美国国家公共电台 NPR Bah Humbug! Why Are Most Christmas TV Specials So Bad?

Bah Humbug¹! Why Are Most Christmas TV Specials So Bad?

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A TV holiday classic turns 50 this year - a real heart warmer about someone as cuddly³ as a cactus⁴ and as charming as an eel⁵. Dr. Seuss' "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" airs tonight on NBC. And NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says the cartoon's endurance only highlights how hard it is to make a truly excellent Christmas special.

ERIC DEGGANS, BYLINE⁶: You know it from the first few notes of Thurl Ravenscroft's barrel-chested performance. This is a Christmas classic.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YOU'RE A MEAN ONE, MR. GRINCH")

THURL RAVENSCROFT: (Singing) You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.

DEGGANS: OK, so it might seem a little weird⁷ to call a 26-minute cartoon about a green guy who learns not to steal Christmas presents a holiday classic, but "The Grinch," which debuted⁸ on December 18, 1966, did everything right. It had a great pedigree. Seuss mastermind Theodor Geisel worked with legendary⁹ Warner Brothers animator Chuck Jones. It had a cheeky story that appealed to kids and grown-ups. And it had a kitschy narrator - horror movie king Boris Karloff.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!")

BORIS KARLOFF: (As the Grinch) They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming. They're just waking up. I know just what they'll do.

DEGGANS: So why can't modern Christmas TV specials make this kind of magic happen, too? Yeah, there are animated¹⁰ specials with modern cartoon characters, like the "Toy Story" crew or a certain green ogre.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "SHREK THE HALLS")

MIKE MYERS: (As Shrek) 'Twas the night before christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...

(SOUNDBITE OF DOOR SLAMMING)

MYERS: (As Shrek) What?

EDDIE MURPHY: (As Donkey) Merry Christmas, Shrek.

DEGGANS: But those bits come off more like crafting moments of corporate¹¹ synergy than a special holiday treat. I was encouraged when I heard Disney had a new holiday special planned this year.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Disney lights up the most magical castles on earth in a new holiday tradition for the whole family...

DEGGANS: But then I heard this.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: And during the show, don't miss an exclusive look at "Rogue¹² One: A Star Wars Story," in theaters December 16.

DEGGANS: That essentially¹³ turned the special into a giant commercial for a Disney-owned movie franchise¹⁴. Even new Christmas specials that are supposed to be lame¹⁵ aren't quite lame in the way they intended, like Bill Murray's Netflix special "A Very Murray Christmas," which featured a character named Bill Murray trying to talk showbiz pal¹⁶ Chris Rock into doing a Christmas special with him.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "A VERY MURRAY CHRISTMAS")

CHRIS ROCK: (As himself) So you're doing a live special in the middle of the biggest blizzard¹⁷ of the year? That is so you, Bill. That is so you.

BILL MURRAY: (As himself) But now you're here.

ROCK: (As himself) Yeah.

MURRAY: (As himself) And it's us.

MURRAY: (As himself) No.

DEGGANS: That's not lame in an ironic¹⁸ way. It's just kind of lame. At least "Empire" stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard had the good sense to bring on singers like Patti LaBelle and John Legend for their "White Hot Holidays" special last year on Fox.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "TARAJI AND TERRENCE’S WHITE HOT HOLIDAYS")

JOHN LEGEND: (Singing) You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout¹⁹, I'm telling you why. Santa Clause is coming to town...

DEGGANS: The singing helped distract from awkward dialogue between Howard and Henson. It kind of felt like an update of lines from an old Sonny and Cher special.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "TARAJI AND TERRENCE’S WHITE HOT HOLIDAYS")

TARAJI HENSON: Why the long face, Terrence?

TERRENCE HOWARD: Because I never get what I want.

HENSON: Well, why not? What are you doing?

HOWARD: I was always a good kid, you know?

HENSON: Uh huh, that's impossible.

HOWARD: No, I was a good kid. I didn't say nothing about being a good adult. I was a good kid.

