Reno 911, BM Busted by the Mainstream

[TheDude]

Next Wednesday, Sept, 24th, Comedy Central will air the show Reno 911 with the episode being based on our beloved Burning Man. I love Reno 911, and want to see what they do with it, but this scares me a bit. Anytime mainstream gets a hold of anything, they screw it up. Am I just paranoid? Maybe it's the Ganja, but what do you think? (About the show, not the Ganja).

[clandyone]

Well, Burning Man has been "busted by the mainstream" for years. From MTV to Bruce Sterling's article in Wired to the front page of the Los Angeles Times' Metro section, the mainstream media has been all over it for a damn long time.

I'm not worried, myself. I think the expense, the remoteness and the grueling conditions are enough to keep most silly people away. There are still silly people around, but they, like the poor, are always with us (apologies to Jesus for cribbing his line.)

An occasionally-humorous Comedy Central show will not sound the death knell for our beloved event.

[PJ]

the poor, are always with us

Actually, thanks to zoning laws, usurious property tax rates, gated communities, and the like the poor are mostly with themselves.

[Borris]

I wonder is the series actually uses the BM name and did they get clearance from the media team for that??

[_tears_]

I am going to make sure i watch it, i just want to see how they protray us crazy fuz fucking Burners

[TheDude]

I think the show will be good if the previous shows are any indication. The show is all about real people that have responsibility and somehow fuck it up all in the name of fun. I was worried that the mainstreem will kill the spirit of BM, but as was pointed out in previous posts, it's been done before, and BM is still alive. If there ever was a TV show that more resembles the personality of BM, it would be Reno 911. I will light a spliff for all my burning brothers and sisters that will be watching tomorrow night.

On a separate note,... I have not recieved my BM calendar yet,.. Does any one know the exact dates for next year?

[precipitate]

> Does any one know the exact dates for next year?

Since Labor Day is always the first Monday in September, I think it's a
good bet the event will be held August 30-September 6.

[TestesInSac]

> Does any one know the exact dates for next year?

Since Labor Day is always the first Monday in September, I think it's a
good bet the event will be held August 30-September 6.

OTOH, if there were ever a good year to move the event up one or two weeks, 2k4 would be it.

[Angry Butterfly]

Reno 911 is hardly mainstream, Burning man got mentioned on the Simpsons years ago, here is the thing about media coverage and becoming a bit of pop culture, it raises the bar, after reading about burnigman in wired and seeing stuff on discovery chanel and the simpsons and what not, I really had this impression that burningman was something really special and if I participated i had to really do it right and really go all out, and so when I helped with projects and did my own I really went all out, because it was "BURNINGMAN" but then when i was worried I wasn't finished and my friend I was helping decided to do something half assed and ugly insted of following my design, he was all like, "nobody cares, it's burningman" well, that sucked, See, the cool thing about getting coverage like that is that you get people like me who are both intimidated and thrilled and have this beautiful idea bigger than itself and it is kind of like this perfect image that they want to live up to. When I had to deal with all these veterans (before I went out) bitching about how this or that didnt go right and telling me how things were half assed it kind of burst my bubble, and spoiled this dream i had, but when I got out there and it WAS amazing, and it was incredible, and i WAS awed, I wondered how anybody could bitch about it.

The same thing happens at a smaller scale in the collective I hang out at, I saw these amazing things they did and thoght it was a huge deal to be a part of it, so I really worked to get my art to a level where I felt it was worthy. when I got to know the place a little better i realized that thay had there warts and problems like everything else, but they made magic happen so that the whole was greater than the sum of it's parts and they end up attracting people with real talent and real skill who want to contribute, so fresh blood makes things better, because you are not all bitter and jaded, see everyone gets disillusioned eventualy, but hopefully you have made some progress or contribution before that vision of perfection fades, and also when you get some fresh blood, hopefully you can see through their eyes and remember what it felt like when You had that perfect vision, and mabe you can even help get yours back.

[JezebelinHell]

Reno 911 is rather amusing and all, but it's turned all the cops in this town into much bigger fucking assholes! They're so defensive now.

[TheDude]

I thought that being a Big Fucking Asshole was a part of the job discription if you want to be a cop. Actually, I know a couple of cops, and they are cool, but the vast majority are dicks! If the Reno cops can't laugh at themselves, then they deserve all the ridicule they can get, and more. Isn't that the key to why we all as a BM community exist is that we are very serious about not taking this life too seriously! I'm all about not being too serious.

[III]

i wanna save angry butterfly's post up there somewhere better than this black cess hole of a communications forum.

it was good.

[TheDude]

I started this mess, and I couldn't agree with you more. Angry Butterfly's post is a work of art!

[johnboy]

yes, yes, the little bitter flutterby has hit the nail on the head.
i've thought since the first time i saw reno 911 that there had to be a burner on the writing/concept team for sure. who else would poke such tongue in cheek fun at our once a year convenience store for the unwashed masses. i mean the repeated character that is constantly on rollersaktes and hands out hand jobs during red lights for 3 bux, is oft seen in a 'booty camp' shirt and there's a steady stream of drug references in a thankfully-uncaring-towards-the-partier sideline all along. has to be one of us somewhere in that organization. which for my two cents worth is absolutely priceless. with the semi-blatant cross character acting of anybody with a scrambled face, they're really bringing back a high quality comedy troupe-esque style to t.v.. think old sctv or classic sat. night live, a six-pack of funny people pulling off many roles. i.e., the super-social-freak, mousy waifish introvert lady cop also nailing the local crack-ho in thigh highs bit. quite ripe indeed.

had been wondering how the good folk of nevada have been taking their gentle piss taking from a few sharp and sarcastic minds, sorry to hear 'bout the pigs.

vive le resistance!

[consumer]

I think the natives of Reno got the best laugh on this episode.

"We're going to The Burning Man."

[nymphgonebad]

Reno 911 is rather amusing and all, but it's turned all the cops in this town into much bigger fucking assholes! They're so defensive now.

i feel their pain.


it sucks to be hated when you're trying to keep people safe.

[clandyone]

I think the natives of Reno got the best laugh on this episode.

"We're going to The Burning Man."

All right, I'll admit to watching the damn thing. My favorite line, from the woman cop in the briefing: "Why is it only you guys who get to go?"

[Angry Butterfly]

wow, thanks for all the kind commets about my post, I need to save it myself, for when I am feeling bitter and jaded, because yeah, I get bitter and jaded like everybody else, otherwise I wouldnt be the "ANGRY" butterfly. I try to use anger as a force for change.

[Angry Butterfly]

Oh, yeah, I admit I stayed up late to watch it, I was looking forward to it all week! They got lost, this was disturbingly similar to my own burning man experience, right down to me using that it was "work related" as an excuse to go (I am an artist by trade) and loosing my wallet because Ididnt have anywhere to put it! I said to my husband when the guy didnt have his badge, "See! That's what happend to me!"