Pop Cult

I took the trouble to add MTV to my ReplayTV lineup long enough to record the Xbox360 launch show, and promptly removed it afterwards. The launch 'party' was a thirty minute show that I managed to watch in about ten minutes. Maybe that was an over-investment of time. In any case, I found it sufficiently vapid that I wasn't going to bother writing an entry. Until I read Gabe's entry, which I shamelessly quote almost in it's entirety:

"The important thing to understand here is [...] that show was not for us. When I say us I am referring to the hardcore. The sorts of people who perhaps downloaded a torrent of last night's MTV show. The sorts of people who had to call their cable company to find out what channel MTV was on. The sorts of people who had their Tivo or media PC grab the show for them so that they could watch it at their leisure. Last night's unveiling of the Xbox 360 was not for us it was for the people who were already watching MTV. It's true, there are human beings out there who watch MTV in the same way your mom might watch ABC. Sitting through show after show and watching as rides are pimped and celebrities are punked. Last night's show was for them and when you look at it that way I have to say I think the show was a success. I cannot imagine those sorts of people not being entertained for the entire 30 minutes by the flashing lights and famous people. Gaming is cool now. Isn't that awesome."

I don't consider myself "the hardcore". Maybe a bit of a geek, but he captures my feelings about the MTV 'special' pretty well.

Oh, and if I do eventually buy an Xbox360 (when the prices are below a gajillion dollars), it will not be because of the label, "As Seen on MTV!"