Flirting With Disasters

Videotape-Program has also been shown on cable networks

Description of Events

A couple traveling to San Diego are told by their parents that in San Diego people bump other people's cars to pull them over and then mutilate them and steal their cars. So when their car is followed on the freeway, they assume that this will occur. As it turns out, the following car's occupants have merely found the wife's sweater and are trying to return it. However, when the following car approaches them, the wife sprays mace at the other driver, while driving on the freeway.

This sequence occurred for about 3 minutes in total.

Specific Behaviors

• Parents telling the couple unconfirmed information (i.e. rumor) about drivers in San Diego, therefore leading them to misjudge the situation.
• The couple get into panic while driving.
• The two cars get into a high-speed chase on the freeway.
• The wife shoves her husband who is driving the car to spray mace at the other driver.
• The wife sprays mace at the other guy who is driving.
• The other guy throuws the wife's sweater from his car window at the face of the husband who is driving a car, blinding him.

Analysis and Evaluation

This movie was somewhat underground and aimed more at adult viewers, so the influence to children may be minimal. However, the scene could give the audience the idea that that is one way to protect themselves while driving rather than staying calm and avoiding any contact with others while driving.

Although it is clear from the context that the couple was trying to protect themselves, it is very dangerous to interrupt someone's driving while the car is in motion.

In the movie it went on without accident, but getting in panic while driving is not a good example of driving.

The scene where their parents telling a rumor about drivers in San Diego could affect someone who do not know anything about San Diego to believe that it is true, and encountering a similar situation, they could get into panic.

Rating

Prominence...1
Riskiness...3
Realistic Nature...3
Total Score...7

My Fellow Americans

• Videotape-program has also been shown on cable and local networks.

Description of Events

Two former presidents are trying to find out about the current president's dirty work and are followed by the Secret Service. The former presidents escape through several cities, but are finally found by the Secret Service. They jump into their Hyndai and drive off. While driving away, their car hits the Secret Service car and collides into a giant sign, which falls onto another Secret Service car, totalling it. They drive over a planter and hit a Jack-in-the-Box sign, the nose of which smashes their windshield and gets stuck there, blocking the driver's view.

This sequence lingered only about 2 minutes, but the theme of two old people running away and breaking everything and causing disaster occupies the majority of the movie.

Specific Behaviors

• The former president who is driving backs off without looking back-probably due to his stiff back, hitting another car.
• After hitting several things, the former president does not seem to feel bad about it, and the other former president is saying,"Go, go!" beside him.
• While driving high-speed on the road, they throw away the big Jack-in-the-Box mascot(sign) which has been stuck on their windshield, causing other drivers to stop.

Analysis and Evaluation

This movie portrays the sequence as funny. At the same time, it represents the way old people drive their cars, making viewers think that old people in general are bad drivers and not physically capable of driving safely (stiff backs, less alert, etc.)

Although from the context of the movie it is obvious that the former presidents lives are in danger, and they have to run away, they showno concern for the cars nor drivers which they hit.

The sequence gives viewers the idea that car-chasing is exciting and fun, and while driving away, it is OK to hit anything as long as they can get away from those that are chasing them. The car maneuvers on screen suggest the idea that a car can be a weapon.

Rating

Prominence...3
Riskiness...4
Realistic Nature...2
Total Score...9

Ironic

• Day: Saturday
• Date: 10/11/97
• Time: 4:20pm
• Channel: 64-VH1 Network

Description of Events

Alanis Morisette sings her song "ironic" while driving a car with 3 clones of herself. Those girls are playing and partying in the car, having a good time. There is another version of this video shown occasionally which uses exactly the same plot, starring a 5-year-old "Alison" driving the car with 3 of her clones instead of Alanis.

Specific Behaviors

• Alanis's driving behavior is decent although she checks her mirror too often to see what's going on in the backseat of her car. There is a scene where one of her clones sitting in the front seat climbs out and puts her body out of the car right before the car enters a tunnel. Then she quickly gets back into the car, laughing.
• There are several scenes where the 3 clone Alanises throw things to each other while the car is in motion, which is distracting the driver.

Analysis and Evaluation

This song was very popular this past year and the video won the VH1 network's Best Music Video. It is likely that many young people have watched this video. It is a bad influence that a celebrity like Alanis Morisette is behaving badly in a car because young people who admire Alanis might thing whatever she does is "cool" and imitate her behavior. Particularly hanging one's body out of a car is a common behavior which is done frequently on TV, rarely with any consequences, therefore, most young people are probably already familiar with this image. Also, showing a 5-year-old drive a car so well(without any accidents) might encourage other young children to try driving without license or proper training.

Rating

Prominence...3
Riskiness...3
Realistic Nature...3
Total Score...9