January 2009 Archives

Many families have Super Bowl traditions as the generations gather around the television to watch the biggest football game of the year. It gives families a wonderful opportunity to share their interests and histories and to talk about the skill, determination, teamwork, practice, and courage that go into competing at that level.

Unfortunately, the ads, which have generated almost as much press as the game itself, can lead to a whole other kind of family conversation and not one many parents welcome. Every year, I hear complaints from parents who find themselves getting questions about ED or who find their children imitating the silly or hyper-sexed behavior from alcohol ads.

Common Sense Media has a new report based on a review of the ads in over 50 games with more than 160 hours and more than 5000 commercials.

They found:

• 1 out of every 6 commercials shown contained messages and images that were inappropriate for young kids.
• 40% of the games included advertisements for erectile-dysfunction drugs (Viagra® and Cialis®)
• More than 500 of the ads involved significant levels of violence, including gun fights, explosions and murders.
• 300 of the ads were for alcohol.
• 80 of the ads included significant levels of sexuality, including scenes about prostitution and strippers.
• Nearly half (44.7%) of the violent and sexual ads were promotions by the networks for their own programs.

94% of the mothers polled said that they were concerned about inappropriate television commercials during pro football games. And at least one father agrees:

"I wasn't too happy with ads for erectile-dysfunction drugs popping up every 15 minutes whenever I watched a football game with my daughters in the room."

--President Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope, 2006

The report, called Broadcast Dysfunction: Sex, Violence, Alcohol, and the NFL is well worth reading. And Common Sense Media's site has something even more important -- a direct link to send the NFL a complaint using their draft text or your own words. If this is a concern for you and your family, I urge you to let Commissioner Roger Goodell know how you feel.

I probably shouldn't like the indie comedy "The Deal" as much as I do. There have been plenty of movies spoofing the bizarre wheelings and dealings of the filmmaking process, and many of them have been better than this screwball take on a little known moment in Jewish history. Still, no one plays a loser like William H. Macy, and he has a great supporting cast around him to back up an unlikely movie premise, which means there are just enough lighthearted, satirical moments in this film to make me recommend it as my DVD pick of the week.

I thought I would never ever see a more horrifying example of addiction than "Grease's" Jeff Conaway on "Celebrity Rehab, " vacillating between mindlessly drooling on himself and screaming like a banshee at no one in particular while withdrawing from opiates. Then I tuned in to "Celebrity Rehab Presents: Sober House," "Celebrity Rehab's" younger sibling, and watched with disbelief as former Guns ' n ' Roses drummer, and "Celebrity Rehab 2" alumnus, Steven Adler flailed around the titular "sober living" facility, glassy-eyed one moment, then falling into a stupor the next, after sneaking heroin into the abode.

Yes, the Super Bowl is here! That also means that the Super Bowl Ads are here, the Super Bowl halftime show is here, the extended Super Bowl pre-game and post-game shows are here and, thankfully, the Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast is here. More on that in a minute.

Our Cultural National Holiday is on for Sunday, although--as with our last big holiday--economic nervousness is bringing a reductionist feel to it all. From "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America" to CNN and Fox News, just about every news outlet has featured stories about what NBC's Bob Costas has called "the secondary market," noting that parties are being cancelled, scalpers are reducing prices, and more people are "flying commercial or even driving in," according to one resort owner.

I've only been to one Super Bowl (and loved it) but I really think the day is more fun--and potentially inspiring--in television-nation. And it's less expensive. Here's my list of the best ways to enjoy Super Sunday.

Earlier this month I started a list of favorite "haunting" moments in film. Haunting moments aren't necessarily inspiring in a feel-good, happy ending sense-- though sometimes they can be. Instead they are those cinematic points in time that bring revelation to our souls in some big or small way. Here is my second round of choices --a list considerably darker than my first. As always, continue to share your suggestions in the comment box below!

Witness: Ring the bell
There are two moments in this film that are great visuals of innocence and corruption-- not to mention two different cultures-- colliding. This scene comes at the end of the film when the young boy Samuel saves police officer Book's (Harrison Ford) life by ringing the farm bell and bringing the e other Amish farmers to stop the bad guys-- not with violence-- but by being witnesses to the impending crime.

"Fargo": The Woodchipper
To some, this is going to seem a strange choice, I know. But this is one of the greatest movies about how crime doesn't pay, but there is still no more disturbing, paradoxical scene than when pregnant police officer Marge finally catches one of the criminals as he is rather creatively disposing of his partner's body.