Advertisers want undivided attention, right? Subscribers want cheaper cable. So why not offer discount cable where the catch is some ads are always in view, in strips around the bottom of the screen. Worse, when you use the remote (trying to escape ads), some ads pop up and follow you temporarily. Maybe that second part belongs Read More …
If YouTube can sell to Google for $1.65 billion, how much would a site of short quality videos be worth? Imagine a conglomeration of the best bits from Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, Late Night With David Letterman, and all sorts of sitcoms and cartoons. Not whole shows, just quick clips. Be fun to Read More …
Goofy idea. You know how deceased TV series have reunion shows? Of course, you do. Well, how about a reunion of deceased TV characters? Characters that got bumped off, rubbed out, erased, scriptwise and screenlifewise. Mrs. Hoober(?) from Desperate Housewives, George’s fiancee from Seinfeld, Shannon from Lost, the possibilities are many. They’d meet in some Read More …
Think about it. On TV, if you see two people who are happy, they’re probably eating, drinking or having sex. Maybe this is part of the obesity epidemic. Who shares the message: Feel lousy? Be patient. Sigh, suffer and cry, if you need to. The rottenness will pass and you’ll feel better. Trust me. It’ll happen. Or, Read More …
More networks are dispensing their shows online. (It’s a desperate attempt to build audience for lame shows, says Philadelphia Daily News.) Well, if shows are so lame, why not let the nation’s amateur online talents have a crack at improving them? Lots of people make YouTube videos. And lots of people do some funny PhotoShopping Read More …
To solve high-profile crimes, the FBI has decided to assign two groups with completely divergent approaches. One goes by the book, using traditional CSI-like scientific methods. The other uses ex-cons, psychics, goofballs, geeks, etc. who follow hunches and wild ideas. Sometimes the suits are right, sometimes the risk takers crack the case, but they’re always bumping Read More …
Ever want to interact with your TV? Like hit it with a shoe when your football team chokes? What if you could hit it with a virtual shoe? Or toss a virtual pie or water balloon at a crook or despicable politician? Maybe you could project a cartoon balloon, to put words in the mouths of show characters Read More …
Think of it like a mini-scoreboard on the back of a car. You can use it to (a) display messages to tailgaters to back off, (b) speed in front of a hot babe and ask her out, (c) politely ask if someone would let you into line, (d) share jokes and political comments, (e) share Read More …
Sure. Why not? Now, I’m not talking about informative blurbs, like “Pirates Steals Box-Office Booty. Page C1.” I’m talking about “wouldn’t you like to know?” come-ons, like “When Will This Hot Weather End? Page A3.” Horrors! It’s tacky, it’s annoying, it’s not serious and dignified! True. But: (1) You could tease many more stories on Page One. (2) You’d hook people into buying Read More …
Inspired by an idea at ShouldExist.org, calling for a free or very cheap online college. Now some colleges do offer online degrees, but how about getting one from Wikipedia? It’d work like this: People add comprehension tests at the end of Wikipedia items. Each time you pass one, you’re get a score that’s stored in a database. Attain a designated Read More …
NBC’s My Name Is Earl has a great concept: Misjudged but semi-lovable jerkwad gets hit by car after winning the lottery, knocking this bit of sense into his brain: Better make amends for your rotten life, or karma will get you. Well, why not find a real-life Earl, and have him make up his real life of Read More …
Doh! Elementary, my dear Bart-son! Homer with pipe and deerstalker cap wandering the moors, trying to sharpen his wits by indulging in Duff beer. *Urp!* Knowing Homer, the murder victims will all turn up alive — or turn out to be murderers. His archnemesis is Mr. Burn’s brother, Maury R.T. Burns.
World’s easiest job, right? Probably not, but doesn’t everybody think so? “I drive a car, so why couldn’t I tell Ford or Chevy how to improve cars, and get paid for it?” Well, let’s give a bunch of regular people just that chance. Each week, they visit another major corporation (can you say sponsors, boys Read More …
Two-person TV show. No, two-person showdown. Total knockdown debating, intellectually at a very high level, but “fighters” wear boxing gloves and dance around a ring, landing verbal jabs. It’s a play, it’s philosophy! Every week a new profound, always relevant topic. Could be a play, actually.
How do people react when they have everything?