Mood:
d'ohThere was an unforeseen surprise in Unit 1?s content. While diligently
Attempting to write a critique on a short excerpt of an essay, I fell prey
To curiosity. It all started with a conclusionary sentence that made no sense
To me. Feeling rather miffed upon failing to understand the references and the
Joke being made by the writer of said essay, I feverishly resorted to web searches
In order to find out what the references were. Does this have anything to do with
Learning about the use of argument and counter argument in expository writing?
No. Does it have anything to do with figurative writing? Maybe. Does it have
Anything to do about writing a critique? Perhaps!
One may find humor in the fact that I spent enormous amounts of time
Glued to my web search findings, reading for hours bits of information that I
Did not know existed previous to that oblique comment in the essay.
One must also know about my predilection for becoming a fan of various obscure TV shows, especially British, in order to ascertain the amount
Of excitement that was the result of the research - namely the discovery of an English TV serial that has quite a cult following called Absolutely Fabulous. My susceptibility to TV shows all started back in the 60?s when Star Trek first appeared. Fast forward 20 years and you would have known me as a big devotee of Dr. Who for a number of years, and more recently of Red Dwarf. I now can attest to the fact that I have read the synopsis of every single episode of Absolutely Fabulous without having watched a single show. Oh frabjous day, caloo, calay.
So what was the reference? Geoff Nunberg writes this: ?After all, Alistair Cooke is a small price to pay for ?absolutely fabulous? and Emma Peel.?
It turns out Emma Peel is the name of the female heroine character in the show The Avengers. She was very sexy and very smart. Diana Rigg (later Dame Diana Rigg) was the actress who portrayed this daring young woman. Later Diana Rigg took over as
Commentator on Master Piece Theatre after Alistair Cooke, who had held that position For many years, died. Absolutely Fabulous is a comedy about two middle-aged liberal hippy
Women friends, Eddy and Pats (short for Edwina and Patsy). These two women push envelopes with their aging antics, liberalism, alcohol and pot imbibing habits and outrageous clothing styles. The jist of Nunberg?s reference is that enduring Mr. Alistair Cooke?s stodgy personality in the popular show Master Piece Theatre is worth putting up with in order to be rewarded with the beautiful Diana Riggs playing Emma Peel, comedienne Jennifer Saunders portraying Eddy and beautiful and funny Joanna Lumley acting the role of Pats.
Well, it is English . . . triple pun intended. :)