Doghouse Riley's definitions
Entertainers in the public eye, who increasly advertise their particular sexual orientation in public, the more popular they become, are "Playing the gay card."
John Barrymore, who formally was not widely known as a homosexual now uses many opportunities to advertise the fact. He is often "playing the gay card."
Such people and there are many, must have previously believed that their sexual orientation may have been a hinderance in their careers. In reality, it hardly makes any difference to the general public who aren't that bothered. But continual reference to it gets boring.
Such people and there are many, must have previously believed that their sexual orientation may have been a hinderance in their careers. In reality, it hardly makes any difference to the general public who aren't that bothered. But continual reference to it gets boring.
by Doghouse Riley January 12, 2009

A film or TV drama where innocent people are taken hostage say, in a bank, where the customers are made by the crooks to all lie on the floor in similar fashion to sausages in a pan. Thus a sausage situation.
by Doghouse Riley April 5, 2008

A popular singer or entertainer, who affects a manner, lifestyle, or the speech of someone from a deprived or oppressed background, in an attempt to be considered more "street." When in fact they had a middle class or privileged upbringing.
Both Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen are ghetto tourists.
Amy thinks she's Billie Holiday reincarnated, but she was born in a North London suburb, went to an independent school and the Sylvia Young stage school, any "tragedy" she's endured she's manufactured for herself.
Lily Allen tries to give the impression when she sings that she's really a Cockney.
She was born in Hammersmith and raised in Islington, a pleasant London suburb. Her father is an actor, her mother a film producer. She attended a number of private schools in the better parts of London, including one Prince Charles attended.
Amy thinks she's Billie Holiday reincarnated, but she was born in a North London suburb, went to an independent school and the Sylvia Young stage school, any "tragedy" she's endured she's manufactured for herself.
Lily Allen tries to give the impression when she sings that she's really a Cockney.
She was born in Hammersmith and raised in Islington, a pleasant London suburb. Her father is an actor, her mother a film producer. She attended a number of private schools in the better parts of London, including one Prince Charles attended.
by Doghouse Riley January 12, 2009

Passive viewing, watching TV programme or parts thereof, not of your choice to which you've been "exposed."
It is passive viewing if you are watching a television programme you don't particularly want to see, either because you've caught a part of it while changing channels, or by selecting the wrong channel.
Suffering a programme because you are in the company of someone who wants to watch it is passive viewing.
Suffering a programme because you are in the company of someone who wants to watch it is passive viewing.
by Doghouse Riley October 14, 2007

An Iffy Centre is a a walk-in primary care, nurse led facility, for minor ailments and bumps and bruises.
Prompted by the description by Andy Buck of Rotherham Primary Care Trust, as a place where people can see a nurse if they are feeling "a bit iffy."
He used the word five times when defending the spending of £12,000,000 on this new facility when interviewed by Gerry Robinson for BBC TV.
Prompted by the description by Andy Buck of Rotherham Primary Care Trust, as a place where people can see a nurse if they are feeling "a bit iffy."
He used the word five times when defending the spending of £12,000,000 on this new facility when interviewed by Gerry Robinson for BBC TV.
by Doghouse Riley January 5, 2008

From observation, recognising that the general standard of television in my opinion has deteriorated and continues to do so year by year, so much so I now watch very little, I’ve found as far as the programme quality and content on all television channels, the following Doghouse's Laws of Television often apply.
I started compiling this list several years ago and some of these "laws" are now occasionally mentioned by contributors to a specific TV network message board, though of course they can apply to any channel.
I'm sure other contributors may relate to some of them and can think of other examples of practices which could be added to the list.
With a new programme, if your impression of it after ten minutes is that it's going to be rubbish, you’ll only be right 95% of the time.
The number of advance programme trails screened, will be in inverse proportion to the quality of the programme. The ”best bits” of any programme will be included in the trail.
The volume of background music will often be in inverse proportion to the amount of watchable activity on the screen at that time.
Any TV audience gets the standard of programmes it deserves. It’s no good complaining about the quality of a programme if you continue to watch it.
If an idea for a programme suggested to a TV network commissioning department isn’t another soap in one form or another, or requires an "in your face" presenter/auto-cutie, celebrities, judges, phone votes, or the inclusion of dysfunctional members of the public, it is unlikely to be made.
The number of programme presenters appearing at any one time, will usually be in inverse proportion to the quality of the programme.
The number and variety of similar programmes on TV, are likely to be in inverse proportion to their cost to present.
To reach the widest audience, in a programme where the subject is of a specific nature, it may include totally unrelated elements in an attempt to also “engage” viewers who aren’t the slightest bit interested in the actual topic, in a futile attempt to increase the ratings.
Some programmes, even a few news bulletins, given the level at which the programme makers pitch their production, should have the words; "for Dummies" added to the title.
If you've any doubts about watching a programme, from the trails or advertising you've seen, take a chance, give it a miss.
I started compiling this list several years ago and some of these "laws" are now occasionally mentioned by contributors to a specific TV network message board, though of course they can apply to any channel.
I'm sure other contributors may relate to some of them and can think of other examples of practices which could be added to the list.
With a new programme, if your impression of it after ten minutes is that it's going to be rubbish, you’ll only be right 95% of the time.
The number of advance programme trails screened, will be in inverse proportion to the quality of the programme. The ”best bits” of any programme will be included in the trail.
The volume of background music will often be in inverse proportion to the amount of watchable activity on the screen at that time.
Any TV audience gets the standard of programmes it deserves. It’s no good complaining about the quality of a programme if you continue to watch it.
If an idea for a programme suggested to a TV network commissioning department isn’t another soap in one form or another, or requires an "in your face" presenter/auto-cutie, celebrities, judges, phone votes, or the inclusion of dysfunctional members of the public, it is unlikely to be made.
The number of programme presenters appearing at any one time, will usually be in inverse proportion to the quality of the programme.
The number and variety of similar programmes on TV, are likely to be in inverse proportion to their cost to present.
To reach the widest audience, in a programme where the subject is of a specific nature, it may include totally unrelated elements in an attempt to also “engage” viewers who aren’t the slightest bit interested in the actual topic, in a futile attempt to increase the ratings.
Some programmes, even a few news bulletins, given the level at which the programme makers pitch their production, should have the words; "for Dummies" added to the title.
If you've any doubts about watching a programme, from the trails or advertising you've seen, take a chance, give it a miss.
by Doghouse Riley November 2, 2008

The BBC has two digital channels BBC3 and BBC4. These don't start transmitting until 7.00pm.
On BBC4, they repeat several programmes up to three times in the same day and also on other days in the week.
So it's really, BBCB4 "BB see before."
On BBC4, they repeat several programmes up to three times in the same day and also on other days in the week.
So it's really, BBCB4 "BB see before."
BBCB4 scheduled Rich Hall's one and a half hour documentary "How the West was Lost" twice on Saturday 14th June, once on the following Sunday and twice on the following Monday.
by Doghouse Riley June 19, 2008
