MovieChat Forums > Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America (2009) Discussion > What a shame...and I blame PBS !

What a shame...and I blame PBS !

posted 15 years ago by Grizz-14
7 replies | jump to latest

They have what looks like it will be a wonderful series with many unseen
scenes from some truly great comedians and it's hosted by the brilliant
and always funny Billy Crystal and then both PBS stations that we get here
in Vancouver,BC...KCTS-9 Seattle and WTVS-56 Detroit both show an obviously
cropped or 'modified for your tv' version of the show. After about 20 minutes I just couldn't watch it anymore.You'd see things like:

dd Apatow
ducer

on either side of the screen so you're missing about 1/3 of the picture.
Shame on you,PBS !!

[–] southloop 15 years ago

oh, dude. totally. i disagree about crystal (cant stand him) but the cropped stuff was driving me INSANE. for the movies/people i didnt recognize id have to furiously search on the internet to find out what it was. its that hi def crap. we dont need a hi def broadcast for old movie clips and interviews with people, i cant stand it!!!

[–] bis22 15 years ago

You should call your local PBS station. I work at a station in another city, and we broadcast it letterboxed.

Edit: Unless the problem is that you have a TV or converter box that's cropping it. Then just zoom out.

[–] 4friedchickensandacoke 15 years ago

I watched the same show as you in the Vancouver area via Shaw but in HD or channel 204 and it was picture perfect and in 16x9 hidef of course., funny thing about this is I was thinking as I was watching was the fact that all footage used for the memorys was archival film, and video footage from 1914 thru to the 1970's , and this was all 4:3 ratio with pillars on each side.,only the 2009 commentary of the hosts were in true 16x9 . There was some footage that was not pillarboxed, such as The Three Stooges film clips of the 40's and they almnost looked streched or zoomed to fill the screen.,,.
So I have to admit I never saw channels 27 or 56 but can imagine your disappointment.

[–] quentin-13 15 years ago

looks fine in HD on my PBS (san diego). even the old footage!

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] RobertV23 15 years ago

Upgrade to HD. Looks amazing.

"Shame on you,PBS !!" -SHAME on you for not keeping up with technology!!

[–] ttenchantr 15 years ago

WGBH's broadcast had this problem with the first episode but it was corrected for the second.