We switched from Fios to Hulu with Live TV. Overall it’s been a good decision, but the biggest issue is that we watch an inordinate amount of MSNBC. It’s just kind of on in the background. And when MSNBC doesn’t have ads to run during commercial breaks they just run those “The More You Know” PSAs. It’s a series that has been around since 1989. In fact, in 1996 I worked for a production company that actually created and produced a series of ABC PSAs that borrowed heavily from this format with Michael J. Fox, Drew Carey, quite possibly John Larroquette and some other ABC stars. They’re iconic and have spawned copycats and parodies alike.
The latest, 2025 version is a bunch of presumably modern-day NBC stars mostly talking about mentors. (Though they snuck in one mental health one for some reason.) They’re truly inane snippets about finding someone you respect and just kind of asking them to be your mentor. Yes, that’s how things work! They’re truly annoying, as they clip what feel like outtakes and goofy, awkward hand gestures and edit them together in a bouillabaisse of nonsense. They run on a loop on Hulu and drive me absolutely bonkers. Sometimes the same videos will run three or four times in one commercial break. And in being forced to face them, I’ve come to realize a few things.
This, Jabari Banks, is not how you eat a muffin. I don’t know who you are, but someone should have shown you how a human being bites into something before they made you be the person who probably had to maw that muffin in take after take until they gave up and just figured you’re a monster and moved on. I guess that isn’t something they teach in acting school — but they should. The more you know!
And, Zachary Quinto, your acting is sometimes not great, but apparently you played a recurring character named Adam Kaufman on 24 over 20 years ago so I gotta respect you a little bit. But the way you pronounce “comfortable” is probably the worst bit of acting I’ve ever heard. It makes me not want to go back to watch your portrayal of Adam now, as I’m a little afraid how “ethnic” you decided to go with him. Did they not think to shoot a second take? Or is this just how you actually say that word? But then why do you nail “uncomfortable?” It’s weird and makes me black out every time I hear it. Which is a lot. The more you know!