Blog Archives
Foreign Friday: Cheating at Grab a Grand
Every Friday, I post a clip from an English speaking country other than the United States.
This weeks clip comes from Noel’s House Party. I’ve mentioned the show before. It’s one those shows that isn’t good, but I can’t look away because it’s so ridiculous. In the United States, Noel’s House Party would be relegated to Nickelodeon. To an American, this show looks like it took something meant for kids and pretended it was for adults. The show aired on Saturday nights on the BBC for 8 years in the 90s.
In this video, snooker player John Parrot brilliantly cheats at Grab A Grand. You’ve probably seen the same game on Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show under a different name. Grab A Grand puts a contestant into a rectangular box with money flying around and they have to grab as much money as possible in a short period of time.
I wish I would have though of that. Parrot’s solution is so simple and obvious, yet I would have never thought of it.
Foreign Friday: Die Harald Schmidt Show
Every Friday, I post a clip from a country other than the United States.
This week we visit Germany. Die Harald Schmidt Show is a talk show strongly influenced by David Letterman and Conan O’Brien. Harald Schmidt is often called the “German David Letterman” to the point that Letterman once referred to him as “the guy in Germany who does my show.” Schmidt’s original set was almost an exact replica of the set that Letterman had during his Late Night days.
While the following clip only has a few subtitles, it is pretty easy to understand what is going on. Enjoy this look at German television.
Foreign Friday: Newswipe
Every Friday, I post a clip from a country other than the United States.
This week’s clip is from Britain. Comedian Charlie Brooker, who’s a combination of 80s David Letterman and Jon Stewart, hosts BBC Four’s Newswipe. The segment How to Report the News hits the nail on the head when it comes to television news and the way it presents stories.
Wait! What's A Dial? 