MTV loses
viewer to
new dream
Remember when “I want my _
MTV” was the “in” phrase that
would let you hang out with the
popular kids in the neighborhood,
Martha Quinn was oozing with
coolness and you could sit and
watch music television all day and
never once have the itch to touch
the remote?
MTV, what the hell has hap
pened to you?
There was a time, in my rosy
childhood, when my brother and
asters and I would all run in the
house, every hour, on the hour, from
playing kick the can or some other
endlessly entertaining game and
click on the tube.
we wouia turn me i v irom
Channel 12 (clean, wholesome edu
cational TV) to Channel 15 (what
my mom described as sordid) and
watch Michael Jackson turn from
skinny guy at the movies with his
girlfriend to superfreak Wolfman.
Those were the days. That had to
have been when I developed my
life-long dream: to work at a shoe
store and have three guys on mo
torcycles drive up, look at my legs,
take off my glasses and whisk me
away.
But everything in life changes,
right? Somewhere between watch
ing “Thriller” and getting ready to
graduate from college, MTV has
changed from a close, familiar
friend to a complete stranger.
And it has been a hard break
up. The most disappointing fact has
to be that I have matured (or think I
have), but MTV has actually di
gressed. What seemed at one time
to hold the key to everlasting knowl
edge about how life was supposed
to be has turned into bad shows and
hopelessly unhip VJ’s like Thbitha
Soren trying to seriously interview
Bob Dole in the back of a Grey
hound.
Why aid MTV suddenly decide
to take itself seriously? The most
revolting example I have of this has
-got to be “The Real World.” An idea
with promise (in theory): take a
bunch of Gen-Xers from across
America, put them in an MTV
decorated apartment and wa-la —
interesting conversation and wacky
events are sure to develop.
Can MTV be saved? I think a
step in the right direction would be
if they give die faddy duddies like
*0! Tabitha the boot and hand the
mike over to Kennedy. Yes, I said
Kennedy. While many of you out
there love to hate ha, I would say
she has more personality in ha vir
ginal toe than Tfcbby or Kurt Loda.
Another word of wisdom: go
back to playing videos. Sadly, the
reason most of us fell in love with
MTV no longer exists and the tenn
music television has become an
oxymoron.
Until these changes are in place,
Til keep hoping for those motor
cycle guys. w
Thoms is a senior news-editorial
major and Daily Nebraskan arts _
and enter—to"—* editor.
By Chris Bendet
Staff Reporter
Rest and relaxation are two words
seldom synonymous with college stu
dents constantly on the go. But mere is
one alternative, a place so quiet and
relaxing it’ll take you away. No, this
isn’t a bubble bath advertisement, but
it is close.
The Tubbery, 818 P St., in
Lincoln’s Haymarket, is a quaint
heaven away from the stress and pres
sures of life. In a town with plenty of
bars and movie theaters, The Tbbbery
offers a steamy alternative to the mo
notony of the same old, same old.
“It’s a unique, creative date idea.
People come in here for their anniver
sary or whatever,” said Mike Siffring,
owner of The Ttibbery. “Most of our
business is from word-of-mouth.
People come in and tell their friends,
‘you’ve got to try this out. ’” V -
The business does not fit into any
niche already filled in Lincoln. It has
hot tubs, but it’s not a health club. Visi
tors can bring alcohol, bat it’s not a bar.
Four separate rooms rented by the hour
make up The Tubbery with hot tubs and
other added luxuries.
“For some, it is romantic. For some,
maybe it isn’t We have everyone from
faculty members to 18-year-olds,” said
Siffring. “It’s just a unique, hot-tubbing
experience. And it’s cheaper than buy
ing a hot tub.”
Originally opened in 1983, The
Tubbery has changed hands since the
first owner and is now owned and op
erated by Siffring, a UNL third-year
law student He bought the business
from his brother, Monte, two years ago.
“It’s become a family-run business. My
mom even works here during the day,”
Siffring said.
From the outside, it seems as if the
hot tub rooms must be tiny and
cramped. Once inside the room, how
ever, visitors will find that each is spa
cious and comfortable.
