Category Archive: LIFE
Molly (Channel 7 Miniseries)
Photo by Jeanie McKinder
(Channel 7 Mini-Series) Ian “Molly” Meldrum named his house “Luxor” and hung out with cross-dressers. But Molly was also a brawler and a football fan. While having a genius for television, he could barely string two words together. These contradictions raise questions about this quixotic man, but there was no question for those of us who grew up in the Countdown days. Watching Countdown for 25 minutes on the ABC was what you did on Friday, and then Sunday evenings. Young people today won’t believe it if you tell them that until Countdown, the only tv music shows for the young were occasional all night “Rockathons”* which my…
Continue Reading →St. Valentine
Valentine (by Bassano, c. 1575)
February 14 (2016) 18 centuries after this fellow was martyred, on the day when (in England) tradition has it that birds pair-up, The Varnished Culture chose a quieter programme for Valentine’s Day. Whereas last year we saw the ASO’s curious ‘romantic’ programme, this time we had Die Walküre the evening before, so instead there was a lazy morning, a lazy lunch (returning to the ABC recording of the ASO’s night before) and then we washed down another viewing of Picnic with champagne and Turkish delight. Once again, feel the love!
Continue Reading →10 Things We Hate About Gadgets
As follows: Buffering. Appliances with no ‘on/off’ switch. Planned obsolescence. They don’t do what they say. They don’t do what we say. Blenders…that are so much more. Buttons with (impressionist) pictures. Artificial lack of intelligence. The zoning of DVDs. They’re no good!
Continue Reading →Terry Wogan
Programme Name: n/a - TX: 20100101 - Episode: n/a (No. n/a) - Embargoed for publication until: n/a - Picture Shows: - (C) BBC - Photographer: Lorenzo Agius
Michael Terence Wogan (3 August 1938 – 31 January 2016) The Varnished Culture farewells this mellifluous long-standing caller of the Eurovision Song Contest. He obviously loved the event, but that didn’t stop the old smoothie from dripping the occasional cup of acid, particularly when hosts gave too much of themselves or acted like ‘eejits’, or when anticipating the voting predilections of each country, which he did with uncanny accuracy (and sardonic smugness). You’ll be missed Woges.
Continue Reading →10 Things We Hate About TV
Perhaps we ought to play outside? (photo by Julian Tysoe)
There might be more than 10…
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