Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2006 December 25

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Entertainment desk
< December 24 << Nov | December | Jan >> December 26 >
Welcome to the Wikipedia Entertainment Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.


December 25[edit]

panic! at the disco[edit]

when is the next video coming out? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.119.68.229 (talk) 02:17, 25 December 2006 (UTC).[reply]

No idea :-). Usually bands come out with a few vids every few years. Ilikefood 21:06, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Does anyone find adult swim originals funny?[edit]

Besides robot chicken, moral orel, venture brothers, and some the animes does anyone find ATHF, the detective shows, squidbillies and other originals funny? I honestly can't find humor in them after 5 minutes when the gag of the plot wears off.--75.84.49.209 07:38, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

For those of us who have absolutely no idea what you're talking about (which may render us irrelevant to your question, but anyways...) could you provide links? Anchoress 07:41, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

This is the adult late-night comedy block on adult swim. No one I've ever met likes a lot of their original shows but they're still on.--75.84.49.209 07:46, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Anchoress, see Adult Swim, Robot Chicken, etc... And the answer to the original question would more than likely be, yes, people do find them funny. If they didn't, they wouldn't watch, and the company that shows them would lose money. Dismas|(talk) 12:46, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the answer, Dismas. Anchoress 13:58, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

There might be a more general question here, "why do TV networks produce unfunny comedies ?" (I would certainly agree that they do, with only a tiny percentage of TV jokes making me laugh). Here are a few thoughts:

  • The obvious answer is that they intended them to be funny, but they didn't work out that way. Otherwise good jokes, for example, can be ruined by a lousy delivery.
  • There may also be more subtle reasons. One that comes to mind is that many men hate dramas, and will avoid them like the plague. If, on the other hand, they insert a bit of comedy, then men may watch, even if it's not really funny. Many sit-coms may fall into this category. Friends might be a good example, even though the humor on that show did occasionally make me laugh, of what was basically a soap opera ("Will Ross and Rachel get together this week ?") turned sit-com to appeal to a broader audience. StuRat 13:44, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]
I think one of the reasons why networks make unfunny comedies is because they know a lot of people will watch them anyway, especially if they're slotted between two better shows, knowing how lazy people are. Anchoress 13:58, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]
I bet that used to be the case, but now, with remote controls, it only requires the press of a button to change the channel, no need to extract one's self from under the pile of empty potato chip/crisps bags and walk all the way across the room. StuRat 16:21, 27 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]
I read a quote once a long time ago that went something like: "The movie The Blues Brothers was really only funny if you were doing cocaine too." I think something similar is at work for a lot of the Adult Swim fare: They're only funny if you're smoking a huge spliff. 192.168.1.1 10:10 12/29/06 (PST) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.112.139.10 (talk) 18:10, 29 December 2006 (UTC).[reply]
I agree with you; squidbillies, venture bros, sealab, and tom goes to the mayor are all boring. Robot chicken is all right but it's not nearly as funny as some people make it out to be (my roommate thinks it's drop-dead hilarious, I guess he's its target audience). I actually really like aqua teen, and aqua teen seems to be the most-liked of that lineup. Try watching a few episodes.. it's not so much the slapstick humor on the surface as it is the utter inanity that takes time to appreciate. Try checking out the adult swim forums, there are droves of users who adore ATHF --frothT C 18:39, 29 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Barcodes on music CDs[edit]

Someone told me that some labels to not print barcodes on their CDs. Is this true ?

He claims that only major labels do so.

Matt714 18:57, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I have some promo CDs that I won from radio stations that don't have bar codes... For whatever that's worth. Dismas|(talk) 19:47, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]
I'd guess that it is quite likely that "some labels"' products are not intended to be sold in any shop where they use barcode readers (e.g. very small production or self-publishing), and thus would not have barcodes (much like most vanity press books lack ISBNs) Circeus 22:48, 25 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]
As far as I know, Constellation Records doesn't print barcodes on their CDs, as they are "fiercely anti-corporate, anti-capitalist, and anti-globalist" and their CDs are packaged in hand-designed cardboard cases. But if your friend is saying only major labels use bar codes and indie labels don't, that's wrong, I've checked my album collection and most, even the self-published-only-sold-online albums, have barcodes --Surachit 08:24, 26 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

most labels use barcodes. some don't. --81.111.18.84 21:12, 28 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]