USA Today said this season "triumphs both as art and indictment."

Tv2, 12.25am, Tuesday.

I can't see it listed on tvnz's on-line schedule, however. Not tonight/tomorrow, or this morning when I'd have missed it, or next Monday/Tuesday morning.

Fiona (or anyone) got the details?

It's not because Jeremy Clarkson is a smug prick (though that does influence my decision a lot), it's because he's a critic. See, I love car shows like Monster Garage, where people who live and breathe mechanical art put together beautiful machines that thunder and roar and look like 100mph while standing still.

It's like the difference between an art show that talks to art critics and an art show that talks to artists.

For this reason I was able to understand why I can watch shows like Project Runway and Top Chef but can't stand shows like Survivor. The people in Runway and Chef have talent. Real, honest to gods, talent!

Even the person voted out (or whatever) on the first show is more talented at what they do than I will ever be. Same goes with Monster Garage (and it's bretheren like American Chopper). Every week a new group of experts in their field would come in and design and build something spectacular. And the best episodes are not the ones...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bDQl9ueNfg

NBC will probably kill the link a.s.a.p. so try also the link via Huffington Post

"A Republican [lawyer] in Alabama says Karl Rove asked her to try to prove the state's Democratic governor was unfaithful to his wife in an effort to thwart the highly successful politician's re-election," CBS's Scott Pelley reports for 60 Minutes. "Rove's attempt to smear Don Siegelman was part of a Republican campaign to ruin him that finally succeeded in imprisoning him, says the operative, Jill Simpson." Hat tip: HuffPo

Republicans Take Down Don Seigelman – Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5SU2i48_m4

Republicans Take Down Don Seigelman – Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG-jAg5Z_Vk