Unusual images on my TV screen

Couch kamotes like me get a daily overload of all sorts of in-your-face TV images, each striving mightily to upstage the others and win my undivided attention. Alas, the barrage is often a blur—and no single image or “moment” stands out.

Once in a rare while, however, a truly choice or droll image does make an idiosyncratic impression, and we gratefully take special note of them today.

For starters, a recent reality TV feature was telecast on a “20 Funniest” sort of video compilation that really hit the spot in terms of unexpected caustic spice and zing!

It posed the intriguing question, “What do our designated home defenders, our ‘fearless’ pet dogs, actually do when we aren’t at home and a burglar is trying to break into our middle-class palace?”

The show positioned a number of CCTV cameras to find out the real score and in most of the cases recorded in the “experiment,” not only did the “guard” dogs not drive the burglars away—they actually welcomed them with eager, waggy-waggy enthusiasm! How can the world’s doggie population live that humiliating exposé down?

Lonely diner

Next, on Korean TV, an unusual show was highlighted that appealed greatly to a particular niche audience—people who ate their meals alone, with nobody to interact with—straight out of Lonely Planet, right?

Well, this particular TV show had the solution to their problem: Its female host-producer taped herself as she prepared a yummy meal and ate it with great gusto, inviting the unseen viewer to enjoy it with her!

And, judging from the story response that the unique show is getting, it’s a certified hit! For lonely eaters only? That isn’t such a bad thing because there are so many of them—so, keep the shared bites and chummy, yummy ad-libs coming!

Our third novel TV feature isn’t droll or wackily unusual, but due attention and approval must be paid, because it pushes back traditional “limits” when it comes to choosing hosts for TV travel features:

The BBC’s “Travel Show” has just announced that its latest occasional program host and tour leader is Ade Adepitan—a Paralympics athlete with only one leg! Isn’t that a contradiction in terms, a travel show host who has a locomotion impediment and limitation?

Precisely, the production is making a vigorous point to prove that physical disability need not be a built-in limitation to people who want to savor the joy and freedom of travel!

If it succeeds, it shall have proven an important point—and encouraged other disabled people to rise above their “limitations” and—travel free!

In time, we hope that the BBC’s innovative and inspiring move will result in the production of a show that highlights “differently-abled” people, courageous individuals who haven’t allowed their physical problems to restrict their options in life.

Should such a program be produced—on local TV, why not? We hope that it features the Filipino-American woman (Jessica Cox) who learned how to fly a plane even if she had no arms! We also have friends who haven’t allowed their being wheelchair-bound to prevent themselves from doing many things for other people. So, the “differently-abled” showcase should honor them, as well!