GlitchSlapTko

It probably has something to do with the fact that I just got through watching a rerun of Gladiator (here's a great period review by the Flagpole), rereading some of Roland Barthes' writing's on that passion play of the late 20th/early 21st century known as American professional wrestling, and the fact that somehow this all seems tied in with the US presence in Iraq (i.e. the Circus Maximus-enthralled citizenry of a megapower get their jollies as their country attempts to throttle oil-rich countries under guise of "anti-terrorism" in order to command the pole-position in the race for a non-renewable energy resource so that it can smooth out it's own impending energy crisis)...but anyway, I just got finished applying to be a member of the studio audience for WWE SMACKDOWN on Fuji TV here in Tokyo. (Here's the official WWE website just in case you need a refresher course.) Anyway, for reasons that I don't care to go into here, I'm a big fan of the show over here in Japan, which they do they broadcast one a week, hosted at the Fuji TV studios. The studio audience, which from what I can tell is about 99% Japanese, with a few foreigners added "to taste." Needless to say, they really seem to be having a good time in the Tokyo-style sports bar atmosphere, throwing back the brewskis and taking in the action on the big screen. I've noticed the faces of quite a few "geinojin" and other "talents" in the crowd, so who knows...I might finally get a chance to have a personal encounter with a Yellow Cab girl or a Space Craft chick or someone cool like that. Well, no matter what happens, I'll let you know as soon as I hear back from the folks at Fuji TV. Until then, keep your fingers crossed for me, ok? I'm down for the count!