Tuesday, March 13, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 7
The art of writing
Zen Master Fukushima Keido Roshi from Kioto, Japan, demonstrates the ancient art of calligraphy at the Spencer Museum of Art. Fukushima is the head abbot of Tofukuji Monastery of Kioto. He has returned annually to the University of Kansas since his first visit in 1989. Because of the interest developed by his Kansas demonstrations, he will visit 22 college campuses in a two-and-a-half month tour this year. Photo by J. E. Wilson/KANSAN
The language of drama
By Sarah Warren writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Spanish majors learn from soaps
Nearly every Wednesday night of her eighth grade year, Tennelle Porter would gather with her friends in front of the TV, flip to the Univision channel, and watch a man dressed up as a giant ear of corn run around speaking Spanish.
The corn man was just one of the wacky characters on a Latin soap opera, or telenovela, that Porter found herself infatuated with.
"The joy of my middle school life was to get together with my friends and watch that telenovela," said Porter, Wichita freshman. "But since we didn't know Spanish all that well, we'd mute it and make up our own stories."
Now, Porter, a Spanish major, doesn't mute the soap operas, she listens to them.
Julie Rutter, Overland Park sophomore, said that telenovelas had been an excellent aid to her Spanish education — although she
"I think it helps me a lot with my Spanish, and it's a lot of fun." Rutter said. "To keep up your Spanish you have to keep listening to it, so I think it helps me a lot with my Spanish," Rutter said. "It also helps to keep up on different accents."
admits to never having seen the corn man telenovela.
Rutter said there were many more differences between Latin soaps and American soaps other than the language.
One of these differences is that Univision airs most of its 11 telenovelas during prime time hours. And, unlike American soap operas, the Latin soaps only air for a limited time.
"Because they end, it makes it so that the plot isn't so diluted," Rutter said. "And they're in prime time too -- that's just crazy."
Rutter said the structure of the telenovela's plot also was quite different than what was commonly seen on American-made shows.
"Most of the ones here are about people already in high society," Rutter said. "While in telenovelas, it's always about people who are poor marrying into high society."
And, when the plot turns sour, it's not because of mafia activity or betrayal.
"If there's trouble, it's with love," Rutter said. "It's always two people going after the same person."
Porter agreed, adding that the women in telenovelas also seem to play the part of the helpless female more often than the strong, back-stabbing woman role.
"The men are always fighting over the women," Porter said. "The women are always like, 'Don't fight with Jorge over me.'"
Porter, also admitted an avid Days of Our Lives fan, said she noticed that the characters generally were less complex on telenovelas.
"The characters on Days of Our Lives have more dimension to them." Porter said.
Rutter said she enjoyed the telenovelas she had viewed and that she was glad to have the capacity in Spanish to understand the quirks of each character.
"I really like them." Rutter said. "They are cheesy, but everyone is always really popular with their hair done up, and I just think it's funny."
Show explores dating world
— Edited by Megan Phelps
By Brandon Stinnett writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Students frustrated with lackluster relationships can find solace in a late-night television program.
Blind Date, which airs week nights at 10:30 on Sunflower Cablevision's channel 17, offers viewers an in-depth look inside two strangers' first date.
Couples are matched up and videotaped on a date from beginning to end. They eat at restaurants, drink at bars and get their groove on at night clubs, while viewers watch their every move.
Some dates end in shouting matches between disgruntled daters and others end with new-found lovers getting better acquainted in the bedroom as the camera pans off-screen.
Whatever the outcome,
Andrew Hare, Olathe sophomore,
said he enjoyed seeing what happened.
"My favorite part about Blind Date is when they go back to the hot tub," Hare said. "That means they're going to hook up."
Hare, who has been watching the show for the past two years, said his favorite episode this season was when a muscle-bound pedicurist revealed his true intentions after treating his date to a foot massage at the end of a lovely evening.
Quirky messages appear on screen that poke fun at the singles and disclose secrets about their past as viewers watch the date unfold at home.
After the date, couples are asked what they thought about the other person, and if they would consider a second date in the future.
"Start with the feet and the pants come off, always," Hare said. "That's my favorite line."
Hare said he watched the show for entertainment purposes only. He said most episodes were too over-the-top for singles to get useful dating tits.
"I wouldn't say it's a reflection of how most dates go." Hare said. "I don't think it's a reflection of how society really is. I just think that people like to watch smut."
Blind Date prompted John
Liezert, Topeka junior, and his ex-roommate to write a song called "The BD Song," which pokes fun at the people who make fools of themselves on the show.
"They just mismatch people for the show so it's more entertaining," Liezert said. "In real life these people would never probably go out."
Still, Amy Nutter,
Overland Park freshman,
said the show accurately
portrayed some women.
"I think it's great," Nutter said. "The fact that the girls are mostly stuck up and the guys tell them how it is, just like in life."
Both Nutter and Hare agree on Blind Date's best episode. Last season a voluptuous blonde bombshell started spanking herself in a hot tub and then got naked while the camera rolled. She and her date wound up having sex in the hot tub as the camera veered off to the left.
"That was the best," Hare said. "I couldn't believe what they were doing in a public hot tub."
- Edited by Joy Pilgreen
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