A few posts ago, I mused about the possibility that 'showbusiness partner' might be a new attempt at a euphemism to identify spousal relationships between men. It was meant partly in jest, but hey, if I turn out to be right and the term gets embraced by people who 'get it', then I will most definitely take any credit that is flung my way about my capabilities as a trend-setter/predicter. Anyway, the other day, something popped up along these lines that I felt like sharing. I was watching Best In Show again, [and yes, Marty, I think you might be right about it being better than A Mighty Wind. It certainly maintains interest longer, of the "who will win?" variety, and it makes better use of its characters. They all have a reason to be there, which couldn't be said for Parker Posey's character in Wind, you know?]... um, let's start this again. I was watching Best In Show again, and was tickled by the line, "Jerry. Meet my euphemism, Stefan". Hee hee. Hilarious, right? But more to the point, it's to the point, right? Or at least, I felt that it was to the point, which doesn't mean that it was. My ideas about this stuff are most probably half-baked. I sometimes feel that I am making a presumptuous prat of myself by making such pronouncements while only having a second-hand, media-laden knowledge of the subject. Is it pratty to call it "the subject"? Hmmmm. I'm gonna take the chance of pratting myself anyway. I have a pronouncement to make. I think that the term "companion" is hella crappy. I humbly submit that the substitution of either "euphemism" or "showbusiness partner" would be way cooler.

On other matters, I must highly recommend that everybody stay home on Saturday nights [or, failing that, at least make the technologically savvy move to pre-setting the VCR, which has been my crowning achievement of this year] to catch a fabulous new show called The Iron Chef. It screens at 7.30pm on SBS and it is a bizarre pisser. Renowned chefs challenge one of three chefs from the Iron Chef stable to do battle, in "Kitchen Stadium" no less, to see who can produce the best completely original dishes in one hour. All dishes must feature the "theme ingredient" of the night, which is chosen by the ringmaster of the whole shabang, who seems a little nutty. All of this madness is translated to us via overdubbed commentary in the American football style, complete with a three-person commentary panel consisting of (1) a careerist commentator, (2) an expert commentator, and (3) a celebrity blow-in inexpert commentator. It's like one of those crazy Japanese game shows, but all the particpants play it straight. These chefs really know what they are doing, and showcase supreme skills while creating their dishes. Man, the bladework has to be seen to be believed. The comedy comes from the dramatic staging, which is familiar, but hilarious and revealing for its being used in a cooking contest rather than a sporting one. The commentators actually do what commentators do; they try to predict the next moves of the combatants, they rib each other, they inject excitement into their voices about how proceedings are going, etc. There is even a "boundary rider" supplying up-to-the-moment updates about what's going on in the thick of the action, and interviewing those sitting in the challenger's "coach's box". I sat there transfixed, thinking, "How do they do this without cracking up? Or is it really a serious contest undertaken in earnest? But it can't be. It's perfectly pitched to take the piss. But are the chefs in on the joke? Or do they not really care, and just enjoy the creativity the competiton allows them?". Whatever the case, it's compelling, weird, and well-voiced. Check it out.