Watching the watchers watch the play: Watch Parties!

Sign of the Times, "What's Showing": As what was at the "Show", the local theatre this coming week will be "featuring", even in a "double feature", the cheap seats of which were featured in the mid-week "Wednesday Matinee". Whether with animated anticipation you hoofed it to the local theatre ahead of time, to watch the animations (cartoons) prior to the "Main Feature", or drove to the "Drive-In", partly determined whether you purchased buttered/non-buttered popcorn (the profit margin of which is among the highest of consumed products), or "BYOB" in the case of "Drive-Ins", the few remaining of which became more popular during the pandemic, first out of necessity, then from newfound fondness for things of old, the fondness of which will have to stand the test of time. A test that may be assisted by the most accurate timekeeper available which may be featured, brought to you, in order that you may have been inclined to have bought, by being invited to a local "Watch party", which used to mean being invited to the home of an acquaintance or local store under the guise of "the best and brightest baubles along with some bubbly". Where some of the newest, coolest, trendy, and highly accurate "to the tenth of a second" timekeepers were featured, where you might walk away with bragging rights on your wrist: "Man, what a nice watch..." But, then again, or as of now...

"My how tim(ing) has changed" As in the now ubiquitous "Smart Watch", the ones that we first associated with "Dick Tracy" and eventually "James Bond" (which featured a confluence of style and technical gadgetry, "Q", chief designer and guru of gadgets). A sense, appreciation for style and individualization, "style statements" that seem to have faded into the few options for interchanging the watch faces and iterations of bracelets in which they can be changed, after re-charge. And where a sense of time and timing is now overshadowed by "counting". And, while pleasant enough in tone and cadence (see January 28th if you want to hear about this), the voice of "Alexa" now resonates like that initially pleasant song at Disney World, "It's a Small World", to the point of giving me fits, at least bits of them. A homogeneity that has crossed "Party!" (see February 4th for your invite) lines. As in "Watch Parties". Another example of...

"Necessity, the Mother..." Many inventions, conveniences of life that have stuck around way after their acute necessity created the spark. As in "Watch Parties", the popularity of which started many fit bit generations before COVID. I fondly recall, for instance, how our daughters would looked forward to the annual invite from our neighbor to watch the "Miss America" pageant, an invitation issued warmly by Beth, who was always a life of the party and who could have easily beat out "Alexa" for the preferred voice, if they had only listened to US. Then came the "Oscar" watchers, the friends who watched "Friends" at the appointed time, "Grey's Anatomy" groups, ET AL...which inevitably included those who would gather annually to watch "The Game" (aka SUPER BOWL!), whether to devour the snacks, the commercials, or a glimpse of the actual action. And, on this very day, vying for "Watch" parties, dividing US, we also have "The Games", the many gatherings family and friends WHO were precluded from going to Bejing due to ongoing CV issues, who anxiously await not only their fan favorite, but to be featured on the big screen themselves, as a "Watch Party!". Speaking of a house divided, split...we are now living in such a time...

Split Screen/Simulcast: A convenience for the consumer and boon to the sponsors. A partial solution to the dilemma as to what we watch, which "Games", and as well as keeping the annoying host of the remote from clicking back-and-forth ("hurry, before they return, hide the remote!"). Allows the station to do their business while keeping us in on the action, but sometimes creates a dilemma as to when we might do ours...A partial solution to the split this very day between those who might be gathering for one of the two "Main Features" today, that I offer you, right here, as an alternative half time show, featuring the two most devoured snacks at SB parties, according to the most recent surveys: "The Dancing Doritos meet the Ice Chips!" A bad dad joke that may cause a 'dip' in my ratings. Maybe, maybe not, but there's sure betting that there will be lots of wagering right up until "Game Time!" For sure, as in, you can...

"Bet on It" Even regarding "Watch Parties" themselves, that now include the HUGE wagers thrown down at such gatherings that mark the short/long term fortunes of teams and individual athletes on "Decision Day" (what jersey will they finally feature after shedding layers, to fake us out?), "Player Selection" shows, "Draft Days", "March Madness Bracket Day". The tender moments of which can be found, among those who themselves when called upon, who were watched over for years, who are now being watched by watchers, who might be considered...

"Hi-Breds" Vegas et al. now allows you wager who, when the athlete or "Oscar" winner is announced, first greets, as in "Shout Out". A trend among athletes, most of whom are still coached by men, curiously and spontaneously wave to the camera "Hi Mom!" A trend in which seems to be getting replaced with "I love you all!" by the person of interest, apparently hedging their bets, regarding who might be at the appointed watch party. Smart watch watcher, this new Gen. And then, of course, there's wagers now being made and accepted, well ahead of time, as to which Oscar winner will "Time Out!" before completing their acceptance speech, the length and cadence of which may prompt us to tend to our business...

"The Times They Are A-Changin'..." Watch parties...come as you are, another sign of the times.

Tomorrow: Start here, "SUPER BOWL EFFECT", effects of the Super Bowl...how it's working out...