Who needs contrived reality shows on TV? The settings are carefully picked by the show's producers and so are the casts of participants. They come together, in at least one instance nude, and act out situations set up by Soap Opera wannabe scripters. It makes you wonder, how can it be real, if you are sitting on the sofa safe and sound, taking absolutely no part in the drama?
Hey, no risk no reality.
Well, if you want a real shot of adrenaline, come to Oklahoma during tornado season and kick back, watching TV stations that have radar systems more sophisticated than many small nations. Then you can witness the storms roll in all around you and sometimes, horrifyingly, right at your living room. That's when it is reality television, when you and your family are participants in a 100% genuine disaster film, with the added rush of wondering if Mother Nature is going to whack your home, and maybe you--all commercial free.
On Monday multiple tornados tore through various parts of the state, the most significant one in the northeastern part of the state. At one point, however, they seemed to be everywhere, driving local meteorologists into manic frenzies. Reports from squads of storm chasers and a few helicopters augmented the vivid colors on radar screens. In places the sirens blew, sending chills down spines. Anxious eyes turned to the skies and thousands prepared to hunker down in whatever space they considered the safest.
When it was finally over early Tuesday morning the small Osage County hamlet of Barnsdall had taken a major hit. One is dead and another remains missing, along with his house. 20, or so miles to the northeast a chunk of Bartlesville, the ancestral home of Phillips Petroleum, was destroyed. Luckily there weren't any severe casualties., despite a hotel taking a shot so heavy it is essentially beyond repair.
There was other destruction scattered across the state, some of caused by tornadic winds, some of by straight line winds that reached hurricane strength. Those of us who were missed by the storms and retained electricity went to bed grateful knowing we had made it through a May night alive, well, and ready for the next episode of reality TV, Oklahoma style.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, a storm of a different sort swirled through a New York City courtroom. Specifically, former stripper, adult film actress and, if she is to be believed, Donald Trump's "honey bunch," Stormy Daniels. Her appearance at the criminal trial of Donald Trump as a witness didn't sit well with the former President. Although, in all honesty, a lot of things aren't sitting well with Big Don lately.
Her testimony caused Orange Jesus to glare, growl, and mutter obscenities loud enough Judge Juan Merchan and presumably Daniels and perhaps the jury could hear them. This led Merchan to sidebar with defense lawyers to warn them their client was precariously close to a visit to Riker's Island. Trump settled down--as much as he can anyway--ad Daniels' questioning by the prosecution continued.
Unfortunately, much of what she had to say didn't have anything to do with the charges faced by Big Don. Yes, she proved Trump has an overblown ego and considers himself quite the playboy, but in truth he is nothing but a dirty, grunting, old man who made her skin crawl. Yes, he kept her on the hook by promising her a spot on his television series, "The Apprentice," but never did. And yes, he is lying when he says they never had sex. But none of that proves anything except Donald Trump is a disgusting, bloated perv and a liar. For many of us all that shit is a given, but it doesn't prove his alleged crimes.
There were only a couple of moments which seemed germane to the accusations. One was when she told the court the offer of hush money wasn't made until after the "Access Hollywood," tape hit the air, endangering Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign. It proves Trump only wanted her to keep quiet for political reasons, rather than, "to protect his family," as he maintains. Second, she did get the money from Trump fixer, Michael Cohen with the understanding El Don was behind the payment.
After the lunch break Trump's lawyers asked for a mistrial, claiming Daniels' testimony was prejudicial. They had a valid argument, especially when it came to Danies' recounting a threat she received from a man in a Las Vegas parking lot. Merchan ruled against them on the mistrial, but had sustained many of their objections during her testimony. He then told them he was surprised they hadn't objected more often. He also instructed the defense to take care of the problem during their cross examination of the witness. He promised to tell the jury to disregard that tale and some of the more salacious details which were, let's say, juicy, but not really patinate to the case.
Ma. Daniels returns to the stand in New York City tomorrow. Tonight, in Oklahoma the weather, once again, looks to be threatening in some portions of the state. In other words, as they say here on TV, stay tuned in. If it isn't one storm it's another.
sic vita est
5-8-24
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