It's that time of the year

[moniss]

when I remember we could count on the variety shows on TV having segments like this all the time. Then stand up comedians doing their routines about holidays and families etc. We also got singers, orchestras, choral groups, bands and others giving us holiday songs. Then the Hallmark type specials. It was something nice in a world that in so many ways wasn't. But we got wonderful performers and artists giving us some things to make us smile and get a warmer feeling than we had before.

[moniss]

2. Use

the cringe Luke.

[EYESORE 9001]

3. The gods don't come down from Olympus any longer

Think of all the top-tier artists and entertainers who contributed their ‘star power’ to those holiday productions as late as the early 80s. Perhaps they got price-squeezed out of TV productions as business conditions changed. Maybe their schedules are too restrictive, like tours and Vegas residencies and whatnot. I really don’t know much about show business.

Americans don’t gather around the TV as a family as they once did - back when it was the only game in town. People can sit in the same room together, each immersed in their own data stream, which may or may not have content from superstars.

[moniss]

5. So very well said

and it reminds me of the old saying that we claim the desire to find something that in fact is right in front of us all along. It's a ruby slippers sort of thing.