Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for July 30, 2013

Its hard to remember Hobbes is not real.

This portion of "Reality’ is brought to you by the Ministry ofTruth. Stay tuned. WE will!

Of course you do, Calvin.

Oh Calvin you do realise you are part of a bigger social experiment.. you are being watched too, by us.

How can they even begin to call it “Reality TV” when there is someone always taking pictures of just what is happening with a video cam??I mean, just what reality is that supposed to be??

This was before the eponymous Big Brother program, too.Watterson’s prophetic gift is unnerving sometimes.I’ve always disliked those “funniest videos” programmes, because they make me laugh at people who obviously got hurt quite badly.

There’s nothing to snicker! It’s a tragedy!

We’re all on “reality” TV now. This is very prescient. Proves again how much Watterson was tuned in to society.

The ‘Big Brother’ Hobbes is referring to is the one from 1984.

You’d just better be glad they can’t nail you for your thoughts, Hobbes…

Still relevant after all these years.

Unfortunately, you’re not the only one, Calvin, otherwise, there would be no reality TV today.

I wonder what programs Watterson was referring to back then?

Can you say, “schadenfreude”?

World’s Dumbest

Ahhh, Calvin, the crowned prince of schadenfreude

I don’t like watch TV programs…

We leave our TV on for noise for the dog. I came home one day and it was tuned (or is that tooned) to CNN. I accused my wife of animal abuse.

I estimate that my dog’s IQ is somewhere around 15 (he is part Broder Collie after all.) Most of what is on TV is insulting to his intelligence.

To my knowledge, and memory, reality TV began with “An American Family” in 1971 on PBS. Things didn’t go we’ll, and it was downhill from there. Not to say that there wasn’t something earlier, but I don’t feel like researching it.

I thought all tv shows go to commercial when they’re on tv?

When there was a writers’ strike a couple of years ago, the reality shows had to stop production. They need their writers to come up with reality.

Oh that’s nice, Calvin (!)

Someone’s pain is another person’s pleasure.

Love the jumping TV effect.

LOL xxx

/face palm

Not necessarily. He may be a budding author. I know some authors, and have heard of many others, whose characters will tell them flat out what is or is not going to happen.

I recall it happened on MASH too. Cpl. Klinger, in one episode, was supposed to be asleep on guard duty—but the actor (Jamie Farr) objected. Klinger’s original defining characteristic was his attempt to gain a Section 8 psychiatric discharge from the army (by habitually wearing women’s clothing and engaging in other “crazy” stunts) but never at the expense of his duties. He was conscientious, and would not have slept on guard duty. The writers agreed—and put another character there.

Of course, we’ve had “reality shows” even from 50 years ago. We used to call it “Professional Wrestling”

boy! Is that prophetic! There’s a camera up every sphincter in this world this days.

Watterson was a true visionary.

I agree with this!

Calvin is the only one that sees Hobbes as a walking talking friend ,every one else sees Hobbes as a child’s teddy bear .Yes I know its a comic strip,yes I love it as such.

Take your politics and put them someplace where the sun never shines.

Mom can see Calvin,when she is around Hobbes is a Teddy Bear,when only Calvin is there he is just like Calvin. He is only real to Calvin.

A while back I enjoyed watching “The Colony.” Almost every episode the narrator would say something like “If the colonists don’t find food soon, they will die,” and I would think, “Well that can’t be too hard. Just go ask the camera guy for a bite of his cheese burger.”

And this was before You Tube. What is Hobbes’ take on that? ;-)