'Glass Teat' Ellison's !angry view of television! By TOM MARCINKO Collelan Staff Writer "Hello. You o ght to be frightened. You ought to be scared witless. You think you're !safe, all snuggled dawn in front of your picture tube, don't you?...They've lulled you. McLuhan was right: give me your young every Saturday morning from eight till noon, and they're mine till I send them off to die in a new war." In that unassuming manner, Harlan Ellison, one of the most respected writers in Hollywood, begins "The Glass Teat," a collection of Los Angeles Free Press columns "intended to look at what's Impressions happening around us, culturally and politically and aesthetically, but in terms of what television is saying." ThiS is a great book for anybody who . wonders why the networks insist on The political atmosphere of the country feeding hours of prime-time trash to has changed, but television really hasn't; millions of viewers—and why the viewers new programs and new faces dot the don't object. , screens, but the level of trash on TV, with Ellison writes with a style balanced on a few exceptions, remains constant. Any knife-edge between white-hot anger and point that Ellison made about 1968 TV is devastating sarcasm. "Not only are the still valid today, "MASH" not network potentates a gaggle of cringing, withstanding. petrified, spineless twerps, they are ripe Ellison, having written for "Star Trek," - pa tsys for extortion and blackmail." "The Outer Limits," "The Man from The networks will do anything to avoid a UNCLE" and other showS,nows what he conflict with the sponsors, the public or is talking about. the gbvernment, Ellison claims. Instead of In essence- his thesis is that George playing the rule of social critic and a force Orwell had only half the truth. When for change as TV should, the networks television watches us, we'll be in trouble. rubber-stamp government decisions and But we are already in trouble when we blindly accept conventional mores. watch television with a blind eye and The viewers are to blame as much as the sleeping brain. netwoliks, 'Ellison says, for accepting the "The Glass Teat" is recommended as "Common Mat" philosophy portrayed an inside look at TV for everybody who on cottritlesS family dramas and sitcoms. gave it up, and anybody who still watches. "The time for worshipping the Common Harlan Ellison will shock you out of your Man is past," Ellison writes. "We can no complacency. :*;::::ecct:::5::::::okmmamic0mrsimm330:i:i:i:i:igi:W:iM2:2M;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Nixon reacts to Faisal death SAN CLEMENTE,' Calif. to news media by a secretary, people's Interests, King UPI)—In a rare public said: Faisal also brought a strong . . statement, former President "The tragic death of King voice of reason and Richard M. Nixon expressed Faisal is an immense loss to moderation to the search for sorrow yesterday on the his country, to the world, and peace not only in the Middle death of Saudi Arabia's King to the cause of Arab- East but in the world. Faisal whom he described as American friendship to which "Mrs. Nixon joins me in "my friend for 20 years." he was dedicated, extending out deepest sym- The statement, telephoned "A staunch defender of his pathy to his family." `You the student are the best defense against campus r' crime. Engravers are available at the-H.U.B. and at Police Services. Use them! Report all thefts immediately to Police Services; call 865-5458. longer tolerate him, or countenance his, stupidity. He is the man who keeps our air polluted, our country at war, our schools infested with police statism, our lives on the brink of oppression and our futures sold out for oil leases. "...We must kill off the Common Man in !: us and bring forth the Renaissance Man," Ellison concludes. Ellison is aware of the dangers of censorship, "having been a man who lost two grand when a segment of a show he wrote was canceled for a rerun because it was too violent." Violence is honest, Ellison says. "It says precisely what it means. There is no arguing with it. It makes a clearly defined dramatic point." Much,gf "The Glass Teat" is a nostalgia trip through the Bad Old Days, since the collected columns originally were written between October 1968 and January 1970. . _ . Ouse' HARRISBURG (AP)—As cogs in the latest Irvis: Itius efficiency House debate bogged down effort, based on changes in last week in a minor legislative scheduling. procedural dispute, Except for regular Democratic floor leader K. vacations, Pennsylvania's Leroy Irvis turned to nearby L. House and Senate have newsmen and desciibed his I" become accustomed to occasional frustration. 1 meeting throughout the year, "Running this Housed on a j for two or three days in an modern basis is like putting a ' average week. Other states seem to AP news analysis manage just as well with 150-horsepower engine in' a buggy," Irvis said with a tired smile. Leaders have been trying Herbert - Fineman proposed for years to streamline alternating. periods of work legiglative operations, to get by the 21 committees with more issues settled more floor sessions where all 203 satisfactorily in less time. members vote. Irvis is one of the major The theory is to provide big The Little Sisters of Tau Phi Delta congratulate Glen Lewis on winning the Tavern Dinner Special thanks to all who helped. HOLY WEEK SERVICES - At Grace Lutheran Church TONIGHT Holy Communion 10:00 p.m THURSDAY Communion & Foot Washing 10:00 p.m. FRIDAY Good Friday Tenebrae 10:00 p.m. SATURDAY Easter Vigil & Easter Communion 11:30 p.m. EASTER SUNDAY: Sunrise Service, Eisethower Chapel 6:00 a.m 10:00 a.m. & S:OQ Eisenhower Chapel Communion 11:45 ant Grace Lutheran Church Communion SPONSORED BY LUTHERAN STUDENT PAOLISH AT PENN STATE high'-paced legislative sessions that adjourn after several months. This yekr, House Speaker work frustrating chunks of time for committee left 46 lawmakers facing consumer advocate was to §tudy problems and instructions to be in two viewed as flawed by both its recommend solutions, different places at one time. :supporters and opponents. without interruption for floor But Fineman stuck- to his Such disagreements may be sessions. plan despite the complaints. inevitable when compromises In the past, committee lie predicted it woula mean are made. chairmen often sandwiched *otter legislation emerging '- meetings between floor from committee and more • Fineman concealed there sessions and party caucuses. enlightened work on the are bugs to be worked out of When the House was in House floor, because his system. In the middle of session from Monday to lawmakers would be better the week, he called Wednesday, Tuesday morn- *pared. Democratic committee ing was popular for com- .The test cam last week chairmen together to am mittee meetings. when the House held its first that they must devote ore Fineman's plan has extended voting session detailed attention to devoted entire we9ks to Legislators spent three eight- legislation. committee work, upsetting hour days on -the floor, some lawmakers who jour- passing 42 bills and eight Fineman said he already neyed to Harrisburg only to resolutions. sees advantages to his find their committee • But the quality of their system. He claims individual meetings cancelled. workwasdisputed. lawmakers are more Scheduling conflicts initially A bill creating a state prepared. The Daily Collegian Wednesday, March 26, 1975-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers