Fun_People Archive
21 Feb
(delayed) Re: "Does TV Kill?"

Date: Tue, 21 Feb 95 19:00:16 PST
From: Peter Langston <psl>
To: Fun_People
Subject: (delayed) Re: "Does TV Kill?"

Forwarded-by: "pardo@cs.washington.edu" <pardo@cs.washington.edu>
FROM: DONALD A. DUNCAN, Cambridge     Internet: 62726080@eln.attmail.com
SUBJECT: Re: "Does TV Kill?"

I saw most of the program.  I remember the phrase "What we *weren't*
prepared for is the sheer *volume* of TV people watch...."

And what will stay with me a long time is the image of the aforesaid
third-grader Paul Martin, who watches TV from the beginning of the day
to the end, breaking only for meals (and a couple of video games during
the soaps) standing with his parents and the interviewer (paraphrased
from memory):

INT:  "Suppose somebody were to offer you a million dollars..." (Paul's
       face starts to light up) "...if you would never - ever - watch a
       TV screen again." (Paul looks shocked as he realizes what the
       question is about, then starts to close down)  "Would you do it?"
Paul: (promptly and confidently)  "I wouldn't do it!"
Mother: (surprised) "Not for a million dollars?"
Paul: (shaking his head) "Nope!"
INT:  "Why not?"
Paul: (looks blankly at first one, then the other, and after a second or
       two, with a hint of plaintiveness) "What would you *do*?"

© 1995 Peter Langston