I like few things better than heroic dog stories: chihuahuas throwing themselves in front of cobras to protect a toddler! Dying blind bulldogs stumbling down burning hallways to wake up their sleeping owners! And this one story I read about a missing preschooler in the woods and a flooding river and SEVERAL DAYS passing and a grim recovery mission that turned into joy when it turned out that a neighborhood dog had hung out with her for the whole time and kept her safe. I could just cry even thinking about it.
Real dogs, though? They bark loudly. They drool on my lap and try to commit indecent acts to my pant legs. They bite. But little dogs in sweaters are awesome and I've known some dogs who were fairly decent people. And there was one dog from my childhood who was this magical, compassionate animal and who died a brutal, unfair death with dignity, the poor thing.
Winner: Um.... I'm going to go with real dogs. This surprises me.
Martha Speaks VS. Word Girl.
We like Word Girl. She's funny and smart and her brother unwittingly has a crush on her, which is rather hilariously gross. But we don't like the theme song - ugh! - and much of the show's humour sails over my kids' heads.
Martha Speaks has a jolly little singalong theme song, an endearingly doofy main character and a relaxed, gently funny feel with no incest whatsoever.
Winner:.... MARTHA SPEAKS! I am all about dogs today, apparently.
Magnum PI VS. Remington Steele
Two highly attractive 80s detectives!
This is Remington Steele, played by Pierce Brosnan before he got old and kind of skeezy looking:
And this is Magnum PI, played by Tom Selleck who is a thing of beauty and a joy forever:
And the winner is: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? LOOK AT THAT MAN RIGHT ABOVE THESE WORDS. Remington Steele had doofy poofy hair and a fey, picky look, while Magnum PI was manly. And had one of the few awesome moustaches. Magnum for the win.
37 comments:
Oh my gosh, I didn't know that was WordGirl's BROTHER who has a crush on her! Guess I should pay more attention to kids' shows, huh? But luckily my kids hardly ever watch anything but Tom and Jerry, these days.
That is a wonderful story about the dog who protected the child. Was that a true story?
I don't really WANT a real dog because of the inconvenience (I was only allowed one dog as a child, so I didn't become a true dog lover) but I want my kids to have a dog. So in a year or two... they might get a dog.
Funny, I grew up with dogs and cat and though I liked those particular dogs we have spent all of our marriage and most of my dating of my husband dog free due to his severe animal allergy, and, well, I don't like dogs in general. I HATE the way they make my hands feel, like I have a layer of weird oil on my hands. I also am not keen on dog rescue stories. I don't like sappy and dog rescue stories always feel sappy.
My middle child likes watching Wordgirl online but we have never seen it on tv (no tv) nor have we seen Martha Speaks. Weird incest thing I have not noticed, but then I haven't watched it straight through. (The only reason my 9 year old likes it is she loves super heroes).
I would prefer Magnum PI if it were not for the fact that my mother had a MASSIVE crush on him and that is just weirder than the Wordgirl thing--plus my dad had that mustache and I detest mustaches.
To be fair, WordGirl was adopted by her parents after she crashed on Earth.
Yes, I know too much about this show.
Still, though - adoptive siblings still should hae the incest taboo, right? ICK ICK ICK ICK ICK ICK ICK.
Heather - My dad has a beard. My husband has a beard. One has nothing to do with the other.
Hairline Fracture - Yes! It WAS A true story! I read it in an issue of Good Housekeeping at my grandma's or someplace.
SO funny, and right on about Magnum, I think. I prefer manly over metrosexual any day.
I like Word Girl better because she's not so annoying, and also because I love the narrator.
I think you're right about Magnum PI. Remember when he was on Friends? He was still a good looking fellow. But Pierce Brosnan proclaimed his love for his wife's sexy curves when she gained weight so I kind of dig his devotion.
Martha speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks! We have just discovered this show and my kids love it. I think it's adorable too.
When I was a teenager I thought Remington Steele was more attractive -- because the moustache was too scary. But now that I am *ahem* more mature, I hands-down give it to Magnum. He's adorable and approachable!
Janet, I DO love a man who loves his wife through thick and thin, but I still must declare Tom Selleck to be The Winner Of The Contest That Was Held By My Hormones. Sorry! Official ruling and all that.
Magnum is HOT HOT HOT.
And dogs are good....
You are just the very best kind of weird.
I pick all the same faves. This makes me a good kind of weird too. Thanks.
Just say no to dogs, that's my motto.
Our TV choices are seriously lacking b/c what?
I think Tom Selleck is more appealing in pictures but I imagine his huge, manly self would crush me. Those thighs!
Oh yes Tom is a hottie. The scary thing is that my mom thinks so too. So now we both think the same man is hot. Which is kinda creepy.
I'm so glad somebody else thinks that Pierce Brosnan is (what was your word?) skeezy looking. I loved him as Remington Steele, but then I saw him in The Thomas Crowne Affair and it was, like, eeeew.
