Sellevision: A Novel
3.5/5
()
About this ebook
The hilarious first novel by the #1 bestselling author of Running with Scissors, Dry, A Wolf at the Table, and You Better Not Cry, Sellevision is Augusten Burrough's darkly funny and vastly entertaining skewering of a very troubled home-shopping channel.
Welcome to the world of Sellevision, America's premier retail broadcasting network. When Max Andrews, the much loved and handsome (that is, lonely and gay) host of a "Toys for Tots" segment, accidentally exposes himself in front of millions of kids, Sellevision faces its first big scandal. As Max struggles to find a new job in television, the popular and perky host Peggy Jean Smythe is receiving sinister emails from a stalker. Popping pills and drinking heavily, she fails to notice that her husband is spending a lot of time with the young babysitter who lives next door. Then there's Leigh, whose affair with married Sellevision boss Howard Toast is going nowhere until she announces their relationship on air. A blistering satire of our overcharged, scandal-obsessed world, Sellevision is "an absolute howl . . . wicked fun" (New York Daily News).
Augusten Burroughs
Augusten Burroughs is the author of Running with Scissors, Dry, Magical Thinking: True Stories, Possible Side Effects, A Wolf at the Table and You Better Not Cry. He is also the author of the novel Sellevision, which has been optioned for film. The film version of Running with Scissors, directed by Ryan Murphy and produced by Brad Pitt, was released in October 2006 and starred Joseph Cross, Brian Cox, Annette Bening (nominated for a Golden Globe for her role), Alec Baldwin and Evan Rachel Wood. Augusten's writing has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers around the world including The New York Times and New York Magazine. In 2005 Entertainment Weekly named him one of "The 25 Funniest People in America." He resides in New York City and Western Massachusetts.
Read more from Augusten Burroughs
Dry: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Related to Sellevision
Related ebooks
Hey Nostradamus! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Apathy and Other Small Victories: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/52030: The Real Story of What Happens to America Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Junky: The Definitive Text of "Junk" Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wonder Boys Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Clown Girl: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Acceptance: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Home Land: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Life of the Party: Stories of a Perpetual Man-Child Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Woman First: First Woman: A Memoir Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Visible Man: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fuck Up Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Zombie Spaceship Wasteland: A Book by Patton Oswalt Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Broken (in the best possible way) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Squirrel Days Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Eleanor Rigby: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gone Bamboo Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Quicksand Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Waiting for the Punch: Words to Live by from the WTF Podcast Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Humor & Satire For You
The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Swamp Story: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Big Swiss: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5101 Fun Personality Quizzes: Who Are You . . . Really?! Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Man Called Ove: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Love and Other Words Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Best F*cking Activity Book Ever: Irreverent (and Slightly Vulgar) Activities for Adults Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: the heartfelt, funny memoir by a New York Times bestselling therapist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killing the Guys Who Killed the Guy Who Killed Lincoln: A Nutty Story About Edwin Booth and Boston Corbett Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 2,548 Wittiest Things Anybody Ever Said Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious People: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don't Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Best Joke Book (Period): Hundreds of the Funniest, Silliest, Most Ridiculous Jokes Ever Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Soulmate Equation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mindful As F*ck: 100 Simple Exercises to Let That Sh*t Go! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tidy the F*ck Up: The American Art of Organizing Your Sh*t Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pimpology: The 48 Laws of the Game Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Solutions and Other Problems Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Go the F**k to Sleep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Favorite Half-Night Stand Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Sellevision
476 ratings16 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5"You exposed your penis on national television, Max." The first line of the book and it's a wild ride from that point. Max the flasher in question is one of the hosts of a home shopping show for the Sellevision network. We follow Max's story and some of the other hosts from the network. Max is termed right after that first sentence and tries out for various other jobs. There's Peggy Jean a good Christian woman who finds herself with a stalker and turns to drugs and alcohol to try and cope. Bebe is the networks longest running hostess who has a bit of a shopping problem herself. There's also a younger hostess who's having an affair with the married boss. Throw in another philandering husband, a dry cleaner, a psychotic child with anger issues and you've got most of the characters in the book. Truly a hilarious book and you can't help but wonder what awful thing the characters are going to fall into next. Unlike most I did like this as much or more than Burroughs memoirs.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Funny stuff but, in the end, empty. His autobiographical stuff is so much more interesting for being real.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Augusten Burroughs never fails to make me laugh when reading his books.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Not the best of Augusten's but anything written by him has entertainment value.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Funny and crazy, in your face humor...just like Burroughs' memoirs.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Here's the ins and outs of a home shopping network cast of characters, as told via the warped perspective of the man who gave us Running with Scissors.Things are humming along nicely for everyone at Sellevision when one fine day, one of the senior hosts accidentally exposes himself during a live segment aimed at children and their parents. Turns out to be the beginning of a major downward spiral for the network. Shortly after, another host finds herself the target of a stalker and becomes progressively (and hilariously) unhinged. A third exposes her boss/lover live on the air during a Simulated Ruby Sensations segment, and the fourth, a compulsive shopper, finds love in an unexpected place. This one is a wicked romp that manages to skewer television/film personalities, shopping culture, NYC culture, suburbia, religion, 12-step programs, and a host of other sacred cows. Those are the book's strengths. The main weakness is that it leans a little too hard on the train-wrecky side of absurdity in places--there's a definite sense of "what more can I pile on here?" just for the sake of it, in other words. But it's still fun.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A cute fun summer beach read. The characters and their events are zany, out loud laughable, and wanting you to hope they make this a movie!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lightweight, but humorous
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I would have liked this better had I read it on the plane, which was my intent - it's not quite the sort of thing I dig, but it was funny enough. It's wildly over-the-top, which is kind of its only charm - from the intro, where the only sympathetic character gets fired from his Home Shopping Network-type job for a wardrobe malfunction of the highest order, it doesn't let up on the broad caricatures or ridiculous action.
