On TV - Patrick Duffy for a Leg

Anyone who has been watching a great deal of television since the 90's is already familiar with the nature and purpose of a tracheotomy. Several years ago, every television drama started doing episodes in which someone required an impromptu tracheotomy. And it wasn't just the medical shows; it was the cop shows, the lawyer shows, the paranormal shows, the spy shows. Everyone hopped on the "edgy" bandwagon.

And because they were all doing it, it then became a competition to see who could jam the weirdest thing into someone's throat: pens, straws, rolled up dollar bills, burrito wraps. Just about everything was tried.

It was immensely stupid, but we at least were able to apply this stylized information to world events. Unlike with today's television. The Bernie Mac Show will never help me understand a medical procedure. And I don't care how many different time slots FOX tries: I'm never going to like that show.