Don't Blink Or You'll Miss It

I'm noticing that more and more TV programs, specifically sports talk shows like Pardon The Interruption, are adding this little wrinkle where they show a quick cut-in during a commercial break to give you a "live" look back into the studio. It's usually only about 10 seconds and most of the time it either gives you an idea of what the studio hosts were talking about through the break, is a shot of the hosts receiving instructions from the producer through their earpieces (because two people listening to a person off-screen who you can't hear makes for riveting TV) or sometimes you can get an early look at who the guest during the next segment is going to be. I assume if you ask them the producers would tell you the cut-ins serve as a window into the world of TV, but if forced to give an honest answer those same producers would probably have to admit the cut-ins true purpose in life is to keep you watching through the commercials and not flipping around. The thing is that they are rarely worth sticking around for; they are never particularly interesting, they don't add much to the production and therefore I really wish the stupid things weren't so damn effective on me.

I always stick around and yet I couldn't give you a truly good reason as to why I want to see these stupid little cut-in. Actually, scratch that, I know exactly why I always hang around for the cut-in: there could be one time where they'll have the cut-in and the shot will be of the hosts on their phones, frantically scribbling as everyone runs around trying to create new graphics as they prepare to come back from commercial and blow the lid off of some huge breaking news story. But that has not happened so far and if I were a betting man I would guess it will never happen. Still, it would suck if that did happen and that was the one time I wasn't watching. Because that doubt hangs in the back of my mind, I actually have found myself about to change the channel to see if there is something better going on somewhere else, but then catching myself and hanging around to make sure I don't miss the cut-in. This is extremely stupid behavior on my part. I wish I could make an excuse and say that it hearkens back to the days when I was working in TV production, but I never worked on a show that was interesting enough to warrant cut-ins. The only excuse I have left is that I am nosey. But, seeing as how these cut-ins are popping up on other shows, at least I can be comforted in the knowledge that I can't be the only one.

-Everyone else has weighed in on the flight attendant who went a little nutty yesterday, so here's my two cents: as long as he waited until the plane was on the ground to open the door I don't really have a problem with it. Yes, he probably caused big delays for the plane in getting back to the terminal and therefore screwed up the connecting flights for a couple of passengers, which was a dick move considering not everyone on board was being difficult. That being said, here's the main reason I'm on that guy's side: having worked in customer service I know that the customer is not always right. In fact, most of the time not only is the customer wrong, but they're wrong at the top of their voice. But at least when the customer is wrong in retail you only have to put up with them for a few minutes, try to make them satisfied enough so they'll go away and then once they leave you can spend the rest of the afternoon commiserating with co-workers on what a toolbox that person was. However, when you're on a plane with them you have literally nowhere to go. You're stuck with them for hours at a time. Now, if you don't have the patience to put up with people like that for extended periods of time, perhaps being a flight attendant isn't the best career move for you. But, this guy had been at it for years, so my guess is that this passenger was just particularly bad. (Seriously, if you made a guy who's been doing this for that long snap like that perhaps you need to take a long look in the mirror, lady.) So yeah the guy will get fired, but the passenger should be in some trouble as well.