The long gone days of scary TV in KC

We're now in the full swing of Springtime; invariably this means that shootings in Kansas City will increase.

Additionally, the recent tragedy at Ward Parkway Shopping Center brought violence to parts of KC that are usually unscathed by bullets so it's clear that the warm weather is bringing the crooks and crazies back outside in this town. However, in watching a great deal of the coverage I couldn't help but think how sanitized it all seemed. Maybe it's because the weekend crews weren't accustomed to dealing with the high dollar stories . . . More likely, it's because there is a formula for every tragedy when it comes to reporting and TV coverage . . . That's why every massacre seems to look the same from Iraq to Virginia Tech . . . Only the names and faces change.

Not so long ago, TV programming wasn't always comprised of merely cut and paste jobs.

I was talking with my Dad a few days ago about some of his favorite TV programs from the days of way back and he told me about one of his favorite KC shows: SHOCK. Hosted by Harvey Brunswick who created the crazy looking character Gregory Grave, SHOCK theater was a staple of a well rounded TV diet for so many members of KC's baby boom generation. Really, there's no easier way to tell if a person has a local background than to ask them about their favorite local shows and if Gregory Grave or Whizzo the Clown don't come up you're probably dealing with nothing more than an KC interloper who more than likely unquestioningly supports the Funkhouser Administration.

Anyway, my memories of late night and local TV aren't as interesting because the corporate era of consolidation and cable TV took almost every bit of creativity out of local programming during the 80's and silenced a lot of area talent while substituting it with nothing more than the same cookie cutter shows that are on every channel in the country.

However, as a kid I do remember having a "thing" for KC's own Roberta Solomon who invented a charter named Crematia Mortem. Crematia supplied a steady stream of corny jokes and (not so) clever skits that made Saturday Nights a little more bearable in the years before I had access or interest in Skin-a-max and other fare.

Actually, I remember Crematia fondly because even as a kid I thought her act was a lot more interesting than the horrible movies that KSHB replayed for local stoners and people with insomnia.



Sadly, the days the locals having anything to do with local TV are long gone. I thought there was a glimmer of hope when KCTV 5 gained a little bit of traction nearly 10 years ago with their half-hour late night program Speaker's Corner but they trashed that idea long ago in favor of herbal supplements or whatever infomercial now runs during the witching hour.

Still, I think there might be hope considering that we now live in an era where almost anyone can broadcast video from their home to the entire world . . . I know I've made a few crappy videos for my own entertainment lately and folks like Srovets over at Youtube have done a great job in creating some semblance of an online video community . . . Really, I hope vlogs and online video become a bigger part of KC's Internet Scene so that entertainment that's unique to this town can undergo the same kind of urban renaissance that the downtown area is boasting . . . Only, you know, with more local attractions than the P&L District has planned.