I've probably mentioned before that we tend to watch the TV quiz show "Troxos tis tixis" ["Wheel of Fortune"]. Our excuse is that it improves our Greek vocabulary and spelling. What's also interesting about it as well, though, is that the subjects of the word puzzles that the contestants have to solve often reflect the differences in modern culture between Greece and our home country of England, or the UK in general.
The puzzles that need solving are frequently under categories like "Fashion" - in which case the contestants will often have to find perhaps three names of famous models or designers, "Cinema" in which the answers will often be American or British actors [and they'll be spelt using the Geek alphabet and the Greek way of rendering consonants that don't exist in Greek. These can bear little resemblance to their Roman alphabet counterparts. For instance, Brad Pitt is spelt in Greek "Μπραντ Πιτ", Daniel Craig is rendered "Ντανιελ Κρεγκ" (good eh?) and Robert Redford is "Πομπερτ Πεντφορντ"], or perhaps "Song Title." Such categories one may expect to find coming up in the UK version (which I believe is no longer running anyway), but there are others that kind of indicate the differences between life here in Greece and life in the UK.
For example, a category that comes up quite often is "In the Church." I read very recently that Greeks are among, if not are the most religious people in Europe. In a largely secular society, such as it is nowadays in most European countries, something that can he hard to adjust to here is the way that the Church still exerts a huge hold over peoples' daily lives and habits. I can't imagine for a moment a category like "In the Church" (which can refer to various implements and aids used during religious ceremonies inside a church in Greece) coming up on a UK TV quiz show.
Another category that comes up at least once a week is "At the Demonstration." I'm not having you on, seriously. Let's face it, since 'austerity' kicked in here in Greece some 10 years ago now, demonstrations, involving the usual chucking of Molotov coctails, setting fire to wheelie bins (or dumpsters) and the frequent use of tear gas and the like, have become such commonplace occurrences in Syntagma Square that it's now considered a good enough subject matter for a round on a TV quiz show.
Something else that demonstrates how things have moved on in the UK a little further than here (and I'm not so sure I think it's entirely a good thing), is the fact that the show (like a few others too) still features primarily a male host, the genial and cheeky-chappie style Petros Polihronidis (Πέτρος Πολυχρονίδης) and his sidekick, who's quite definitely simply there as eye candy, Josephina. At the beginning of the show she's expected to parade up and down in front of the camera like a model on the catwalk. She does this to the sound of the males in the studio audience whistling and cheering as she does her twirls to show off whatever sartorial outfit she's wearing for that particular show.
Apart from the occasional interjection, perhaps to declare the category for the next round's puzzle, or to reel off the details for viewers to write in if they'd like to be contestants, she's simply there to spice up the view a little. It harps back to the days when women were kind of viewed as pretty dumb things to be seen and not heard from too often. "There there, dear, you just stand there and look pretty, now won't you."
Now, as I alluded to above, I said that I'm not sure that the changes that have taken place in more 'progressive' countries are entirely good. I maybe need to expand on that before I experience a backlash from the bra-burners! See, it occurs to me that the kind of society that's developing in 'the west' is one where women and men will eventually all end up looking like Chinese workers in Chairman Mao era China. The sexes are becoming blurred perhaps too much. Yes, of course, it's entirely right that women should have exactly the same opportunities as men to advance their careers, and they absolutely deserve equal pay for doing the same jobs as men, no contest. But I'm not entirely convinced that a woman doesn't want a man to show some respect for the fact that she's a woman. The differences in the sexes ought not to be trivialised to the extent that we can't celebrate the difference without demeaning the female of the species.
I still have the sneaky suspicion that most women like it when a man holds a door open for her, or compliments her on her appearance. These days one's on thin ice doing such things in the UK and America. The showing of respect has been transformed in many cases to being termed "patronising." Give me a break.
I rather like Formula One. Now I know it's not everyone's cup of tea and it's a total waste of time arguing over who likes what. It wouldn't do for us all to be the same. But I only use that as an example because the era of the 'grid girls' has now gone. "It's making women like sex objects," they cried! I wonder if anyone ever asked the girls who did that job what they thought though? A lot of them are now out of a job.
Ah well, by and large the way women have been emancipated is of course completely right and proper, but I for one still think we ought to remember that the sexes are different, and always will be. Doesn't mean that one is better than the other, but they're certainly not the same and why on earth would we want them to be? Just before I get off that subject, which has become a bit of a tangent I'll admit, I'm truly irritated when female actresses are called 'actors' and a chairman has now to be called a 'chair.' Let's get this straight, the male and female genders are what they are, so what the dickens is that all about then? A chair is something you sit on. A female in that role is surely a Chairwoman, and a man a Chairman. I can't for the life of me see what's wrong with that. And a female actor is an actress, it's purely a matter of correct use of language. The world's gone mad, mad I tell you!
