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Wednesday, October 10, 200 I - Page 6 COMMENTARY Get your daily dose of If Undressed and entertainment, comedy, Undeclared are real, why drama and prize money aren't you naked? According to a survey done by CBS in Michael Wiles looks at nificant others, or, better yet, getting drunk 1996. "Plinko" was named the most popu- and having sex with our best friend's sig- lar show on "The Price is Right," and for the stereotypes portrayed nificant other, And, with Fox's new series good reason. In that survey, "Hole in One." of college students on TV Undeclared, the "Animal House" tradition was named the most popular game after conunues. "Plinko." Ever noticed how television is often noth- In Hollywood, we are all just blind idi- If you haven't watched it before; ing like real life? The proof is all around ots living off our parent's money and bliss- "Plinko" is a game where guess the price of you, and you probably are not even aware fully wasting our Jives. Sound like you? products so that they can win thin, circular of it. For example: do you feel the sudden Seriously, there is something very dis- chips, "Plinkc chips," as they are called. urge to remove all your clothes every ten turbing about this trend. Not that it is any- These chips are used on a giant pegboard, minutes? If not, are living proof of my thing new, and certainly no one thinks it will where there are cash prices from $0-$5000 bring about the end of the world, but there is at the bottom. Players place the chips a underlying social ill here that few seem to against the board and release them; the chips bounce off various pegs with a clink-clink If television producers were to create sound until they land in a money spot. In shows that portrayed any racial or ethnic if a chip ever gets stuck, Edward K. Schultheis addition, them with his busty "Plinko Barker group strictly on the basis of their respec- people would be up in arms Stick." retrieves tive stereotypes, The most money ever won on "Plinko" was over it. With that being true, why are more "Come on down! You're the next con- testant on 'TIle Price is Right. ". $23,000, according to thy CBS website. people not enraged about this portrayal of America's youth? Rod Roddy has spoken these. famous In the other most popular game, and Bob words on "The Price is Right" for the past Barker's personal favorite, "Hole in One ...or Are these programs really anything more Two," a contestant has two chances to sink than modem-day minstrel shows, with the 30 years and there does not seem to be any a putt from varying length. The length var- young being the ones mocked? All of these end in sight for the popular television show. ies based on how close to correct they were questions leadup to one large quandary: Why When I was first thinking of a article to in guessing the prices of product'>. Normally, are these show so offensive and yet still so write for this issue, my friend Robert, rec- Barker putts from the farthest line to give popular? ommended (jokingly) that I write about the player inspiration for their putt, and typi- Perhaps because they can actually be en- "Plinko" and while it seemed like just a big joke, the more Ithought about it, the more I cally, he actually makes it. Perhaps this is Michael Wiles tertaining. liked it. The more r liked it, the more I why he was a perfect fit for his cameo in That is, as long as you can separate their smiled when I thought about it, and won- Adam Sandier's movie "Happy Gilmore." self. I am going somewhere with this. Be- stories and reality, and that is all too often the problem. I would hate to think there are dered if an article about this would lighten $0 if you have been living in a cave all sides, that is REALLY something you should some students who head off to college think- the mood following all the events surround- your life and haven't seen the show before, keep to yourself anyway. weirdo.) ing these shows provide adequate represen- ing us. then J certainly recommend, if you have time Despite television's latest push to be more T started informally asking around what (wouldn't want you skipping class to watch "reality based," there are still quite a few tations of what college life is really like, or, that you watch that parents might the people thought of "The Price is Right," and "The Price is Right"), the old ladies trying to programs that aim to fog and confuse real even worse, children from having try to pre- show .. .just watching vent their life as it exists, not just "as we know it," all the great almost everyone said that they "love that Spill the big wheel at the end of the game, is the while presenting themselves as "real life" college experience as a result of these pro- show." In addition, I have watched the show reason enough. It's on channel 9 at II a.m. shows. And, as is often the case, it is young grams. ever since T was a little kid; as 1 am sure And if you are interested in just watch- people that these shows have in their sights. While both notions might seem extreme many other students have too. And even ing Bob Barker playa little golf