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TV hosts not all good examples
By Remo Alexandri
Glendale News Press
Published March 7, 2005
There are some things that non-Armenians could not appreciate about
the Armenians living in Glendale. So, I decided to share some funny
but little-known facts about Glendale's Armenians. This could be
revealing and very appropriate in this election season. I hope you
would also share your inner-circle stories, which are hidden from
the general public.
One of the funniest categories that I like to bring to your attention
is the peculiar Armenian-Glendalian talk-show industry, which has
become a distinguished genre in the world of talk-show business, and a
unique cultural feature in Glendale. Some of these shows attract tens
of thousands of people every morning, afternoon, night and even past
midnight. But I'd like to concentrate on the crown-jewels of these
shows -- the sociopolitical talk shows, which are the strangest in
the world.
advertisement For the most part, these shows are very similar. Most of
them are conducted in small studios in the Glendale area. For the most
part, the host is not prepared and does not use any sort of notes. A
host doesn't need to have any credentials in order to become the
absolute authority on any topic. The host or the participants can claim
outrageous things without any supportive, legitimate arguments. The
only thing needed in order to push an argument is a particular jest,
which is to look grim and serious and to act like a mythical, wise
chieftain who knows everything just because of who he is.
About a year ago, in one of these "serious" patriotic talk shows,
the host announced that he had a very important guest who happened
to be a composer. He said the show wouldn't be about the guest's
accomplishments, but about a new movement, led by the distinguished
guest, to save Armenians' glorious past from being undermined by
the dark forces of the world. One of the concerns was the seal of
the independent republic of Armenia. They announced that they had
discovered a serious conspiracy. That was, the new seal didn't contain
Mt. Ararat, and most importantly, Noah's Ark on its top.
I want to remind you that this was a live show. They were very proud
of their genius in unraveling this evil conspiracy. Then, there were
callers who shared the concerns of our super-patriots and thanked
them for educating people. Almost at the end of the show, a caller
said he had a large picture of the current seal, and he had noticed
that, actually, Mt. Ararat and Noah's Ark were in the center of the
current seal, and it would be easily missed if you happened to have
a small picture or copy of it.
Our "great leader" and the host hadn't even bothered themselves to at
least take a closer look at the seal before making such outrageous,
reckless claims on a live television show. They mumbled a little bit,
and the host strangely enough burst out at the caller, shouting that
despite the fact they had made a small factual mistake in the case
of the seal, still, the conspiracy warning was legitimate, and the
caller had to appreciate him and his distinguished guest.
However, the most outrageously funny (and on the same hand worrisome)
live talk shows are the ones that discuss local politics, especially
in this unusually hot upcoming local election. It is very normal, for
example, for a host to announce that he has been living in Glendale
for 20, 30 or 40 years, and he has no clue about local politics, but
he just knows what is right (translation: I am a mythical chieftain
who happens to know everything)! Then there are these opportunist
"medical doctors" whose livelihood is dependent, for the most part, on
how many elderly people they could lure to their offices for imaginary
sicknesses. One sits next to a candidate and asks phony questions about
Section 8 to imply how much he cares for his "patients," but not,
for sure, for the noble purpose of democracy. Another one, without
any hesitation, prescribes a split vote of "two Americans!" and "two
Armenians!" So, we could quiet things down! It does not matter what
the candidates' profiles are, their experiences and all the other
things -- all the things that a responsible voter takes into serious
consideration before casting a vote.
It is sad that some people who've got the privilege of playing a
positive role in the democratization of the Armenian community still
think of an election as a mere formality, a game (similar to their
previous experiences)! These are, unfortunately, some of the sad
factors in the politics of Glendale.
I hope we, as the people of Glendale, could discuss politics not
just within our own communities, but with our different neighbors
and the community at large. This would be the only way to overcome
the ridiculous stereotypes and stereotype lovers.
Unfortunately, the political players (elected or appointed) at local
or state levels, for their own short-term interests, encourage
the undemocratic, crude, bossy political culture of the Armenian
community by taking these gadflies and other self-claimed chieftains
too seriously.
We, as a community, are too generous in recognizing some of these
illiterate and out-of-touch gadflies and chieftains as our leaders
and political experts. We deserve better ones.
* REMO ALEXANDRI is a resident of Glendale.