You know, I am NOT a mustache gal at all, but there is something about that Magnum's. He wins for sure.
Oh, how I love dogs, even though I have yet to actually own one. My kids LOVE Martha Speaks but hate Word Girl. I don't watch either b/c that is when I'm doing important things like Twittering. Now that I know Word Girl has some creepy incestual story line, I'm glad they don't like it.
These are all so funny and all so much things I hardly have any opinion on. I like hero dogs and also real dogs as long as I don't have to have them in my home or take care of them, and my kids like both shows but I've never watched them closely (that's my nap or feed-the-baby time,) and, while objectively I can see that Tom Selleck wins by a long stretch, I can't quite get past my childhood slight-Remington-Steele crush and Tom-Selleck-mustache-revulsion.
No one beats Tom Selleck. Except maybe Clive Owen and Brad Pitt. But Selleck is definitely up there! Oh, and I love a good dog. Grew up with them and, even though I have cats, have been craving a dog lately - too. Would love to have both - perfect household.
I had a major crush on Magnum. Seriously. Check this out: http://www.coolzebras.com/2007/07/dreams.html
He still is a fine looking man.
I agree with you on Magnum for his chest hair alone - WHY has Hollywood decided all attractive men must be androgynous, hairless, cosmetically-altered Ganymedes? Blech.
But still - Magnum was a little whiny. It got irksome sometimes.
OF COURSE, Magnum PI. Although the mustache is weird. And also, like someone said, my MOM had a thing for him in the 80's. That feels a bit wrong. Still, he's hot.
Did anyone else see the movie Clueless? With the no-longer-step-son going out with the Cher character? A little incestuous. And not at all like Mr. Knightly, who he was modelled after.
I am with you on Martha Speaks, but have never got the appeal of Tom Selleck. Just SO not my type.
You make me laugh Beck! I have two yappy dogs, a Maltese and a Yorkie. They drive me crazy sometimes, but I do love them. Two summers ago Coco the Maltese had a terrible accident and almost died. Oh my gosh! I couldn't stop crying! It might have been because my then 6 year-old kept crying, "Coco my friend don't leave me!" Well, I'm crying just typing that.
I read on someone's blog a very thought provoking question, "When did you start liking manly men instead of baby faced ones?"
I think as my baby faced husband is becoming older, my opinion of manly men has changed. I almost fainted when I realized my beloved Viggo Mortensen was born on the same year my mom was born! Can you believe that?!!!!
Word verification is COCAT! Coco the cat?
I love dogs. Tom, however, never really did it for me. I don't like mustaches, and I have to say I had a huge crush on Pierce Brosnan. But you're so right, he did turn skeezy-looking, didn't he?
Ummmmm, Maaaagnummmmm.
But the British accent, man, I can't live without it.
I LOVE Wordgirl, probably because the humor is the type to sail over the kids' heads. BubTar is always asking me what I'm laughing about.
this is the best blog topic ever. more more more. real lions vs. aslan. keats vs. yeats. popsicles vs. corn dogs. MORE.
I can't get enough of WordGirl. It's too funny! But you're right - the humour is not aimed at the kids at all.
And Magnum? Oh my.
I didn't find PB skeezy 'til he sang in Mama Mia.
also, a thing of beauty and a joy forever?
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHA
totally made my day! great phrase to describe the man who makes me all giggly with the twinkle in his eye.
Magnum. No contest.
LOL! I LOVE MAGNUM, give me Tom any day :)
Totally agreed on Martha and Magnum. What about Curious George vs. Sid the Science Kid? That one's too close to call, for me.
I loved this post. A delightful distraction for me in the midst of potty training. I, too, pick Martha Speaks. But I admit I might have to call a tie between Remington Steele and Magnum PI.
I kind of love Word Girl.
And OMGoodness! Look at Pierce Brosnan's HAIR. It's so, um, pretty. I am not sure I could date a boy with hair prettier than mine. I've never been a fan of him though. He was the worst James Bond Ever. Well, OK, I can't say that with certainty since I am not really up on vintage James Bond, but the worst in recent history. Looked good in a suit but I never felt like he was convincing as an action hero. Must be the hair.
As usual, I digress. Yours is the blog that causes me to leave long rambling, slightly manic sounding, comments. Lucky you.
This is hilarious!
Funny that you should pick Martha Speaks and WordGirl to compare. I don't know if you did it on purpose, but they both are meant to build vocabulary -- that's the primary aim (I went to a PBS kids function, and I'm all smart now).
But I have to agree with you about the theme songs -- WordGirl annoying, and Martha Speaks really cute.
I DISAGREE. Remington Steele stole my heart and will always own it. Magnum is too - I don't know - hairy.
I see a theme for this post.
It is chest hair.
Word Girl was SHAFTED.
(Oh look. Unintentional joke. But my vocab rocks these days, since I watch both Martha and Word Girl.)
Post a Comment