By now you know that I like macabre, off-the-wall humor. Monty Python — check. The Office — check. My latest find is Childrens Hospital. Basically Childrens Hospital is my type of show…it is “based on the Webby Award–winning digital series and quickly became a Web hit with its twisted take on network medical dramas,” per the WB.
This show is no Grey’s Anatomy. No heroic life-saving events. No life and death struggles. No doctors charged with patient care who take the Hippocratic oath to heart. Nope, not on Childrens Hospital. On this show the docs are far too concerned with their social lives to worry about sick children. As I said it’s The Office meets The Meaning of Life where nothing is above reproach.
I’ll give you an example of the craziness of the show’s scripts. On one episode…Dr. Owen Maestro’s ex- girlfriend/co-worker lied by telling him she had a tumor just to break up with him. Whaaaattt? I’ve heard of trying to weasel out of something, but this takes the cake, right?
I’m no stranger to excuses. I try to avoid making them, but sometimes…well you just have no choice. Let’s see what was a doozy of an excuse I used?? Well, I could write about this one, but may be not. How about this one? Hmmm, perhaps the person will read this blogpost and go….”Whaaaattt!” I’ll stick with this old chestnut.
As a newish college graduate, I worked first at a directory publisher in DC, then moved to a trade association at a nearby office. July 4th was a Wednesday. I’ll let that sink in a bit. July 4th was a workday and I was 23. I was not a heavy drinker, but had been invited to a friend’s condo across from DC in northern Virginia. The friend was hosting a rooftop party as her condo building had a great view of the fireworks held on The Mall. I resigned myself that I would go, drink responsibly, and show up to work on Thursday ready to work.
Fuzzy Navels. Sigh. Fuzzy Navels were my downfall. The best laid plans to drink responsibly and stay sober? Gone as I downed shot glass after shot glass of those oh-so-sweet and yummy shots. I didn’t even take a break long enough to stop drinking and watch the fireworks as the fireworks were obscured by fog. So, all of us drank and drank merrily and happily unaware of the fireworks. The party ended.
I stumbled homeward with my boyfriend-now-husband in tow. We sobered up on the Metro ride home. He had guzzled fewer drinks than I had. He drove me home. I have no recollection of any part of the journey home except for talking loudly on the Metro. My 40-something mom-ish self is horrified that we traveled under these conditions, but I was a 23-year-old with no responsibilities and clearly no sense back then.
The next morning. Yikes. The next morning was rough. I could barely lift my head off the pillow, let alone shower, get dressed, and take the Metro to work. All sounds were painful to me that morning…the clanging of the elevator doors, leaves rustling, the beep of the coffee maker. By 9:30 a.m. I was stuck in the bathroom doubled over the toilet. As I heaved, my coworkers asked how I was. Through it all I steadfastly stuck to my story that it was food poisoning. I must have eaten something the night before. Surely, I was suffering from the results of a bad burger or something, right? I never acknowledged that the previous day was July 4th…that I had attended a party…that I overindulged on many oh-so-yummy Fuzzy Navels. Nope, food poisoning was my excuse.
Looking back at my age and the circumstances of July 4th falling on a Wednesday and I don’t believe ANYONE believed ny excuse. To their credit, none of them said anything to me. Thank goodness. But, back to Childrens Hospital.
Do you watch reality shows set in a hospital? You know the ones about the soon-to-be new parents? Or the kid on the eve of surgery? These shows portray hospital staff and patients in the best possible light. I suppose the hospital wouldn’t want to be sued, right? But, what about a show that throws caution and legal ethics to the wind. A show about a hospital so irreverent in tone and so outrageous that you can’t help but laugh?? Childrens Hospital is one such show.
Don’t forget to tune in to “Childrens Hospital” on the Cartoon Network. You won’t regret it!
Season 1 & 2 is out on DVD…buy on amazon.
I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for Childrens Hospital. The views expressed in this post are my own.