It's badly dated, of course, but that can't be helped. I wasn't totally a fan of reading a whole book about hopelessly shallow people (hence the "better on an airplane" part) but Burroughs certainly hit what he was aiming for, I think. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A hilarious satirical glimpse into the world home shopping networks, consumerism and scandal. I didn't think I would like "Sellevision," but I ended up enjoying it more than some of Burroughs' later works. Granted, a few of the quirky characters begin taking on cartoon-like qualities. Continuity is also problematic in some spots. But I disagree with those reviewers who suggest that there's not much of message in this book. It speaks volumes about everything from society's insatiable appetite for scandal, to the changing consumer landscape. Yet is also remains an easy and amusing read.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Far be it from me to reject a book that focuses on the too little explored topic of facial and arm hair. Not since T.S. Eliot's Prufrock has the topic gotten such literary attention. Nevertheless, the subject matter may be a little thin to build a novel on. One can see that Burroughs is building up his writing chops with this book. Most people start out with the thinly veiled autobiography, then move to pure fiction: he has gone the other way, finding his stride when he draws on his personal experience. That is because he really cares about himself. The people in this novel, not so much, and it shows. Even superficial ninnies deserve some love, at least they do if you want readers to care enough to keep reading, and these characters just don't get any from Burroughs.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If you are fan of QVC, HSN, etc. you will totally get this. If not you still might find it funny!This is about the fictional cable shopping channel "Sellevision" and it's popular hosts. You get Max Andrews who is their golden boy host who makes an on-air peek-a-boo of a mistake. There is Peggy Jean Smythe (think Mary Beth Roe of QVC), wholesome, Christian, delusional and is the victim of facial hair!.You also get the popular Bebe Friedman (think former QVC host and lovely gal Kathy Levine)who finally finds Mr. Right until a twist in the relationship makes for a funny read. There are other characters but these 3 are best. An easy read and perfect for the beach!
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5As much as I love Augusten Burroughs, I did not like Sellevision at all. It was very obvious this was his first book as the plot jumped all over the place as if he had a lot of ideas, but couldn't decide on how to blend them together. My biggest problem, though, was the characters; I didn't care about them. I couldn't empathize with them, could care less that their lives sucked, etc. Another one of those books that took me forever to read because I didn't enjoy it enough to not put it down, and avoided it because I wasn't enjoying it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Burroughs' Sellevision is a tale about a gay TV presenter who inadvertently exposes himself on TV. The story follows the after effects of the event. Some of the descriptions of the book might lead on to think the story to be a little smutty; but far from it, in fact I found it to be highly entertaining - an hilarious and thoroughly rewarding story with some larger than life characters. Rewarding as a read, and rewarding in the just and so appropriate outcome. Highly recommended.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is fiction by Augusten Burroughs who is mostly known for his memoirs. This is a really funny story about people trying to make it in the business of Home Shopping TV.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book was fun - a harmless romp into the idealistic world of QVC and Home Shopping Network executives and their private lives. Great beach book!
Book preview
Sellevision - Augusten Burroughs
one
You exposed your penis on national television, Max. What am I supposed to do?
"I didn’t expose it, Howard, it just sort of peeked out."
