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Friday 25 March 2011

Cultural Smackdown: TV Clip Show Edition

Today is the first of a new series:  CULTURAL SMACKDOWN!

In this series, I'm going to compare and contrast two versions of a similar idea, as executed by each culture.

Today's inaugural edition features the TV Clip Show.  In America, it's called "The Soup".  In England, we call it "Harry Hill's TV Burp".  I hope you'll enjoy this head-to-head comparison of the two.

LET THE SMACKDOWN BEGIN!!!

TV Burp Image & Talk Soup Image (edited slightly by me)

Each takes on a stupid reality show:


vs.


On Soap Operas:


vs.


On Game Shows:


The Soup on Teen Jeopardy

On vapid nationally-known TV hosts:


vs.



In my opinion, they are pretty comparable.  Here's a little bullet point action for you:
-Harry Hill is a bit more cartoon-ish and camp than Joel McHale... and balder...  
-Joel McHale has better hair.
-TV Burp films in front of a studio audience as opposed to staff, family and friends.
-TV Burp airs on Sunday Sunday* Saturday** early evening after the equivalent of America's Funniest Home Videos, meaning it draws a large family audience.  The Soup targets a slightly older audience. 
-TV Burp has long-running jokes (especially about soap operas) leading to the soap writers including things in the script specifically in hopes of Hill picking it up.  The Soup has a long-running joke about E and specifically Ryan Seacrest.
-Both feature recurring characters and bits.


Harry mixes it up a bit with various "Somethings" of the week


So what do you think?  What differences can you see?  


Finally, I leave you TV Burp's most signature bit.  I like The Soup and I like TV Burp.  But which one's best?  There's only one way to find out....



Let the SMACKDOWN begin! To the comments....

*Ross says he told me Saturday when I double checked what day TV Burp airs.... I heard Sunday.
**Ross wants to know why I crossed out Sunday and wrote Sunday... 

2 comments:

  1. I, too, am a fan of both shows, but NO ONE beats Joel McHale (am I the only one who finds myself oddly attracted to him?). The Soup is the winner by a long shot.

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  2. He certainly wins the smackdown in the category of hotness! (Not that Harry's much competition) :)

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