WMD = Whoopie-cushions of Media Dysfunction
January 24, 2008 8:22 PM Subscribe
How To Fake An Atomic Bomb Blast On Public Television. [ YouTube] This past June, the early-morning live weather report on Prague television station CT2 was being delivered on top of live panning sweeps of the beautiful Czech Republci countryside and a seemingly par-for-the-course summery day. But as NYT reported today, "Then came the nuclear blast." The immediate reaction by the viewing public? Somewhere between a semi-collective shrug and minimally raised eyebrow. Yet months later, CR art-prankster group ZTOHOVEN [Czech] are presently enjoying international attention and wide-spread accolades for this classic piece of culture-jamming.
With reactions ranging from shocked [Reuters] to alarmed [BBC News] to charmed [the Times piece], a viral video that has become #1 on the European YouTube, and the Czech National Gallery awarding the art-prankster group the newly-created NG 333 award (the award's name being a nod to the cash prize of 333,000 KOR [US $18,350]), TZOHOVEN are having a banner year! [Other than that very small the possibility of jail time].
With reactions ranging from shocked [Reuters] to alarmed [BBC News] to charmed [the Times piece], a viral video that has become #1 on the European YouTube, and the Czech National Gallery awarding the art-prankster group the newly-created NG 333 award (the award's name being a nod to the cash prize of 333,000 KOR [US $18,350]), TZOHOVEN are having a banner year! [Other than that very small the possibility of jail time].
Guess audiences all over have come a long way since War of the World's kind of panic.
Sometimes the smaller things may get a bigger reaction: bird poops in reporter's mouth.
posted by nickyskye at 8:43 PM on January 24, 2008 [2 favorites]
Sometimes the smaller things may get a bigger reaction: bird poops in reporter's mouth.
posted by nickyskye at 8:43 PM on January 24, 2008 [2 favorites]
*adds Czech republic to short list of countries still sane enough to live in*
posted by eritain at 9:38 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by eritain at 9:38 PM on January 24, 2008
That bird poop video in a masterpiece!
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:38 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:38 PM on January 24, 2008
bird poops in reporter's mouth
Ha! What makes it so genius is the fact that the report is on "Local bird infestation".
posted by EndsOfInvention at 10:09 PM on January 24, 2008
Ha! What makes it so genius is the fact that the report is on "Local bird infestation".
posted by EndsOfInvention at 10:09 PM on January 24, 2008
The youtube comments are not retarded on that bird poop video.
look at the news ticker on the video, "bush veto's defence spending" yah, like that would ever happen!
posted by Iax at 10:16 PM on January 24, 2008
look at the news ticker on the video, "bush veto's defence spending" yah, like that would ever happen!
posted by Iax at 10:16 PM on January 24, 2008
I love the statement made by Ztohoven in Czechlish.
posted by nickyskye at 10:26 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by nickyskye at 10:26 PM on January 24, 2008
After reading it there, I detest the term "culture jamming" more than I ever realised.
posted by generichuman at 12:24 AM on January 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by generichuman at 12:24 AM on January 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
Having lived in the Czech Republic during the past year I must confess that this has not been on the radar in a major way. Admittedly my Czech is poor and I get most of my news from English speaking media but I'd have expected this to register. Don't know whether it says more about the phlegmatic attitudes of the Czechs or the tiny ratings of the broadcast that this is not a bigger deal in terms of coverage.
posted by Gratishades at 2:46 AM on January 25, 2008
posted by Gratishades at 2:46 AM on January 25, 2008
In case anybody's wondering about this line from the Times story:
The name Ztohoven makes a pun in Czech that means both “out of it” and an obscenity.
It sounds like it could be either:
1. z toho ven = out of this
2. sto hoven = hundred pieces of shit (hoven being the genitive plural of hovno 'shit')
In other news, that bird-shitting video may be the best 21 seconds of YouTube I've ever seen.
posted by languagehat at 5:36 AM on January 25, 2008
The name Ztohoven makes a pun in Czech that means both “out of it” and an obscenity.
It sounds like it could be either:
1. z toho ven = out of this
2. sto hoven = hundred pieces of shit (hoven being the genitive plural of hovno 'shit')
In other news, that bird-shitting video may be the best 21 seconds of YouTube I've ever seen.
posted by languagehat at 5:36 AM on January 25, 2008
Shit - nie jest guvno jak polski swovo?
posted by IronLizard at 7:15 AM on January 25, 2008
posted by IronLizard at 7:15 AM on January 25, 2008
Czeski nie jest polski.
Also, I'm pissed that the video has been shown to be fake. Bah.
posted by languagehat at 7:18 AM on January 25, 2008
Also, I'm pissed that the video has been shown to be fake. Bah.
posted by languagehat at 7:18 AM on January 25, 2008
Wait, you wanted a fake atom bomb blast? Shit... I gotta go. No, no reason, I just... left something... in the oven. Yeah, that's it.
*runs away*
posted by quin at 10:33 AM on January 25, 2008
*runs away*
posted by quin at 10:33 AM on January 25, 2008
atomové bomby
awww, they call it "bomby". how cute. cute cute, lil bomby.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:14 PM on January 25, 2008
awww, they call it "bomby". how cute. cute cute, lil bomby.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:14 PM on January 25, 2008
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No kidding. Aside from some problems with the white balance on the camera, the valley looks no worse for wear immediately after nuclear holocaust. A decent shockwave would've given it a bit more credibility.
posted by dr_dank at 8:33 PM on January 24, 2008 [1 favorite]