Mailbag Monday #2

Because of time constraints, today’s edition of Mailbag Monday features only one email. Off to a good start!

I couldn’t help but notice on your board games article (http://ekarj.com/boardgames.htm) that entertainment was said to have been invented in the early ’90s. I was wondering if you might please pin-point the exact moment for us – was it the opening of “Terminator 2”?

Perhaps the release of the Super NES console? My guess is the world tour of Vanilla Ice. That was a good one.

Please get back to me and let me know the exact moment that entertainment came into existence. Thanks for your time!

-Brandon Mullis

Entertainment made huge advancements with Super Soakers (in 1990), Super Mario Kart (1992), and Jurassic Park (1993), overcoming a huge setback from Pogs in the early 90s. Its arrival in the states, however, can ultimately be traced back to the premier of America’s Funniest Videos in January of 1990 (though the Japanese had a working prototype of entertainment as early as 1975).

America’s Funniest Videos offered a barrage of 30-second home video clips featuring toddlers smearing peas over their faces, abusive fathers knocking over Christmas trees, children careening off sleds and into the woods—it was all hilarious, and inexplicably Bob Saget’s obnoxious high-pitched inner monologues only made it better. “Oh, look at me, I’m a baby crawling around in the snow! Oh boy, this snow sure looks like a nice snack, I think I’ll have a bite or two! Oh, shit, here comes a dog.” Bob Saget could narrate the inner monologues of characters in Schindler’s List and it would become hilarious. “La-da-da, I wonder where this train is going? Uh-oh!”

24 thoughts on “Mailbag Monday #2

  1. You’re quite hilarious. You should really post more often. I’d tell everyone about it if it appeared mildly active. (Plus, it’d make the internet funnier)

  2. Just letting you know, ðŸ™
    Also letting you know, it’s alright. I think it’s understood the entries will come when they come.

    Feel free to come back and pretend like nothing ever happened, you know we’ll always to you back, baby.

  3. I want you to know that you putting your site back online did not go unnoticed. Thank you very much Mr. Eric.

  4. Phew. For a second there, I thought this treasure trove (what’s a trove?) of frequently-updated and well thought-out internet hilarity had died. Try to imagine my relief when I stumbled back into the website by doing a reverse image search of owlman. Phew.

  5. This has been such an emotional roller coaster for me over these last few months; a post after a very long absence, site goes down, returns with a few posts and promises of more, site goes down for an extended period of time, and now it’s back again! Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it’s back, but please stop toying with my heart!

  6. It appears that I wasn’t the only one checking on the status of the site every so often. Like the others, I just wanted to let you know that it’s a relief to not be slapped in the face with a Go Daddy page every time now. I look forward to future updates, should you find the time for them of course.

  7. @rubix: Lol. I just reread your post and thought it was funny this time.

    @Everyone: I propose we create a plan to deal with the lack of posts. Preferably something involving a water buffalo.

  8. This is probably a too-timely reference which nobody will understand in the context of the rest of the site, but how about a Kickstarter?

  9. Dearest Eric,

    Over the years your fine establishment here has brought me a great many tears. Some of them were even from laughter. Let me tell you why you owe me a dry shirt today.

    This morning I woke slowly, begrudgingly, after only three hours of sleep. I tried to turn over and return to sleep, but my body hates me for reasons i am legally prohibited from discussing. Suddenly, my sleep-addled-and-deprived brain hit an idea. “I know, it said, ill disappoint myself into unconsciousness. Time to check if ekarjla is updated for the first time in a year and a half.”

    I loaded it up, only to be greeted with fresh content. “Yippee!” I shouted becauee i am a child. Then i noticed that the fresh content was a year out of date promise to update regularly. Theres the disappointment. But before it could put me back into dreamland i read your posts. Iaughed.

  10. Apparently my phone cannot distinguish between backspace and “post now”

    Anyhow, point is you ruined my morning by forcing me awake with laughter, then disappointing me with absence. A deadly combination. Youve killed me eric. Killed me dead.

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