Me-TV- Preserving Your Mental Health!

When we remind you to watch Me-TV, we aren’t just trying to gain rating points- we aren’t just asking you to watch us rather than some other channel- in fact, we are trying to improve your mental health! Maybe you find this hard to believe- well, according to some research that has recently been published in the august Social Psychological and Personality Science Journal- (that’s “august”, meaning “of supreme dignity or grandeur”, not August as in the month- although, for all I know, it could have been in the August issue- hey, my subscription must have lapsed)- when you watch a classic TV show or a favorite rerun- it helps to recharge your mind! The article, which was noted in some news stories lately both online and in newspapers, says that being a couch potato and watching those well-remembered shows is a way that people” seek out familiar fictional worlds to become rejuvenated.” It almost sounds to me like watching “Star Trek”, you are not only seeking out new life, but seeking out a mental battery recharge! According to the findings gained from experiments done as research, people who have been engaged in tough mental activity, or spent periods of time keeping their emotions under control, were more likely, after those time periods, to actually seek out a favorite rerun to watch, rather than something new. There is some comfort in the familiar that would not be gained by watching a new movie or an unseen-before show. In fact, the study showed that, once the subject had watched that rerun- their mental focus returned to normal, and their attitude had re-adjusted! One of the researchers had suggested that watching these familiar shows is similar to socializing with other people- which is another way that we humans recharge our batteries after mental or emotional exertion- but- the reruns have an edge over human contact, in as much as, dealing with other people can have unpredictable results, but-spending a half hour hanging with Jerry Seinfeld and Kramer, or on that island with Gilligan and Ginger, will provide reliable results- we know what’s going to happen. While talking to the guy next door might veer unexpectedly into tense situations, like if he gets on the subject of politics, and it doesn’t jibe with your opinions, or asks what happened to the lawn mower you borrowed a year ago- or, if your lady friend decides it’d be more fun to go shopping than to the football game- you always know where Lucy and Ethel are going from start to finish, with no harm done. The researcher actually suggests that the reruns work as a “social surrogate” that helps rejuvenate your mind. Personally, I would think that TOO much of this “social surrogate” exposure- that is, shunning all human companionship in order to pass the time with Perry Mason or Elly Mae Clampett would present a whole other problem- but- getting an emotional second wind by watching a favorite Andy Griffith show, or a Honeymooners episode that you can practically recite the dialogue along with, is a sort of mental comfort food- and, maybe one of the reasons we feel so fondly towards them. I know that, when I meet the viewers of my show, that many of them have watched me enough that they feel like I’m an old friend- and those feelings must also translate to these TV characters who entertain you and make you feel good. You remember that- and, when you need to de-stress and relax your emotional state- you find that “happy place” where your “friends” are (hey- maybe sometimes , they actually ARE “Friends” – Chandler, Monica…)