David Mitchell talks about References

"David discusses the dumbing down of references on TV and that sometimes it's salutary to be confronted with our own ignorance." - YT
robbersdog49says...

There seems to be a divide in the UK between people who think ignorance is something to be ashamed of, and those who think that knowing the answer is sooo uncool. Why is it always the people the wrong side of this divide that breed so much?

spoco2says...

Hear hear David. Hear bloody hear.

I absolutely love the kids shows that throw in references for the parents in there. The kids either don't even notice, or do, are a little baffled, but don't care... OR, when they hear me laughing, ask me what I'm laughing about, and then get to learn something.

Never, ever shy away from references...

Although, having just said that... some shows, like, say, the Gilmore Girls, ladle on their references so damn thick and fast that you can get 'missed reference overload' and start tuning out a little. I loved Gilmore Girls when it was on (yes, I am hardly a manly man, sue me), but did have moments of being completely lost as to what they were referring to. And if there are too many of those missed references in a show I don't have the memory to be able to then look them ALL up afterwards.

Still... as a general rule... go nuts with references, we all love em'

As I did with the P-Thaggy graffiti

mxxconsays...

>> ^spoco2:
I absolutely love the kids shows that throw in references for the parents in there. The kids either don't even notice, or do, are a little baffled, but don't care... OR, when they hear me laughing, ask me what I'm laughing about, and then get to learn something.
this is why Pixar cartoons are always so awesome. they have enough smartly written content for both kids and adults.

daxgazsays...

Mystery Science Theater was the king of obscure references and I loved it. If i got 1/2 of their references i felt smart. the rest i looked up or was ok with not getting. it made re-watching them even better.

jbabersays...

Although the unnatural dialogue of Gilmore Girls is jarring, it has the same "this one's for the adults" effect. She's watching a chick show, and I'm hearing MST3K.

Also, the 6884 feet reference is cute.

Kreegathsays...

He couldn't be more wrong about teenagers, though, as in their minds they are always right and anyone who disagrees is personally insulting them. This is the time where they learn to debate, which is why they'll keep on arguing their points ad nauseum, regardless of how wrong they are or how absurd their position is. When he has kids, this'll be some revelation for him

handmethekeysyousays...

Patently untrue. Perhaps they'll argue ad nauseam with their parents, but not with things they actually look up to, which, sadly, all too often is a television show.

I agree wholeheartedly with DM. I remember not just understanding, but engaging in conversations my parents were having about things I should have known nothing about. They would always ask how I knew the cultural/historical/scientific reference. The answer was almost always the same: saw it on Animaniacs.>> ^Kreegath:

He couldn't be more wrong about teenagers, though, as in their minds they are always right and anyone who disagrees is personally insulting them. This is the time where they learn to debate, which is why they'll keep on arguing their points ad nauseum, regardless of how wrong they are or how absurd their position is. When he has kids, this'll be some revelation for him

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