So we're watching the Macy's Parade because our kids like the balloons and marching bands...

[Orrex]

Forty-five minutes into it, the two channels airing it have shown a total of just under 12 seconds of actual parade and about 60 minutes of commercials and 30 minutes of tired Broadway numbers, celebrity shout-outs, some incredibly lame banter between the hosts, with five long minutes devoted to Bloomberg.

I just want to see some damn balloons, dammit!

[Deja Q]

1. Macy's needs their sponsors,

whose products we buy pay for all this, yet it's not public domain...

[Orrex]

4. Blah blah blah

The Superbowl isn't public domain, either, but somehow they actually manage to show some football throughout the course of it.


I'm not asking for a fixed camera silently overlooking the parade route; I'd just like to see an occasional shot of something other than Jamie Kennedy.

[Captain Hilts]

2. I want to see the UnderDog balloon, damn it!

[Orrex]

6. Yeah! He could totally kick Garfield's ass, by the way.

[blogslut]

3. It's probably better in person

I can do without the non-parade stuff but beggars can't be choosers.

[Orrex]

5. I say we can.

Choose, dammit! Choose!

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. No, it really isn't - the whole parade is geared for TV

unless you're at the end of the parade where the cameras are, the thing is a boring drag.

The bands and dancers wear parkas or other cold weather stuff until they are just before the cameras; the parade slows down and stops constantly while they break for commercials and make sure that whatever is up at the cameras gets the time it needs.

I learned my lesson, and then in later years we just went to see the balloons on Wednesday night, which was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better.

[tigereye]

9. ah, so that's the secret!

I seem to remember when a relative went to NYU back in the day, her trip to the Macy's Parade involved staring at the back of people's heads in the freezing cold!

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. That's pretty much it. Cold as hell, no bathrooms (though that's better now),

and way too many people to watch a slow procession that moves in fits and starts.

Oh, also forgot to mention that the bands and music makers have to stop making music a a couple blocks before the end so that their music doesn't interfere with the group on TV, so there's also a nice chunk of parade route that's not only boring, but doesn't even get the music.

[tigereye]

11. I hate all the pimping of crappy tv shows and even crappier pop stars

:boring: I often switch to the Detroit parade- now that's a real hometown parade.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. It's awful - I'm watching it on TV for the first time proabbly since I was 10. It's AWFUL!

You're right - it's all pimping of shitty shows and assholes.

Seriously - who are those fucking douchebags in "Boys like girls"? Holy crap - just wanna punch 'em in the face and tell them to grow some fucking integrity.

[tigereye]

14. I wanna see a parade with Eno, and Fripp, and Oliver Lake and people like that

I am such an old alternative fart, I am. :rofl:


Let's organize an alternative jazz and improv. parade!

[bettyellen]

21. you have to go in front of Macy;s at like 5- 5:30 all the bands do a run through it's great!

[tigereye]

8. crap, I almost forgot- been too busy racing around cleaning!

:D

[TZ]

12. I saw a band doing 76 trombones

And not one of those trombones looked like a man cannon to me! :rofl:

[blogslut]

15. ZOMG!

Did you guys see Ronald McDonald in the big, red penis car? That was totally worth the price of admission!

[blogslut]

16. Snoopy!

I kind of wish he would break free from his moorings and kill Jimmy Fallon.

[Orrex]

17. That would be a reason to give thanks.

Snoopy wouldn't even need to kill Fallon. Just get him tangled in his tow-lines and drag him into the stratosphere.

[TZ]

18. Oddly I like Fallon's musical number

Better than any of the other non-marching band acts. But that's probably because I have shitty taste on music...:rofl:

[DoBotherMe]

20. I liked it too

Especially when he imitated The Boss! Loved the Gibson LP Standard stage. Roots were fantastic too! He wins best performance so far. Dana ; )

[blogslut]

19. And there's the fat man

Thank boB it's over.