channel surfing

Abbott and Costello were on the TV again, doing that same tired routine…

“I don’t care about Who.”  The TV didn’t respond and I wasn’t too surprised by that.  Then again, it was just that kind of day when the TV might have responded and I wouldn’t have been too surprised by that either.  Regardless, I changed the channel to see what (second base) else was on.

The unmistakeable vocals of Sarah McLachlan filled the space between the set and where I sat on the couch.  The beauty of her voice was discordant with the message and images from the commercial.  “I don’t care about who?”  I had already rescued two kittens from a shelter.  I had done my part and didn’t need to be reminded about the countless animals being abused and abandoned so I changed the channel again.

Tommy, the pinball wizard, was showcasing his talents, never letting that ball fall.  I let Daltrey’s voice pound into me for a minute, appreciating Townshend’s powerful guitar chords, and then changed the channel again.  “I don’t care about Who.”  That wasn’t entirely true, obviously, but I was certain I could find something better on.  “A comedy perhaps…  I don’t know (third base).”

The talking heads were telling me all about the day’s travesties and tragedies.  “I don’t care about who?”  That’s all it every really boiled down to most days.  I knew I should pay attention, that I should linger long enough to catch some details and feel empathetic toward their plights, but I’d had a rough day too and wanted to unwind, let go of my work stress, to have some me time.  I changed the channel again.

A different set of talking heads were extolling the importance of proper hygiene, hydration, and health care in third world countries.  “I don’t care about WHO.”  Once again, that wasn’t entirely true, but I wasn’t in the mood to see what project the World Health Organization was currently tackling.  Maybe I would be in a better frame of mind to listen to their pitch tomorrow (pitcher).

Frustrated, defeated, I turned the TV off.  I thought about turning back to the Abbott and Costello routine.  Sure I had seen it a thousand times, sure I could say it word for word, but it was still a classic.  It was still funny and might have provided the entertainment I was craving.

“I don’t give a darn (shortstop).”

I was tired of having the TV on anyway, got off the couch, and went to grab a ball and my glove.  For some reason I felt like playing baseball.  I just wondered if I would find someone who would play first base…

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It’s that time again.  This was written in response to another Prompts for the Promptless provided by the one and only Rara.  The first running gag I thought of was Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on first” routine.  It is by far one of my favorite sketches of comedy genius.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

A running gag is a literary device (usually a funny reference, or silly joke) that appears repeatedly throughout a work.

• More at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_gag
• Specific Examples at TV Tropes: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RunningGag

Suggested Prompts:

• Create an alternate definition for a “running gag”
• Write a post utilizing a running gag
• Make a list of your favorite running gags in entertainment
• Talk about a specific running gag and why you enjoy it or dislike it
• Is there a running gag on your blog? Point it out!