As I watched the Thanksgiving Day parade with my 8-year-old sister, I couldn't help but think how sheltered the whole event was. The target audience is obviously little kids, probably no older than the 5th or 6th grade. I got kind of sick of watching Buzz Lightyear follow Ronald McDonald, who was before Pikachu. Sure I used to like all those characters ten years ago, but besides being kids subjects, they weren't even that modern. Where's the balloon of Jeremy Renner in his bomb suit from "The Hurt Locker"? Wouldn't such a moving performance delivered in such an incredible movie, the best movie of last year, be worthy of some recognition in a balloon? Ignoring the commercial interests behind why Ronald McDonald gets a balloon but the star of a low-budget film doesn't, the only real merit is that the star of a movie about the Iraq war is not suitable for children.
And behind that, it's clear that NBC was self-censoring itself to keep any and all big-boy subjects on the sideline. The whole mood was this light, giddy display of all things cute and unthreatening. Especially the tone of the announcers, who sounded like they were leading a Kindergarten gymnastics class. The whole display was an exercise in clean, safe, happy fun with no risks or PG material at all. Just once, I want to see a float with The Godfather on it in all his regal, murderous glory. Or Maximus from Gladiator, perhaps in an action shot about to take his vengeance.
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