Eat Red Meat.

I am fairly certain this blog doesn't need to become a general commentary on Australian pop culture. Even though it is almost the only aspect of culture that I never cease to be exhausted and annoyed by, I can't stop consuming it, and I know that's probably just me. I know for a fact that if I just kept writing about the often delightful, frequently bizarre, and occasionally bewildering things on television here, at least 2 of our 3 readers would stop reading. And then who would I be writing for? Craig could never forgive me for driving our friends away.

But there are some things here that absolutely merit attention. They simply cannot be ignored.
Oh, oh. Oh, no. Your Stateside minds must see. Must hear. Must know about what young Americans face, on a daily basis, in a strange country.

Dear readers, this installment is not about general Australian media. It is not some diffuse blathering about ice cream and tv and art and Kylie Minogue. No, no, this time we focus our ray of critical light, like a laser of observation, specifically on The Australian TV Commercial.

First, a little background information, a presentation of the issue, if you will. Television is far less inhibited in Australia. Movies aren't edited to cut away sexual content, and even the network TV shows can have far more sex on them. They are allowed to say "fuck" here. There have been midday ads for "Sexpo," which is exactly what it sounds like. My discomfort with said advertisement made me realize just how deep America's Puritan roots are sown.

The first ad I present for your questionable enjoyment blew my mind. This would never be allowed on American telly; behold the lowbrow hilarity that is a hallmark of Australian humor.



My FCC sensibilities are shocked and appalled; how on earth are Australian children expected to not become murderers when this is the kind of television they are exposed to?

Then, we witnessed this atrocity. Sam Neill making specious arguments about brain size and the modern-day importance of eating red meat.



Bizarre. Now, I do believe we could see something similar to this on American TV, but I haven't yet. And, even if we did, it would probably still star an Australian.