TV and me...

So, I’m flipping channels today - 40 something channels and nothing on, you know the deal. Anyway, I come across an old time staple: I Dream of Jeannie. As I sit there for a second or two looking at the show, it occurs to me just how much things have changed.



First off, there was apparently a big to-do at the time about showing Barbara Eden’s belly button (if you can imagine). Of course, today we are in a time when showing her belly button certainly wouldn’t be much of a problem - we’d probably see butt crack if anything.

Still, as uptight as that may sound (the belly button thing) can you imagine the uproar over the show’s premise today? I can easily see groups out in protest and up in arms about the very concept of “Jeannie.” I imagine the protests would be along the lines of it being demeaning to women or disrespectful of Arab culture. Think about it, is it really that hard not to see that happening? To get Jeannie on the air today, you’d probably have to do one of two things: One, Major Nelson would have to be a women and Jeannie (Genie) would have to be a man or two, Major Nelson would be a man and Jeannie would be a man as well but he’d be gay.

Now, if somehow this should come to pass, I’m going out to find a lawyer and you saw it here first.

How about Hogan’s Heroes? Maybe we could update that for the Vietnam War? Naw, they probably wouldn’t buy that.

And of course, if you’re reading this and I’ve offended your delicate sensibilities - I apologize.