I like seeing people go ’splat’
by TV
Apparently I have the sense of humor of an 8-year-old.
That might not come as a big surprise, but it dawned on me while talking about “Wipeout” (8 p.m. Wednesdays, ABC) with a co-worker yesterday. He was describing how it made his 8-year-old son laugh for an hour straight and I was like, “Hey, me too!” The game show is built entirely around faceplants, punches to the groin and people going splat. And you know what? That makes me laugh. A lot.
Now I may prefer the original, Spike’s “Most Extreme Elimination Challenge,” an old Japanese game show that’s been dubbed into ridiculous (and slightly more risque) English, but “Wipeout” still brings the laughs. Sure, the contestants are annoying caricatures and the commentary is intentionally awful and hackneyed, but come on, tell me the sight of someone bouncing off a giant ball into a pool of mud doesn’t give you a chuckle. It’s perfect turn-off-the-brain entertainment.
And here’s a secret from a professional TV blogger — it’s even funnier after a couple of beers. (Wine would work too, but that’s a little bit too classy for this show. Beer is just lowbrow enough.)
And just for bonus kicks, here are some “MXC” highlights:
Tags Wipeout | Category Reality
As a kid, Mike Murphy wanted to jump cars and shoot dynamite arrows like on “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Now that he’s a grown-up, he’d be satisfied with running “The Amazing Race.” Click on over for the musings, rants and occasional bits of useful news from a certified TV addict. E-mail your TV questions to mike[dot]murphy[at]pressdemocrat.com.

I compeltely agree! This show just makes me laugh for an hour straight. MXC was great, but this is a nice redo and the BIG BALLS are an awesome addition! Good night and Big Balls!!!
by Dar