Climate Change by Climate Scientists: the musical
May 11, 2011 4:45 AM   Subscribe

In the media landscape there are climate change deniers and believers, but rarely those speaking about climate change are actual climate scientists... From the Power Episode of The Hungry Beast a weekly, half-hour, TV show on ABC (Australia) television combining journalism, comedy and the reportage of weird. It asks questions others don’t, covers stories others won’t and brings them to your screen in ways that only this unique team of broadcasters can do.
posted by MT (20 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
Hotter cheerleaders would have been a more convincing argument for anthropogenic global warming.

But now that even folks like The Vatican are getting behind the idea, it's probably just a matter of time before we have to start changing people's minds yet again, as it becomes more & more obvious that "living with climate change" is infinitely more viable than preventing it.
posted by ShutterBun at 5:01 AM on May 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


..."living with climate change" is infinitely more viable than preventing it.

So, you're suggesting that changes in our behavior can't undo the damage? Or are you suggesting that changing our behavior is too difficult?

Either way you might be right, but what leads you to believe that?
posted by Mental Wimp at 5:14 AM on May 11, 2011


I think ShutterBun was just guessing the next talking point from the denier camp.
posted by NoMich at 5:28 AM on May 11, 2011


What I mean is that even if everything goes better than expected, the amount of "shit people do that contributes to global warming" is going to increase over the next several decades. China, India, and various developing nations are going to continue to increase their output no matter what, so if all this trouble is indeed man-made, we'd probably better prepare for more of it in the future. (though conservation of resources is always a good idea)
posted by ShutterBun at 5:30 AM on May 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


It asks questions others don’t, covers stories others won’t and brings them to your screen in ways that only this unique team of broadcasters can do.

It's also a terrible show. This post feels a lot like shilling.
posted by Wolof at 5:38 AM on May 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Whenever I watch the Hungry Beast I can't help think of the Young Ones and Ben Elton on Nozin' Aroun':
"The show for young adults, made by young adults and concentrating on all the issues young adults are into. Like unemployment!"
posted by bystander at 5:39 AM on May 11, 2011 [2 favorites]


Nozin' Aroun' Ssssh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo9_aBj1Z84
posted by bystander at 5:40 AM on May 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


"The show for young adults, made by young adults and concentrating on all the issues young adults are into. Like unemployment!"

Yeah. That pretty much captures it. I understand what they're trying to do, but they still seem to be treating the audience like a pack of dumb-arses. Kind of like when Triple J cut The Morning Show, and replaced it with Hack. Apparently, The Yoof are becoming increasingly incapable of complex, independent thought.
posted by Jimbob at 5:46 AM on May 11, 2011


Regarding the topic of the post - I'm a scientist who deals with climate change in my research (generally the output of climate models - I'm not a climatologist), and I don't feel anywhere near qualified to take part in the national "debate" on the issue. But it seems any old mining-industry-funded nutter with a book out or 3rd Viscount of Monckton who once advocated monthly AIDS tests for the entire population and permanent quarantining of those found with the disease gets all the attention they want in the interests of "fairness".

Rant out.
posted by Jimbob at 6:01 AM on May 11, 2011 [3 favorites]


In the media landscape there are climate change deniers and believers, but rarely those speaking about climate change are actual climate scientists...

This is just plain false. Most of the "believers" I see in the media are in fact actual climate scientists.
posted by DU at 6:19 AM on May 11, 2011


I also pride myself on asking questions others don't, covering stories others won't, showing things that others shown't, growing things that others grown't, throwing things that others thrown't and mowing things that others mown't. Some complain that I lower the tone that others lown't. I say to them: blow me - but, they blown't.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 6:22 AM on May 11, 2011 [6 favorites]


Strangely enough, my dad (~65yo, recently retired) loves Hungry Beast. He thinks it's the place where Baby Boomers and Gen Y meet, and only Gen X don't "get it".

Me, I reckon it's pretty damn average, but apparently I just don't get it.
posted by russm at 6:25 AM on May 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


But the Baby Boomers are only enjoying it ironically.
posted by ShutterBun at 6:28 AM on May 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


I've tried to watch Hungry Beast a few times but never made it past the first couple of minutes of strained, awkward banter and horrifically poor comic timing. The script seems to think it's always right on the edge of being funny but just can't work out how to drag itself those last few millimetres. Or maybe I'm just getting old.

On checking Wikipedia, I'm not surprised to see that Andrew Denton is involved in producing it. He can be very funny himself but has stunningly bad taste when it comes to choosing other comedians to support: Elle McFeast. Amanda Keller. Wil Anderson on the Gruen Transfer. David Tench (WTF was that?). The Chaser after about 2005. I'm sure Hungry Beast is full of very nice people doing their best to entertain while informing, but there has to be a better way.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 6:33 AM on May 11, 2011


On that topic - you people love calling us "baby boomers," but I've found out that if you strap a few lumps of plastic explosive to an infant and politely ask for a million dollars the cops suddenly get all "tetchy". It is political correctness gone mad.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 6:33 AM on May 11, 2011


I'm GenX and I really like Hungry Beast.

Animated infoporn with citations!! What's not to love?
posted by vicx at 6:38 AM on May 11, 2011


I did like their piece a couple of weeks ago about the woman who does forensic cleaning. Fascinating enough that it didn't need to be bolstered with jokes.
posted by harriet vane at 7:03 AM on May 11, 2011


It's also a terrible show. This post feels a lot like shilling.

Yeah - it is indeed a terrible show. And while I liked the idea of getting actual scientists involved, really it's a one note joke.
posted by awfurby at 8:03 PM on May 11, 2011


I agree, there's a lot of dumbing down and lame humour but I'm watching Hungry Beast right now and it has the story of a man with cerebral palsy jailed for a driving offence who was raped in prison. Where else would I be hearing this story? This alone justifies the existence of this programme.
posted by unliteral at 5:45 AM on May 12, 2011 [1 favorite]


well there you go, I think hungry beast is great! And I do believe I'm "gen X".
posted by wilful at 5:15 PM on May 16, 2011


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