Rose Parade

[mousepod]

Growing up, the only parade that we attended with any regularity was the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. We still have 35-year-old home movies that feature such highlights as the the conductor of the McDonald's marching band getting stuck on the straps on the giant drum float.... ah memories.

Once I got older (and moved to Manhattan from NJ), I realized that the parade looked just fine on television, and the truly fun "New Yawker" thing to do was to go up to the area around the Museum of Natural History, grab a cup of hot cocoa from a local deli, and stroll among the crowds while they blow up the giant balloons.

So far, I've only seen the Rose Parade on TV, and unless someone has a darn good reason to get me out to the parade route, that's how it'll probably stay.

[JWBear]

When I was a kid my family camped out on Colorado Blvd almost every year for the Rose Parade. Last time we did was in the late 70's (I was in high school). The last time I saw the parade in person was 1988, but I was in the bleachers.

[Ghoulish Delight]

he compared the replacement of old parade horses to what happens to old parade commentators

I heard about that line. I wonder if he was thinking more of his own pending replacement or about Stephanie.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

The attraction is that the floats are all organic and yet that doesn't show up well on TV. Many of the floats they could just be painted and you'd hardly know the difference.

I beg and plead to differ.

Perhaps it's because I've seen the floats up-close and personal many times, I can easily spot the use of vegetation and flora. The creative use of vegetation, in particular, really pleases me. That's why the turtle float and the reptile float were such clear winners. Not only were they beautiful, the cameras clearly displayed the detail of veggie matter used to convincingly recreate animal matter.

The hummingbird float (No. 1) and butterfly float (No. 6) were also very well designed, but - to my eye - used mostly floral elements to represent the avian and insect creatures.

Perhaps in the long shots, paint would do. But the advantage of TV is the close-ups offered. And I missed hearing (due to the crap sound mix or maybe Stephanie's absence) the descriptions of what materials were used on each float.

I've seen the parade twice live. The floats go whizzing by, but the veggie and floral nature is unmistakable. Still, the details are better presented by camera close-ups, and even better observed in the static displays of the floats for the ensuing 2 days.


The bands and equestrian units are much better live than on TV, but I'm with CP ... I love the Rose Parade and think it makes for fine television entertainment. I guess other people think so, too. What other event - besides being watched by millions around the world - is entirely replayed 8 times on the day it happens?

[BarTopDancer]

They had FIRE BREATHING DRAGONS and JET PACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kevy Baby]

I am totally with iSM!

[Alex]

I love the Rose Parade and think it makes for fine television entertainment. I guess other people think so, too. What other event - besides being watched by millions around the world - is entirely replayed 8 times on the day it happens?

Last night millions of people watched Two and a Half Men so the two things don't necessarily correlate. As for being replayed eight times, New Year's Day is a day where ratings are so low (except for football) that non-football networks don't even try to schedule anything of interest so that most of the station staff can be allowed the day off.

And TV may be capable of closeups but the two floats I saw the other day the commentators (didn't realize it was Bob Eubanks and I have no idea who the Stephanie is that you keep lamenting) went on in painful detail about what was used to make parts of the float but at no time was sufficient close-up provided to actually see it (the University of Redlands float and some float of a really tall woman). So I knew what they used to make sand or the stucco on some building but didn't actually get to see it for myself. For the Univeristy of Redlands they spent most of their time focused on the mascot bulldog riding the float rather than the giant bulldog that was the float.

I'll readily admit though, that many people have different opinions than me on the interestingness of televised parades (or live parades for that matter), but I believe it is firmly established that in case of differing opinion, mine breaks the tie.

[innerSpaceman]

If you don't know who Stephanie his, perhaps you're watching some substandard, non-KTLA viewing where the narration doesn't match the visuals. (Though I'll admit Stephanie would often be talking about flax seed while the cameras showed tree bark).


And sorry, not buying it that the replays are simply because there's nothing else on the station schedule. That's absurd. Why isn't the same episode of The Twilight Zone played all day on Christmas? There's demand to see the Rose Parade on New Years Day by people who do not wake up by 8am, and in fact - thanks to traditional New Years Eve debauchery - by people who do not wake up till mid-afternoon!

I reiterate ... many broadcasts are watched by vast worldwide audiences, but no other is entirely repeated several times on the day of occurrence. That bespeaks a uniquely popular program, not the single non-scheduled television day of the year.

[Alex]

Do places outside of LA repeat it throughout the day? Up here in the Bay Area, so far I know it was only on once (at least I never stumbled across it later in the day) and same on Portland television stations when I was growing up.

And I'm pretty sure I've always seen the KTLA version I just don't watch long enough to care who is talking (since the talking is frequently just a commercial for whatever group is on screen, "the University of Redlands, where great minds go to be great!").

And many networks do show just one thing all day long on New Year's Day. Admittedly, not just one episode but the same show all day long.

Last year, when the Rose Parade was on January 2, did they still replay it a half dozen times?

[innerSpaceman]

I have no idea whether any other stations show the parade all day long. It's been so long since I've lived anywhere else, I don't recall. I know I never woke up by 8am on New Year's Day back east, but the 3 hour time difference would have let me see the parade LIVE nonetheless.

But it's no way like a TV marathon of different episodes. Though it would be kewl to have the current parade followed by repeats of previous Rose parades. Heheh.