By Remo Alexandri
Glendale News Press
Published March 7, 2005
There are some things that non-Armenians could not appreciate about
the Armenians living in Glendale. So, I decided to share some funny
but little-known facts about Glendale's Armenians. This could be
revealing and very appropriate in this election season. I hope you
would also share your inner-circle stories, which are hidden from
the general public.
One of the funniest categories that I like to bring to your attention
is the peculiar Armenian-Glendalian talk-show industry, which has
become a distinguished genre in the world of talk-show business, and a
unique cultural feature in Glendale. Some of these shows attract tens
of thousands of people every morning, afternoon, night and even past
midnight. But I'd like to concentrate on the crown-jewels of these
shows -- the sociopolitical talk shows, which are the strangest in
the world.
advertisement For the most part, these shows are very similar. Most of
them are conducted in small studios in the Glendale area. For the most
part, the host is not prepared and does not use any sort of notes. A
host doesn't need to have any credentials in order to become the
absolute authority on any topic. The host or the participants can claim
outrageous things without any supportive, legitimate arguments. The
only thing needed in order to push an argument is a particular jest,
which is to look grim and serious and to act like a mythical, wise
chieftain who knows everything just because of who he is.
About a year ago, in one of these "serious" patriotic talk shows,
the host announced that he had a very important guest who happened
to be a composer. He said the show wouldn't be about the guest's
accomplishments, but about a new movement, led by the distinguished
guest, to save Armenians' glorious past from being undermined by
the dark forces of the world. One of the concerns was the seal of
the independent republic of Armenia. They announced that they had
discovered a serious conspiracy. That was, the new seal didn't contain
Mt. Ararat, and most importantly, Noah's Ark on its top.
I want to remind you that this was a live show. They were very proud
of their genius in unraveling this evil conspiracy. Then, there were
callers who shared the concerns of our super-patriots and thanked
them for educating people. Almost at the end of the show, a caller
said he had a large picture of the current seal, and he had noticed
that, actually, Mt. Ararat and Noah's Ark were in the center of the
current seal, and it would be easily missed if you happened to have
a small picture or copy of it.
Our "great leader" and the host hadn't even bothered themselves to at
least take a closer look at the seal before making such outrageous,
reckless claims on a live television show. They mumbled a little bit,
and the host strangely enough burst out at the caller, shouting that
despite the fact they had made a small factual mistake in the case
of the seal, still, the conspiracy warning was legitimate, and the
caller had to appreciate him and his distinguished guest.
However, the most outrageously funny (and on the same hand worrisome)
live talk shows are the ones that discuss local politics, especially
in this unusually hot upcoming local election. It is very normal, for
example, for a host to announce that he has been living in Glendale
for 20, 30 or 40 years, and he has no clue about local politics, but
he just knows what is right (translation: I am a mythical chieftain
who happens to know everything)! Then there are these opportunist
"medical doctors" whose livelihood is dependent, for the most part, on
how many elderly people they could lure to their offices for imaginary
sicknesses. One sits next to a candidate and asks phony questions about
Section 8 to imply how much he cares for his "patients," but not,
for sure, for the noble purpose of democracy. Another one, without
any hesitation, prescribes a split vote of "two Americans!" and "two
Armenians!" So, we could quiet things down! It does not matter what
the candidates' profiles are, their experiences and all the other
things -- all the things that a responsible voter takes into serious
consideration before casting a vote.
It is sad that some people who've got the privilege of playing a
positive role in the democratization of the Armenian community still
think of an election as a mere formality, a game (similar to their
previous experiences)! These are, unfortunately, some of the sad
factors in the politics of Glendale.
I hope we, as the people of Glendale, could discuss politics not
just within our own communities, but with our different neighbors
and the community at large. This would be the only way to overcome
the ridiculous stereotypes and stereotype lovers.
Unfortunately, the political players (elected or appointed) at local
or state levels, for their own short-term interests, encourage
the undemocratic, crude, bossy political culture of the Armenian
community by taking these gadflies and other self-claimed chieftains
too seriously.
We, as a community, are too generous in recognizing some of these
illiterate and out-of-touch gadflies and chieftains as our leaders
and political experts. We deserve better ones.
* REMO ALEXANDRI is a resident of Glendale.