CHUCKED OVER BY SERENDIPITEEVEE

I've mentioned in the past my "serendipiteevee", that fortuitous luck in which I can turn on the TV or surf the channels to land on something at just the right moment. It can be something I might use in writing about Toobworld, perhaps an historical, breaking story, or a once-in-a-lifetime image, or even a remark that could be taken out of context for humorous effect.

But serendipiteevee isn't always for the good. Like the time I sat down to watch an episode of 'The X-Files' the morning after its broadcast - I just took a mouthful of Cocoa Puffs just as some poor schlub in South America sucked in something that would ultimately kill him. The noise was so disgusting that I had to toss the bowl of cereal. Or there was the time I turned on the TV just in time to see Jason Alexander's ass with a little tail when HBO was showing "Shallow Hal".

The latest occurrence of dark serendipiteevee was Monday night. I was getting ready for work when 1010 WINS reported that the 'Law & Order' episode airing in an hour would be the last. I had forgotten about this, so I quickly turned on the TV to program my DVR. The set was tuned to NBC already, recording the two-hour season finale of 'Chuck'.... And it turned on just in time for me to hear Ellie talk about the major plot point at the end of the first hour. Arrrrrgh!

BCnU!