Pop Culture Report: Big Brother, Don Imus, Chinese Recalls & Buffets


I'm a slacker. Not. It's been a few days since I've blogged in depth on ryanwelton.com but only because of the success of another blog: big-brother-blog.com.


Today alone, we've eclipsed 52,000 page views for a blog solely devoted to the CBS show Big Brother. C'mon, Allison Grodner, you need to fly our butts out to L.A. for the Big Brother finale so we can interview the houseguests exclusively for the blog.


The blog is owned by a fellow in Minnesota who I befriended online long enough to get free live-feed access. However, after a few posts and some marketing work, we realized we had something unique and, well, popular.


The CBS show is more popular than ever, and interactivity and blogs and YouTube postings and the affordability and addictability of the live feeds are all part of it. Toad said this weekend that he'd just as soon see a bomb dropped on the entire house, but I'm able to separate that type of blanket sentiment from the game itself.


Big Brother is designed to bring out the worst in people. The lying. The scheming. The passive-aggressive behavior. The yelling, shouting, crying, spitting, shitting, nastiness. But it's all for a purpose, the houseguests would say: To win $500,000 by being the last person standing.


For those of us on the outside, it's an addiction. No, I don't sit here with the live feeds on 24/7. But I do turn it on three or four times per night to check in, and if the club is hoppin', this baller is likely to stay for a drink or two.


I know of at least two people at work addicted to the game. By the way, those of us who are aficionadoes of the show do not call it a "show," we call it a "game," and when we talk about Big Brother, we're "talking game."


On the blog, I don't spell out my favorites. Personally, I like Jessica Hughbanks and Eric Stein. And, no, I don't like evel Dick, even though I understand what he tries to do. It's just that I do not feel obligated to respect a misogynist in the name of strategy or game play.


Nevertheless, the game is fun, and if a person can walk away from Big Brother as both the game's winner and a "good person" in the eyes of the viewing public, then it's a stunning accomplishment. Perhaps the only true bit of arrogance I hold is my unwavering belief that I can read a person's true character better than 99.9 percent of the rest of the world.


My hunch as to who's a good guy and a bad guy is pretty much right on. I don't pretend to be a good guy or a bad guy, but if I say you're a bad guy, you should be nervous and, perhaps, just take my word for it that you might in fact be a bad guy.


So, before I split, here are a few thoughts I've had over the course of the past couple of days:


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1. We all applauded the Rutgers women's basketball team for standing up to Don Imus, even though that whole thing was overblown. Now, one of the players is suing the former morning radio show host?


Give us a break. I hope a judge laughs at the suit as he chides the player for issuing it, and I hope the judge makes the Rutgers player pay for any fees incurred by Imus. This is a frivolous suit at the highest level.


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2. At some point, given all the recalls, we seriously have to consider whether we want to do business with China. Sure, I know we pretty much have to maintain some trade with the largest population on the planet. However, we have to exert some pressure on China relative to standards and cleanliness.


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3. Speaking of all-things China, I had dinner at Asian Buffet in Norman on Monday night. Gotta say, I found a gem of a diner. They had everything from the Chinese food basics to sushi to dessert. It was a true "super happy buffet time," and for $6.21, it is perhaps the best value in Norman. Seriously.


Plus, it was super greasy and salty. Can you say, "hangover food?"


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