8 Art and emotion
Some varieties of emotional response
Consider the following cases:- On an April 10, 1982 installment of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, the Not-Ready-for-
Prime-Time Players threatened to boil a real lobster named“Larry the Lobster”
live on the air. As Eddie Murphy informed the audience (speaking quickly):
“You want to save Larry the Lobster dial 1– 900 – 720 – 1808. Then (speaking
slowly)“If you want to kill him dial 1– 900 – 720 – 1809. Now unless you call
in to save him, we’re going to boil Larry’s little butt right here on national
television. Now you call in. The phone company is going to charge you
fifty cents, but isn’t it worth fifty cents to save Larry’s life? Or look at it this
way: Isn’titworthhalfabucktoseeusboilLarryonTV?”Nearly 500,000
viewers dialed into the program. The final tally? KILL LARRY: 227,452; SAVE
LARRY: 239,096.^1 - Hand in hand,
we’ve met life’s
changes and challenges.
Side by side,
we’ve shared
our most precious dreams.
Together
we’ve built a beautiful life.
And every year,
I grow more in love with you
Happy Birthday!^2
(^1) Information archived at http://www.tvacres.com/fish_lobsters.htm
(^2) Hallmark anniversary greeting card.
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