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Permanent link to: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.chrisboylan.com/blog/archives/000234.php">Caucus and Butthead</a>

<p>Saturday was a day like any other, excepting two events - one great and the other mediocre.</p>

<p>The first, and mediocre, was participating in the Michigan Democratic Caucus. It was mostly comical in a sad, postmodern sort of way. I have more about this, but I took pictures and the camera isn't agreeing with the computer right now, so when I get them, I'll explain.</p>

<p>The second, and spectactularly fortuitous event was triggerred by my boredom. Having only one computer - when Amber needs it, I scan the TiVo guide for upcoming shows. Today, I flipped past MTV2 and saw a long lost friend. This weekend, MTV2 is airing old animated shows - including Beavis and Butthead!!! The hilarious show is currently available on DVD, but the discs do not contain the duo mocking music videos, the heart of the show.</p>

<p>Although the travails of Beavis and Butthead are hilarious in themselves, the mid 90's zeitgeist was only captured by their music video commentary. Apparently, due to music licensing issues, they will never be able to release the scenes with B and B sitting on the couch destroying bad videos on DVD. However, since MTV and MTV2 pay the licensing fees to air videos anyway, there is no cost to air these parts again. Thus, this weekend is an extremely rare chance to catch Mike Judge's masterpiece in it's full splendor.</p>

<p>P.S. Read no further if you still plan on catching the finale of <em>Ed</em>. (It aired Friday. This is for fellow TiVo owners.)</p>

<p><em>Ed</em>, a show that started out terrifically, but then petered out into boring sappy-land, managed to pull it together for a pretty decent finale. Nothing too sappy or out of the ordinary. Too often, series writers and producers try to radically change characters' lives to help 'end' the story. It seemed like that was going to be the case as Phil Stubbs and Eli got involved in an attempt to win the lottery. </p>

<p>Clearly, anyone who has watched TV before knows that if a show spends 10 minutes of an episode, especially the final episode, setting up a potential conflict between two friends over a lottery ticket if they won (The ticket agent gave Phil the wrong final number, so Eli bought it off from him. Phil then bought the numbers he wanted.) then they are going to win, and the show will send them off in style. But not <em>Ed</em>. The episode builds up until Eli and Phil sneak out to watch the lotto drawing - only five minutes before the end. As they pull out their respective tickets, Phil repeats his numbers (including the one he didn't want, and Eli had) and they stare in. The question is, who will win and how will the other one react?</p>

<p>Then the numbers are called out. Not one of them is on either ticket. They shrug their shoulders and rejoin the party. Great job avoiding the goofy ending to everyone involved.</p>

<p>Side note: The two friends that Ed puts his arms around near the end for a picture were the executive producers. I'm willing to bet most of the wedding party was made up of crew members as well. A true lesson of television. In the last episode, make sure you get on screen as you may never again have the chance. Even if you're just the guy sitting next to the door as it opens and everyone screams "NORM!!!!", you at least have to chance to play the episode back to your kids and grandkids and point at yourself for your fleeting half-second of fame.</p>