(LAUGHTER)

DEGGANS: Henson's doing the special by herself next month. Perhaps the holiday was a little too hot for two stars to share. As a critic, I've always been drawn²⁰ to the Christmas specials that have a little unexpected absurdity²¹. Whether it's David Bowie and Bing Crosby crooning a mash-up of "Peace On Earth" and "The Little Drummer Boy" on a Crosby TV special.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BING CROSBY'S MERRIE OLDE CHRISTMAS")

DAVIE BOWIE: (Singing) Peace on Earth, can it be? Years from now, perhaps we'll see.

DEGGANS: Or Hermey the toy-making elf who really wants to be a dentist in the stop-motion animation²² classic "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer²³."

(SOUNDBITE OF TV MOVIE, "RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER")

PAUL SOLES: (As Hermey the elf) I just don't like to make toys.

CARL BANAS: (As Head Elf) Oh, well, if that's all - what? You don't want like to make toys?

SOLES: (As Hermey the elf) No.

DEGGANS: Ultimately, the best holiday specials have a unique balance of nostalgia²⁴, surprise, creativity and holiday spirit. Pulling all that off in a one-time TV event takes a Christmas miracle, which may explain why we see so few great ones on TV after all. I'm Eric Deggans.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BING CROSBY'S MERRIE OLDE CHRISTMAS")

BING CROSBY AND DAVID BOWIE: (Singing) Our finest gifts we bring, pa-rum-pa-pum-pum, rum-pa-pum-pum, rum-pa-pum-pum...

1 humbug   

n.花招，谎话，欺骗

参考例句：

• I know my words can seem to him nothing but utter humbug.我知道，我说的话在他看来不过是彻头彻尾的慌言。
• All their fine words are nothing but humbug.他们的一切花言巧语都是骗人的。

2 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

3 cuddly   

adj.抱着很舒服的，可爱的

参考例句：

• The beautiful crib from Mom and Dad is so cuddly.爸爸妈妈送的漂亮婴儿床真舒服。
• You can't call a hedgehog cuddly.你不能说刺猬逗人喜爱。

4 cactus   

n.仙人掌

参考例句：

• It was the first year that the cactus had produced flowers.这是这棵仙人掌第一年开花。
• The giant cactus is the vegetable skycraper.高大的仙人掌是植物界巨人。

5 eel   

n.鳗鲡

参考例句：

• He used an eel spear to catch an eel.他用一只捕鳗叉捕鳗鱼。
• In Suzhou,there was a restaurant that specialized in eel noodles.苏州有一家饭馆，他们那里的招牌菜是鳗鱼面。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

8 debuted   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In late 2003 a full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, debuted. 2003年末，全尺寸SUV的探路者无敌舰队，推出。
• The album debuted at number two and quickly went platinum. 专辑一亮相就荣登排行榜第二名，很快就取得了白金销量。

9 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

10 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

11 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

12 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

13 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

14 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

15 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

16 pal   

n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友

参考例句：

• He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。
• Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着，小子，我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。

17 blizzard   

n.暴风雪

参考例句：

• The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
• You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

18 ironic   

adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的

参考例句：

• That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
• People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。

19 pout   

v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴

参考例句：

• She looked at her lover with a pretentious pout.她看着恋人，故作不悦地撅着嘴。
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted.他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。

20 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

21 absurdity   

n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论

参考例句：

• The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。
• The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。

22 animation   

n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作

参考例句：

• They are full of animation as they talked about their childhood.当他们谈及童年的往事时都非常兴奋。
• The animation of China made a great progress.中国的卡通片制作取得很大发展。

23 reindeer   

n.驯鹿

参考例句：

• The herd of reindeer was being trailed by a pack of wolves.那群驯鹿被一只狼群寻踪追赶上来。
• The life of the Reindeer men was a frontier life.驯鹿时代人的生活是一种边区生活。

24 nostalgia   

n.怀乡病，留恋过去，怀旧

参考例句：

• He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth.也许是对年轻时幸福时光的怀恋影响了他。
• I was filled with nostalgia by hearing my favourite old song.我听到这首喜爱的旧歌，心中充满了怀旧之情。