August 02, 2003

LIKE THE LIFESTYLE CHANNEL, BUT WITH A TWIST

Angela Bell has a brilliant idea -- a cable channel dedicated to funerals:

It would show live funeral services - with music, eulogies and, most important, real emotion. The channel could broadcast 24 hours a day, thanks to all the world's times zones. And think of the advertising possibilities! Florists, printers, funeral directors, stonemasons and musicians, and caterers for wakes (wakes could be shown too).

Plus there could be readings from The Daily Telegraph’s wonderful obituaries, and studio interviews where hostile relatives are able to challenge excessive praise of the deceased. Lots of people would watch this. I knew of two oldtimers in Melbourne who went to random funerals every weekend. When they met each other once at a funeral in Richmond, one turned to the other as the priest was speaking and whispered: “Who died?”

Posted by Tim Blair at August 2, 2003 01:55 AM
Comments

Wonder if that show will produce legs, or is it going to be considered "dead in the water..."

Posted by: Laura at August 2, 2003 at 02:36 AM

This is brilliant. I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to think up a way to cash in on the final boomer fad (i.e. dying), and also predict how funerals and the death industry will change as they switch over to generation X. And here's the coolest idea. I know I'd watch it.

Posted by: Brian Jones at August 2, 2003 at 03:34 AM

This idea was cribbed. I read it somewhere, probably in Opinionjournal.com some months ago.

Posted by: caesar at August 2, 2003 at 04:55 AM

This could be the next click down on the digital-teevee-selection-gizmo after my own invention:

Hangin' TV

Public jurisprudence writ LIVE! Very bad people executed in public on Pay Per View! The demise of YouSay? and Quookay would have been perfect. "Enjoy the firefight in the comfort of your living room."

But we're barbarians in the U.S. Aren't we?

Your pal,

bob

Posted by: bob at August 2, 2003 at 08:31 AM

How about scattered 30 second vignettes of funerary fun & trivia?

Funerals In History - "Today, how many linen miles in a mummy?"

Famous Wake Recipes - "Today, Chicken-In-A-Casket"

Historical Headstones - "I told You I Was Sick" or Parker's "Excuse My Dust"

Posted by: Stephen at August 2, 2003 at 08:50 AM

Broadcasters try to avoid dead air.

Posted by: Ric at August 2, 2003 at 09:10 AM

Pray TV.

Posted by: pooh at August 4, 2003 at 11:49 AM