boob tube(n.)
"电视机",美国俚语,1959年,来自 boob "愚蠢的人" + 俚语 tube(n.)"电视,电视节目"; 最初的电视机里面有真空管。这个词似乎是由威廉·伊沃尔德(William Ewald)发明或推广的,他是 UPI 新闻电线的电视专栏作家,在一篇辞职专栏中广泛转载于1959年8月的美国报纸上,标题各不相同。
To all those who say TV provides the sort of fare that they, ordinary people, like, I say shame on you for reveling in your ordinariness.
To all those who say there is room for all kinds of tastes, nonsense again. There is obviously a hierarchy of values in life—without it, we become vegetables. If you prefer to squander your free time on Lawrence Welk, The Texan, The Price Is Right and other drivel, it may be time for you to question your values. ['Sorehead' Calls It Quits As Boob Tube Chronicler," Tucson Daily Sun, Aug. 14, 1959]
对于那些说电视提供了他们这些普通人喜欢的节目的人,我说你们为沉迷于平庸而感到羞耻。
对于那些说有各种口味的节目都有市场的人,我再次说无稽之谈。生活中显然有价值的等级制度——没有它,我们就会变成蔬菜。如果你喜欢在空闲时间里浪费时间看劳伦斯·威尔克(Lawrence Welk)、得克萨斯人(The Texan)、物美价廉(The Price Is Right)和其他无聊的节目,那么你可能需要质疑自己的价值观。['Sorehead' Calls It Quits As Boob Tube Chronicler," Tucson Daily Sun, Aug. 14, 1959]