Wednesday, July 18, 2007

American Inventor Redux

Carolos Patrick Reid's family, friends, and neighbors again will be gathering tonight on Pensacola Beach tonight to watch the Tampa regional finals of ABC's American Inventor. Beach people have to stick together, so we'll be watching, too.

But the local bookies aren't encouraging about Patrick's chances. His idea for "Reid Rebuilding Blocks" is just too good, they say. In keeping with the custom of television reality shows, ABC seems to think it needs characters from Screwball City to appeal to the "average American" -- or at least the average American television viewer.

Someone, maybe, like 80 year-old Furney (or maybe it's Bernie) Eubanks and his pivoting lawn mower. As one viewer sees it, he's nothing but a "horny grandpa" with a "crazy laugh."

Maybe so. But we never bet against the bad judgment of the people in charge of commercial TV.

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