and slug it Now, I will be honest with all of you. In to us, I am sure they both exist. today, when I am in my dorm room at 11 out with Adam Sandler, then pick up "Happy the past, in my weaker moments, I have been The whole thing just seems like bad busi- a.m., and J do not have anything else to do, Gilmore." As an added bonus, you get to known to watch an episode or two of MTV's ness to me, and, as the group of people these I will tum it on and watch Bob Barker do hear Sandler say 10 Barker, "The price is Undressed if only because there is little to shows purport to represent, I think the mes- his thing. wrong, bitch." watch late at night and because it has col- sage needs to be sent that we are not drunken, When asking people what their favorite And to leave you with one final thought, puppets, around girls running game is on the show, a few people men- as Barker says: "Remember to help control lege-age In spite of this admission, in their under- sex-craved important but rather productive of and I am aware, wear. members tioned "Hole in One, ..or Two," a few men- the pet population, have your pet spayed or as r am sure all of you are as well, being society ... "drunken and sex-craved as we tioned the yodeling mountain climber, and 'neutered. Goodbye everybody." college students, that shows like this do noth- may be. one answered "3 'Strikes," but the most -Edward K. Schultheis is ajunior ing to tell present college life as it really is. popular one was "Plinko." This is also my Our lives consist of WAY MORE than -Michael Wiles-is a junior English personal favorite. communication major major getting drunk and having sex with our sig- Stomach turning experiences question Glar's safety Donna Hurd looks at the experiences of students involving Lately she has been the victim of more that "the egg was extremely warm and that rience while eating in Glar recently. When the safety of the food at Glar disgusting Glar crimes. Just a couple of it was not even sitting on ice." Laura Boyer, he picked up his waffle and took a bite he weeks ago she. decided to get bacon for also a senior, said she had the same experi- realized that it reeked like fish. "I made ev- Now that the school has signed a long breakfast and it was completely raw. Hocban ence only her egg smelled like vinegar and eryone around me smell it and then I started term contract with the Sodexo Marriott din: has decided to give up since, "Napkin com- she refused to eat it. screaming. It was disgusting, I gave it to ing service, , feel it is time to bring to the ments are a waste of my time because when Out of all of the stories I have heard, two Matt Hurff and he went to talk to someone surface grievances from the student body. you tell them about it they don't do anything have stuck out in my mind. Junior Megan about it." I asked Hurff if he received any The students are definitely not impressed anyway?" Hennigan and Junior Brad Widner offered satisfaction from them concerning the com- with changes in Glar this year, Personally, I have noticed that many of tales of Glar that still make my stomach plaint, and he said definitely not. They acted I found that it was not difficult to get stu- the glasses and cups continuously have lip- chum every time I think of them. like it wasn't a big deal and nothing seemed dents to offer their horror stories to me and stick marks on them. While eating lunch last week, Megan to be done about it. The waffle was obvi- they were very anxious to be heard. One This has been brought to their attention found a piece of chewed gum in her soup. ously cooked on a tray that had previously complaint that was heard over and over again numerous times yet there has been no Upon this revolting discovery she decided contained fish and the tray was not properly was that many workers in Glar have been change. At least twice a week there are still to go talk to one of the Glar employees and cleaned afterward. seen handling food without gloves. Notonly smudges on my glass, It is not safe. It makes complain. However, when she went to talk It is amazing to me that with stories like is this unsanitary, but I am sure it violates me wonder how' the germs are being washed to them, "the guy didn't even apologize and these the school would sign a contract with health regulations. off if f can still see the marks. acted like ajerk." In the same sitting Megan this company. If students are becoming sick One student, Johnna Hooban, who is now Another issue that has arisen in Glar also noriced that the shredded cheese for sal- from eating the food, then only bad things a junior, has had problems with Glar since lately is the hard-boiled eggs. Jessica Parker, ads was growing mold. You can bet she can be expected for the future. freshman year. "My freshman year I was a senior here at WMC, ate an egg for break- checks everything over before it touches her getting ice out of the machine and chunks of fast last week. While in class she began to mouth now. Donna Hurd is ajunior English ma~ hard-boiled eggs fell out into my glass." feel sick and had to leave, Parker explained Brad Widner also had a nauseating expe- jor