Oh, I'm getting all in a lather now. I need to chill out a little. Let's have a look at the TV schedule. Ooh, look, Wheel of Fortune's on in a minute...
The puzzles that need solving are frequently under categories like "Fashion" - in which case the contestants will often have to find perhaps three names of famous models or designers, "Cinema" in which the answers will often be American or British actors [and they'll be spelt using the Geek alphabet and the Greek way of rendering consonants that don't exist in Greek. These can bear little resemblance to their Roman alphabet counterparts. For instance, Brad Pitt is spelt in Greek "Μπραντ Πιτ", Daniel Craig is rendered "Ντανιελ Κρεγκ" (good eh?) and Robert Redford is "Πομπερτ Πεντφορντ"], or perhaps "Song Title." Such categories one may expect to find coming up in the UK version (which I believe is no longer running anyway), but there are others that kind of indicate the differences between life here in Greece and life in the UK.
For example, a category that comes up quite often is "In the Church." I read very recently that Greeks are among, if not are the most religious people in Europe. In a largely secular society, such as it is nowadays in most European countries, something that can he hard to adjust to here is the way that the Church still exerts a huge hold over peoples' daily lives and habits. I can't imagine for a moment a category like "In the Church" (which can refer to various implements and aids used during religious ceremonies inside a church in Greece) coming up on a UK TV quiz show.
Another category that comes up at least once a week is "At the Demonstration." I'm not having you on, seriously. Let's face it, since 'austerity' kicked in here in Greece some 10 years ago now, demonstrations, involving the usual chucking of Molotov coctails, setting fire to wheelie bins (or dumpsters) and the frequent use of tear gas and the like, have become such commonplace occurrences in Syntagma Square that it's now considered a good enough subject matter for a round on a TV quiz show.
Something else that demonstrates how things have moved on in the UK a little further than here (and I'm not so sure I think it's entirely a good thing), is the fact that the show (like a few others too) still features primarily a male host, the genial and cheeky-chappie style Petros Polihronidis (Πέτρος Πολυχρονίδης) and his sidekick, who's quite definitely simply there as eye candy, Josephina. At the beginning of the show she's expected to parade up and down in front of the camera like a model on the catwalk. She does this to the sound of the males in the studio audience whistling and cheering as she does her twirls to show off whatever sartorial outfit she's wearing for that particular show.
Apart from the occasional interjection, perhaps to declare the category for the next round's puzzle, or to reel off the details for viewers to write in if they'd like to be contestants, she's simply there to spice up the view a little. It harps back to the days when women were kind of viewed as pretty dumb things to be seen and not heard from too often. "There there, dear, you just stand there and look pretty, now won't you."
Now, as I alluded to above, I said that I'm not sure that the changes that have taken place in more 'progressive' countries are entirely good. I maybe need to expand on that before I experience a backlash from the bra-burners! See, it occurs to me that the kind of society that's developing in 'the west' is one where women and men will eventually all end up looking like Chinese workers in Chairman Mao era China. The sexes are becoming blurred perhaps too much. Yes, of course, it's entirely right that women should have exactly the same opportunities as men to advance their careers, and they absolutely deserve equal pay for doing the same jobs as men, no contest. But I'm not entirely convinced that a woman doesn't want a man to show some respect for the fact that she's a woman. The differences in the sexes ought not to be trivialised to the extent that we can't celebrate the difference without demeaning the female of the species.
I still have the sneaky suspicion that most women like it when a man holds a door open for her, or compliments her on her appearance. These days one's on thin ice doing such things in the UK and America. The showing of respect has been transformed in many cases to being termed "patronising." Give me a break.
I rather like Formula One. Now I know it's not everyone's cup of tea and it's a total waste of time arguing over who likes what. It wouldn't do for us all to be the same. But I only use that as an example because the era of the 'grid girls' has now gone. "It's making women like sex objects," they cried! I wonder if anyone ever asked the girls who did that job what they thought though? A lot of them are now out of a job.
Ah well, by and large the way women have been emancipated is of course completely right and proper, but I for one still think we ought to remember that the sexes are different, and always will be. Doesn't mean that one is better than the other, but they're certainly not the same and why on earth would we want them to be? Just before I get off that subject, which has become a bit of a tangent I'll admit, I'm truly irritated when female actresses are called 'actors' and a chairman has now to be called a 'chair.' Let's get this straight, the male and female genders are what they are, so what the dickens is that all about then? A chair is something you sit on. A female in that role is surely a Chairwoman, and a man a Chairman. I can't for the life of me see what's wrong with that. And a female actor is an actress, it's purely a matter of correct use of language. The world's gone mad, mad I tell you!
Oh, I'm getting all in a lather now. I need to chill out a little. Let's have a look at the TV schedule. Ooh, look, Wheel of Fortune's on in a minute...
John--thankyou for your admirable rant!! Completely agree with you!
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