"It ‘peeked out’ during the Toys for Tots segment in front of twenty million viewers, many of whom were, not surprisingly, children. It’s twenty-four hours later and we’re still receiving faxes. The phone lines were so jammed last night that no one could get through to place orders. Plus I’ve got every mother in the country threatening child-abuse lawsuits."
Howard Toast, the executive producer of the Sellevision Retail Broadcasting Network, glared at the show host who was sitting in a black leather chair on the opposite side of his large glass desk. Behind Max and facing Howard, a bank of television monitors silently played live broadcasts of Sellevision, QVC, and the Home Shopping Network as well as broadcasts from the other three B-class
networks.
Howard leaned forward and said quietly, "Jesus fucking Christ, Maxwell. This isn’t the Playboy channel, it’s Sellevision."
Max ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit. "Look, I was wearing a bathrobe, it was Slumber Sunday Sundown. We were all wearing bathrobes."
Howard’s normally placid, waspy features contorted with frustration. A vein on his temple pulsed. "Max, the other hosts weren’t naked under their bathrobes. It’s just—well, there’s no excuse—seven-year-old children and their mothers just should not know that you’re uncircumcised. He took four Advil from the bottle on his desk and washed them down with cold coffee.
I mean, this could be worse than that Cuban raft-boy thing."
Max wiped his hands on his slacks. "Look, I’m sorry, it was an accident. I already told you, Miguel knocked my latte over onto my lap in the dressing room while he was doing my makeup. What was I supposed to do, wear soaking wet boxers? C’mon, man, I had less than four minutes before I had to go on air, I had no choice."
Howard straightened the stapler on his desk. You should have borrowed Miguel’s underwear,
he said angrily.
"Miguel is Hispanic. He doesn’t wear underwear. Besides, that’s a disgusting thought, even if he did."
Not as disgusting as showing your dick to families all across America while they’re sitting down to eat dinner.
Max rolled his eyes. "Jesus, Howard, you make it sound like I did it on purpose. Like I’m some kind of exhibitionist or something."
Howard leaned back in his chair, sighed, and looked up at the ceiling. There was a silence between them, and Max glanced over at the executive golf-putting toy in the corner of the office. Howard leaned forward and placed both hands on the desk, palms up, like he had nothing left to offer. "Max, I’m very sorry this had to happen, but if I put you back on air, I’ll lose my job, the station will be boycotted—as it is, you’re just lucky your penis didn’t make the cover of USA Today."
Max leaned in, blinking. So what are you telling me? You’re saying, what, that I’m fired? Is that what you’re telling me?
Howard nodded his head solemnly. Yes, Max, I’m afraid we’re going to have to let you go. There’s no way we can let you back on the air after this, just no way.
Max’s hands flew up. I can’t believe you’re firing me over this.
I’m sorry, Max, I really am. I’ve got a few friends over at QVC and the Home Shopping Network, I could give them a call, see if they’re looking for anybody. But you might have to start off doing the overnight. And if worse comes to worst, there’s always
—he shifted his gaze toward one of the television monitors that was currently displaying an electric egg scrambler—the E-Z Shop Channel.
I can’t fucking believe this,
Max said, slumping in his chair, letting his mouth fall open.
"Max, America’s premier retail broadcasting network simply cannot be associated with a controversy of this . . . magnitude."
Oh, well, gee, I guess I should take that as a compliment,
Max said sarcastically.
It’s not funny, Maxwell. It’s sad, is what it is. It’s very sad that you were so careless. You’re a good host. But you crossed a line and, well, there are consequences.
Max left the office, mortified as security personnel accompanied him while he collected the possessions in his office, and then escorted him out of the building like a sex offender.
Peggy Jean Smythe sat in her office, reading an E-mail a viewer had sent her. Because of her high-profile time slots as a Sellevision host, she received dozens of E-mails each day. She normally responded with a standard forwarded thank-you letter. But if an E-mail was particularly flattering she would sometimes respond personally with one or two lines.
The reason viewers loved Peggy Jean was because they could relate to her. She often spoke of her three boys, four if you count my hubby.
She was a working mom
and a good Christian woman who often hosted Jewelry of Faith programs, which featured crucifix cufflinks and Star of David money clips, both of which she presented with equal pride. She was attractive—blond hair worn in a short but full style, blue eyes, fair skin. Her roundish face seemed approachable and trustworthy. She was highly polished, yet friendly and accessible. Peggy Jean knew all of this to be true, because she had seen the consumer research. In fact, she had personally attended many of the focus groups.
Peggy Jean, did you hear? About Max, I mean?
Amanda asked, standing in Peggy Jean’s doorway.
Peggy Jean turned dramatically in her chair to face the young woman. Of course I heard, and I think it’s exactly the right thing to do.
