This summer I watched every iteration of The Real Housewives, so needless to say a fresh crop of TV shows this fall is exciting. A few trends seem to be emerging…
Melissa Zimdars
Melissa Zimdars is a doctoral student in Communication Studies at the University of Iowa, specializing in all things television.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Tales of the weird: Public Access TV’s greatest triumphs
I recently came across the public access program Beyond Vaudeville, which aired on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network from 1987-1996. This odd talk show featured New York City artists, musicians and other “weird characters,” including a rapping grandma and whistling postal worker. This low budget public access show became so popular it actually turned into a […]
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Firecracker 500 Festival explodes The Mill this weekend
Get your earplugs ready because the now (consistently) annual Firecracker 500 Festival is happening a month early this year, kicking off what will undoubtedly be a great summer of music listening and day-drinking. Firecracker brings together a bunch of primarily Midwest garage, psychedelic and punk bands.
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The Tube: Vulgar, female-driven comedy challenges stereotypes of ‘ladylike’ behavior
Boner and boob jokes are now mainstays across numerous guy-centered, raunchy television comedies: Workaholics, Two and a Half Men, Blue Mountain…
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Mission Creek Plan of Attack: Saturday and Sunday
Even though getting through today will require at minimum three disco naps (mostly just to mitigate the perpetual hangover I’ve had since Wednesday) it will be worth it. So, what will I be checking out this weekend? let’s start the insanity… 11 a.m. (ongoing) Presses and magazines from around the country will be at The […]
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Mission Creek plan of attack: Friday
I feel a bit like a Mission Creek failure today because I only managed to complete two thirds of Thursday’s plan. After the Little Village/Slow Collision Press reading at Trumpet Blossom last night, I found myself faced with three very tempting options: 1.) S. Cary at the Mill, 2.) Dessa at Gabes, or 3.) falling […]
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Mission Creek plan of attack: Thursday
“This is just easy listening for the jaded class.” Truer words have likely never been spoken during a Wolf Eyes set, which was simultaneously stimulating and energy depleting, like a body confusingly processing uppers and downers at the same time. However, being able to catch both Taser Island and Wolf Eyes was a welcomed and […]
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Mission Creek plan of attack: Wednesday
The first night of Mission Creek was no joke. It was full of Jenny Hval’s sweet sounds at The Mill, awkward and unnecessary hugs following the Laurie Anderson lecture at The Englert, and lines, lines, lines at Gabes to both get in for Warpaint and then — because I was too successful at staying hydrated […]
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The Tube: On HBO’s Girls, Lena Dunham’s naked body gives audiences a body image reality check
Since its debut on HBO in the spring of 2012, Girls has polarized viewers. Some consider it to be a refreshing and humorous portrayal of less-than-likable female…
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Marc Summers interview: Former double dare host remembers the golden age of Nickelodeon
Have you ever wondered what Nickelodeon slime consists of or how it got the nickname Gak? Well, in Mathew Klickstein’s new book, Slimed! An Oral History…
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The Tube: Catch up on some of the best shows of 2013
It’s cold and snowy outside, but despite our desire to stay indoors buried under piles of blankets with Netflix’s virtual fireplace crackling on our laptops, many of our favorite television shows are still on their mid-season breaks. While some started right on Jan. 1 (don’t be ashamed Dance Moms fans!), others will pick back up […]
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The Tube: Reality television’s representation problem
MTV recently debuted its newest controversial reality show: Scrubbing In. The show follows the lives of a group of traveling nurses in Orange County as they learn the ropes of a new hospital, party hard on booze cruises and “get up in each other’s grills.” Not only do these breast-enhanced and hard-muscled nurses look more […]
