son of a preacher man

We have to admit to kind of, you know, like, sort of bogan tastes here at chateau VVB, particularly in relation to TV. Although well out of the target demographic by virtue of our advancing ages, Mrs VVB and I are constant Ch 10 watchers so there's a fair bit of Australian Idol watched.

Apologies to those who'd picked us as ABC TV and Radio National types. And SBS, although SBS is just another mainstream TV channel nowadays.

Anyway we got mightily excited about the accusations that Australian Idol was in the pocket of the Hillsong crew. Not just voting, we mean in the pocket.

Well after the token efforts on Sunday and Monday at "addressing" (really?) the issue on the show, we immediately came to the conclusion that yes, the show is in the pocket.

What this means is another thing. There's a fair bit of angst around about the increasing influence of religion, particularly the more 'fundamentalist' type of religion, on public life. In reality, any influence on a bogan TV show shouldn't be of concern. But in any contest for hearts and minds, any hill you take is hard won ground and accordingly Mrs VVB and I are less than happy should the religiously obsessive be getting their sticky fingers in where they ain't needed.

Gospel is fine - in fact, I luurrve gospel. Subliminal conditioning - nup. Proselytising - definitely not. Overreaction? Maybe. But chateau VVB is trying desperately to see all sides whenever we're looking at anything apparently monolateral. Is that a word? Who knows? I certainly don't mean unilateral, I think. Have we lost the plot? Yup, again.

Anyway, we're - actually I'm - off to Sydney for the motor show and annual boys' weekend away this weekend. Annoyingly, I have a work thing on Friday morning (which I could have sworn was originally on Wednesday) to show up at first, before a mad dash to the airport.

This is of course just an excuse for one beer too many in a decreasingly convincing attempt to kid ourselves that the three of us are still 20. The following morning/s will be the test, and I can guarantee we will be found wanting, if not utterly dehydrated.

Still, the aim is to be here at 5pm on Friday for the first of a refreshingly lumpy Reschs, served damn cold. After that, it will be all downhill.

Also, how much bloody advertising are we going to get once the election campaign actually starts? If Kevin07 tells me one more time that he's an economic conservative, the TV will not be safe. There will be more than swearing. As for the other bloke - eeeugh. You know it.