We hear a lot about America’s obesity epidemic. One-third of America’s children are overweight or obese. McDonald’s is under fire again, and soda machines are being removed from schools.
I am hearing a lot about something else — Nikki Blonsky, star of the new ABC Family series, Huge. Nikki Blonsky, I hear, is a wonderful role model for young people because she embraces her “plus-size” frame. Nikki Blonsky is perfectly content with Nikki Blonsky, so everyone else should shut up and deal with it.
This is all very confusing. Lard — love it or leave it?
*****
I thought I might make an eyebrow-raising point (as opposed to, say, a hair-raising comment). I thought I might complain about the disturbing shift in Hollywood from adult-oriented movies to kiddie fare. Fifty years ago, I thought, we had more mature movies. Today, we are inundated with Shrek, Toy Story, Marmaduke, Despicable Me, and superheroes. Surely, that kind of thing was unheard of in the 1960s. I looked it up.
Here are the top ten grossing films from the 1960s, in descending order: The Sound of Music, 101 Dalmations, The Jungle Book, Doctor Zhivago, The Graduate, Mary Poppins, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, My Fair Lady, Thunderball, Funny Girl.
Rats. So much for my argument. Two cartoons, one live-action kiddie flick, and three family-friendly musicals. Just for kicks, I looked at the 1950s. The top of the list was dominated by Disney cartoons. I give up. Kiddies rule, and kiddies have always ruled.
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If Saturday Night Live doesn’t have a hilarious skit tonight about the Mel Gibson-Oksana Grigorieva freak show, I will give up on Saturday Night Live.
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I suddenly have a craving for McDonald’s and the Sound of Music.