You don’t think it’s a little too severe? I mean, just dropping him like that?
asked the associate producer.
Peggy Jean smiled the exact smile she often wore for viewers while hosting a vacuum-cleaner showcase or one of the monthly Easy Wear 18K Gold specials. She touched the lapel of her jacket. Well, of course I’m sorry for Max, as I would be for any human being facing an adverse situation. But when God closes a door, Amanda, He opens a window.
Peggy Jean looked up at the suspended ceiling. He must have other plans in store for our Max.
Then the smile was gone. And now, Amanda, if you don’t mind . . . I have an awful lot to do.
Amanda shrugged. Sure, I understand. I didn’t mean to disturb you.
Peggy Jean returned her attention to the computer screen, listening to make sure Amanda actually had left. Then, almost biting the tip of her manicure, but stopping herself, Peggy Jean read the alarming E-mail for the third time:
Subject: Hi There!!
Hi Peggy Jean!
How exciting to be able to write you! I am a loyal Sellevision fan and have ordered everything from Crock Pots to jewelry. I am so pleased with the quality of the countless items I have purchased from Sellevision.
Peggy Jean, my ears always perk up when I hear your voice on Sellevision. You are my favorite host. You are so professional and friendly, and I just love your hair!!
Speaking of hair, I just want to tell you this, woman to woman: Peggy Jean, I have noticed many times in close-up pictures how very hairy your earlobes are. When I first noticed, it was a bit of a shock to see a beautiful earring on your ear, surrounded by all those hairs, which on my large-screen TV were each almost the size of a Vienna sausage!!
I wonder if you have considered using the Lady Songbird Waxing Hair Removal System that I have seen on Sellevision. It seems a painless, quick and easy way for you to be even more beautiful than you already are.
I bumped into (really!!) my friend Susan at the supermarket and we got to talking, you know, just catch-up stuff. Anyway, I mentioned Sellevision for some reason, I forget why. And before long, we were talking about the show and our favorite hosts and she said the very same thing I’m telling you now!!! Isn’t that a hoot! (LOL) She said, She’s a very hairy lady.
We both had a good chuckle out of it, but PLEASE understand it wasn’t a chuckle AT you personally.
Well, I’ve talked on and on, so I’ll stop here. May God bless you and your family. And you have my very best wishes.
Your friend,
Zoe :)
Peggy Jean pulled a small key from the inside pocket of her fuchsia DKNY blazer and unlocked the file cabinet beneath her desk. The drawer contained emergency nylons, a spare pair of simple black pumps, a few sets of earrings that could easily coordinate with most any outfit, and her purse. She pulled out her purse and removed her compact, peering into the small mirror, angling her head as much to the side as she could. She didn’t see any hairs. But then, this was a small mirror, held at a distance. It certainly wasn’t a macro shot from Camera One.
If there were, in fact, long blond hairs on her earlobes that were so obvious on camera as to be the subject of a fan’s E-mail, Peggy Jean knew she would have to have them removed before going on air at four P.M. Yet, whom could she ask? If she did, in fact, have the hairs, whomever she asked would surely gossip—mention to somebody else, Peggy Jean has hairy earlobes
—and word could easily spread all the way to her executive producer, Howard. The idea of being called into the refined, forty-five-year-old’s office and being verbally confronted about the earlobe hairs, having to explain that the situation had been remedied—well, it was just unthinkable.
Peggy Jean remembered there was a large magnifying mirror in makeup, and that it was illuminated by a ring of small, round bulbs. Surely makeup would be empty now, between the hosts’ shift change. Instinctively, she reached for the tube of Lancôme moisturizer on her desk and squeezed a dime-sized dollop onto the back of her hand. Then she quickly rubbed her hands together until they were soft and fragrant. Feminine.
She placed her purse back into the file cabinet, locked it, and pocketed the key. Leaving her office, she turned left and continued down the hall, passing Trish Mission along the way.
"Peggy Jean, you look wonderful, I love that jacket," Trish said, gently taking the cuff of the blazer between her thumb and forefinger, admiring the softness of the fabric.
Well, thank you, I’m glad you like it. This is the first time I’ve worn it in public. Took a little field trip to New York last Saturday with the hubby, and picked this up at Bloomingdale’s.
Trish gave Peggy Jean a friendly nod. Well, the color is just wonderful on you, it looks great with your eyes.
And with that, Trish wished Peggy Jean good luck on that afternoon’s Gem Fest and continued down the hall.
Was it Peggy Jean’s imagination, or had Trish taken a quick look at her earlobes?