Each of four private rooms is
equipped with a hot tub and a shower
so visitors can rinse off after tubbing.
In the tub, visitors can sit and soak in
the 102 degree water while listening
Aaron steckelberg/dn
to the music provided.
Three tubs that hold two to four
visitors each are available, as well as
one giant six-to-eight person “party”
tub. Pop is available at the front desk
and visitors are welcome to bring any
thing to eat or drink. Alcohol is allowed
for those over 21.
“We’ve even had people order piz
zas and bring them in and that’s fine,”
Siffring said.
The sanitary conditions of the tubs
are frequently asked questions by visi
tors, he said.
“We have a reputation that’s really
impeccable as far as sanitary use.
We’ve been here 13 years and never
had any problems,” Siffring said.
The Tubbery is regulated by the
state and inspected by employees ev
ery two to four hours for cleanliness.
Two pool filters are used and the
chemical Bromelain takes care of other
bacteria.
For the amount of rest and therapy
found at The Tubbery, prices are rea
sonable. Before 6 pan., adults get in
for $6.25 an hour. After 6 pjn., the
price goes up to $8.75 per hour.
“If you have children and want to
bring them along, go ahead,” he said.
Children under 12 and under get in
for a $3 an hour and children under 6
are admitted free.
The TUbbery also has dinner pack
ages for a romantic evening. The pack
ages include dinner for two at the
Ramada Haymarket Restaurant and an
hour of hot tubbing at $40 to $50 de
pending on the price of the meal.
Monthly packages are available for
$29.95.
The Tubbery is open Monday
through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 10
pan., Friday and Saturday from noon
to midnight and Sunday from 4 p.m. to
lO.pjn. Walk-ins are welcome, but
Siffring recommends making an ap
pointment for weekends.
:an 18th century 'clueless comedy
Film stands out from rest of British period piece pack
ByTari Miller
Film Critic
If you’re looking for a good "gun
at your head, let’s have sex and smoke
crack” movie, you’ve probably never
heard of "Emma.” But if you’ve read
Jane Austen’s novel of the same name,
or don’t mind sitting two hours to
watch an elegant and beautiful film,
you may want to take a look.
Douglas McGrath directs this tale
of richly-colored fairy land inl&heen
tury London, which is home to Emma
Woodhouse (played by Gwyneth
“Swan Neck” Paltrow, who proves she
just might be able to do roles other than
the passive victim).
Enma is the wealthy, &ir and fesh
ionable matchmaker of the town. A bit
shallow but good-hearted, Emma at
tempts to hock up the new-in-town and
shy Harriet Smith (Tbni Collette) with
socially acceptable Mr. Elton. Natu
rally, things get entertaining.
Harriet falls for a farm boy, who
Emma sees as lesser in value. Emma
tries to persuade Harriet into felling in
love with Mr. Elton. Mr. Elton fells
far Emma. Emma falls for the suave
and hunky Frank Churchill. Harriet
also falls in love with Frank. The love
triangles just keep multiplying.
If the {dot sounds at all familiar, it’s
because die ’90s version is “Clueless,”
where the incessantly shallow Alicia
Silverstone plays Cher (Emma).
Overall, the film is slow and all talk,
no action, Idee most British time pieces.
Fortunately, the cinematography is
breathtaking with vibrant hues and lurii
woods as the seasons change around
the characters’ fruit-picking, carriage
strolling and cross-stitching scenes.
There’s a couple of funny moments
worth chuckling at as well.
The ending is no big surprise, but
it may cause a warm frizzy feeling no
matter how hard you try to avoid it If
Film: “Emma”
Stars: Gwyneth Paltrow, Toni
Collette, Jeremy Northam
Director: Douglas McGrath
Rating: PG
Grade: C
Five Words: Dancing girls and
- lotsalove
you happen to be one of the few who
are keen to literary, intelligent movies,
this one will trip your trigger. If you* ve
never actually seen one, this is prob
ably the oily one in which you’ll find
an inkling of interesting material. -
