The Popcorn Stand: Let’s get ready to rumble, er, debate

Unless you’re like the Geico caveman and living under a rock (remember those commercials), you may be aware there’s a debate on Monday.

But based on the promotions I’ve seen on television and heard on the radio, I don’t know if it’s a debate or WWE Wrestlemania. I keep waiting for the commercial with the WWE announcer in his loud obnoxious voice, yelling: “MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, it’s Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump and you know these two don’t like each other.”

The television and radio networks promoting the debate are definitely “playing up” there might be some bitterness between Clinton and Trump. The only thing missing is Jerry Springer as moderator and the audience chanting “Jerry, Jerry.” (Actually, I do trust Lester Holt will serve properly as moderator and will restore some semblance of decency and perspective to this campaign).

And of course the news networks have to cover this debate the same way the sports networks cover sporting events, which means day-long “pre-game” shows. Much like talking heads tell us what this team must do and what that team just do for 12 hours before a game, the news network will give us at least 50 talking heads telling us what Clinton must do and what Trump must do for 12 hours.

The only thing missing is Hank Williams Jr. singing “Are Your ready for some debating? Are you ready for a Monday night party?” or Carrie Underwood singing “Oh, Sunday night” or I guess in this case, “Oh, Monday night.”

It’s enough to make me go under a rock.

— Charles Whisnand