Opinion
Laughing in the face of a crisis
^ m facing a crisis.
To be or not to be funny.
That is the crisis.
Thus far, hordes of people have
come up to me ... well, maybe not
hordes, but a lot... well, maybe not
a lot, but I’ve lost track, so it must be
more than two.
Anyway, these people have come
up to me saying how
much they like my col
umns . . . well, maybe
like is too strong a word.
They say my stuff is...
different.
To be or not to be dif
ferent. That’s the crisis.
I fear that my columns
are merely entertain
ment for those bored souls who flip to
the editorisA page to escape their
professor’s incessant drone.
I’m scared that while I try to be
funny, the message that I’m trying to
get across to those bored souls will be
lost in the farce.
1’ m also afraid that when 1 gel up in
the morning, my bike tires will have
gone flat, I’ll have a bad hair day, and
my VCR won’t have recorded
“Beverly Hills 90210.”
Just when 1 think my life is going
down the lubes, I turn the boob tube to
the lives ofcightCalifornia teens who
face several real-life crises every
week.
Every week, the show deals with
alcoholism or AIDS or suicide ordrugs
or something other hot topic o’ the
decade.
Along with the week’s hot lo^ic,
other regular fillers include Brandon
trying to write something for the school
paper while Andrea dogs him about it
or Luke and Brenda staring steamily
into each others eyes.
Get real.
Like I can believe a hokey story
line that revolves around snotty, well
to-do Rodeo Drive shoppers who prob
ably have never eaten Ramen noodles
or have had to drive a late 1970s
model-compact car that runs on a
prayer.
#.
Just once, I would like to see the
90210 kids try to pay rent with only $5
in checking or be forced to give blood
so they can buy some deodorant.
But let’s face it, “90210” is one of
the hottest shows on television, at
least where the younger generation is
concerned.
And as if one ridiculous show about
attractive young people wasn’t
enough, the networks are bombarding
viewers with more of the same for
mula. According to Rolling Stone’s
fall TV roundup, 23 of 34 new shows
this fall feature teens or
“twcntysomcthings.”
“The Round Table” is a show about
III
m
some attractive young people in Wash
ington, D.C. “Melrose Place” is a
show about some attractive young
people in Los Angeles. “The Heights”
is a show about some attractive young
people in a rock band. And “Covington
Cross” is a show about some attrac
tive young people in the Middle Ages.
Enough already.
I am tired of programs about at
tractive young people who live in
attractive homes with attractiveswim
ming pools, attractive spice racks,
even attractive roaches.
To be or not to be realistic. That’s
their crisis.
I want to sec art that imitates life.
I want to sec shows I can believe. I
want to be a TV star.
Welcome to “Michelle Place,” or
“MP” for short (which also fits nicely
on a T-shirt).
My show wouldn’t deal with con
troversial topics, like safe sex or ani
mal rights or the presidential race.
My show would be about my life as
it really is: --
Here’s the story of a lovely coed
Who was bringing up two very
lovely plants.
One of them had leaves of green,
Like the crabgrass.
The other one was dead.
The TV Guide listing might read
something like this: Michelle arrives
at campus 20 minutes late for her first
class, gets some coffee and hangs out
at the Union. Later, she skips her
second class to take a nap, but her
wacky neighbor keeps coming over in
his bathrobe and asking for “a cup of
something, whatever you got on tap.”
So she gives him some Mace. Mean
while, Michelle’s roommate comes
home and wonders why her boyfriend
next door is screaming.
Yep, no burning social issues here.
Just life, jazzed up a little so I can do
well in the ratings.
My life reads more like a sitcom
than “90210.” It is upbeat, fulfilling
and just a little wacky. It may not be
filled with attractive people, places or
things, but it’s a lot of fun most of the
time.
But there are times when it’s not so
fun — like when I’m forced to deal
with issues such as depression or alco
holism or cancer or AIDS or politics
or racism or relationships. These arc
things that shows like “90210” use to
draw viewers to the tube.
They are things I would like to
address while I have the lime and
weekly newspaper space to do so.
They arc things that keep me awake
some nigbts, worrying and wondering
if there is any hope.
Of course there’s hope — Bob
Hope. Thcre’salso Laurel and Hardy.
Seinfeld. Murphy Brown. In Living
Color.
Although we’re not all attractive
people who can resolve our problems
in an hour (52 minutes if you exclude
commercials), laughter in the face of
our fear makes life much more bear
able.
Crisis averted.
Hope you’re smiling.
Paulman Is a senior history and news
editorial major, ahd a Dally Nebraskan pho
tographer and columns!
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Open up
Education offers glimpse of other cultures
Going to college is supposed to be an experience that
opens students’ eyes to a variety of areas. Students
should learn as much as they can to be able to under
stand a diverse and changing world.
AS UN sees things differently.
The Association of Students of the University of Nebraska
voted Wednesday to withhold support for the tightened admis
sions standards proposed by the UNL Admissions Policy
Advisory Committee. ,
The proposal calls for incoming students to have two more
years of both a foreign language and math. It would require
students to have one more year each of natural science and
social science in high school. Foreign language classes are not
required for admission to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Ryan Swanson, senator for the College of Architecture, said
some students would not have time in their schedules to satisfy
the additional foreign language requirement.
But students need to make time for broadening their hori
zons in ways that no other classes could help them. Students
should not be allowed to hide from a broad-based education
because their degree is demanding.
In a society that is becoming more ethnically diverse every
day, students need to be able to relate to cultures other than
their own. Just one year of a foreign language can open up
students’ eyes to another world, even if it offers them just a
glimpse.
I I
MARS
Men trying to change attitudes about rape
About a dozen men at Iowa State have joined together
with a mission to change society’s thinking about
violence against women.
By initiating a step upward changing what some call our
“rape society,” Men Against Rape and Sexism is proving that
not all individuals arc mute to the problems within America
today.
While it may be surprising that the group is made up only of
men and that their presentations are primarily aimed at males,
this effort tics in to the fact that, according to Federal Bureau
of Investigation reports, one of three women will be affected by
sexual violence in her lifetime.
Although crisis centers have been set up for victims, their
male counterparts who must often deal with the effects of
violence haven’t had an outlet for their feelings. Until now.
MARS volunteers serve as a listening-board for men who
arc affected by rape. The group also addresses the “female”
issue — how women arc seen in the American society today —
and trys to change attitudes.
MARS volunteers find that attitudes in today’s society often
force the blame for the crime on the victim. Not only docs this
affect women’s standing-as individuals but also in the court
systems. . '
women can dc involved in me process oi cnangmg auuuu^
as they want, but it may not be until men talk to men that
attitudes will be reversed. At Iowa State, MARS is a very
positive step forward to advancing our society’s thinking.
— Iowa State Daily
Suff editorials represent the official policy of the Fall 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by
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Letters will be selected for publication on the basis of clarity, originality, timeliness and space
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