Trish was one of the emerging
hosts of Sellevision. Her growing popularity was propelling her from the overnight slot where new hosts were groomed—presenting a Fashion Clearance or various kitchen implements—to the spot she currently occupied that, although varying, included the occasional prime-time appearance, most notably her recent trip to London where she hosted a British Bonanza.
How soon before the aging (thirty-eightish) hostess with a possible superfluous hair condition was replaced by the much younger, more beautiful, and fully waxed Trish Mission? There was a prized-racehorse quality about Trish that unsettled Peggy Jean. Tall, blond, and ambitious, Trish seemed to be growing more and more successful out of sheer entitlement.
Makeup was, thankfully, empty. Peggy Jean walked directly over to the small round mirror that sat on one of the dressing tables. She pressed a button on the side that caused the bulbs to flicker momentarily, then illuminate. She peered at her reflection, moving her ear as close to the mirror as possible, using the gleaming Frosted Cappuccino–painted nail of her index finger to move the lobe into the light. There they were: tiny hairs, faint and almost unnoticeable unless one were actively looking for them in an illuminated magnifying mirror, as she was doing at that moment.
Amanda, having noticed the light, paused and stood in the doorway, watching Peggy Jean examine her ear. Peggy Jean?
she asked, concerned. Is something the matter with your ear?
Heading west on I-92, Max drove mostly in the passing lane, averaging a speed of seventy miles per hour. His favorite CD—the original cast recording of Rent—sat unplayed in his five-CD changer. "Stupid, stupid, fuck, fuck," was the mantra he repeated aloud to himself as he headed toward the Woodlands Mall to see if he could obtain a certain Beanie Baby named Peanuts for his almost-seven-year-old niece. As much as the Woodlands Mall was the exact last place Max wanted to be (Jake’s Joint, a bar, being the first), he simply had no choice. His niece’s birthday was the day after tomorrow and he had been unsuccessful locating the elusive plush toy on the Internet. Now he was forced to shop the old-fashioned way: in person.
Don, the Good Morning Show host and father of a fourteen-year-old girl, had told Max that the Toys R Us at the Woodlands Mall had a very extensive Beanie Baby selection. That,
he had said to Max, would be your best bet—and I’m saying this as the father of a girl who wouldn’t speak to me for a full week after I gave her Snort the Bull with that little red tag cut off.
After wishing Max good luck in his search, Don had warned "Oh, and whatever you do—don’t cut that stupid little tag off. It’s all about the tag."
WOODLANDS MALL, NEXT EXIT, read the sign. "To think, unemployed . . . me?" Max said to the windshield. As he crossed over into the far-right lane, he resisted the temptation to aim the steering wheel into the cement guardrail, causing his top-heavy Ford Explorer to careen over the embankment, explode into flames, and kill him instantly. Instead, he decelerated down the exit ramp and wondered, What if I’m reduced to doing traffic reports? On radio?
At four in the afternoon on a Wednesday, the Toys R Us was thankfully empty. Cold, electronic renditions of children’s songs played over the store’s speakers: The Itsy Bitsy Spider,
Old McDonald Had a Farm,
even, oddly, Kumbayah.
Every few minutes, the Muzak was replaced with a loud chorus of children singing the haunting Toys R Us advertising jingle, "I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys R Us Kid . . ." The store, as vast as a warehouse, was piled to the ceilings with urinating dolls, bikes, puzzles, Lego sets, action figures, colorful balls, teddy bears implanted with microchips that enabled them to shake hands, Just Like Mommy cell phones, board games, plastic machine guns, two-pound bags of M&Ms, and inflatable pool creatures. Max stalked the aisles, looking for the Beanie Babies, never more thankful for his homosexuality and the child-free life that went along with it.
At the rear of the store, Max saw a huge display of Beanie Babies. Hundreds, maybe thousands, maybe millions of Beanie Babies to chose from. And all Max had to go on was a name: Peanut. No description, nothing. To locate Peanut, Max would have to examine the name on every single little red tag.
Unless he asked the little girl who was standing at the Beanie Baby display along with her mother. Who better to ask than a child?
Excuse me,
Max said, approaching the little girl and her mother. The little girl spun around to look at the stranger talking to her. I bet you can help me. I’m looking for a particular Beanie Baby named—
The little girl’s scream could be heard throughout the store, possibly the state. It was the sound of raw terror, as if Max were a ragged, scotch-stained Barney holding a machete. "It’s him, Mommy, it’s him, it’s the pee-pee man from last night, make him go away, make him go away," she cried, clinging to her mother and burying her face in the fabric of her mother’s skirt.
It’s okay, sweetie, it’s okay,
the mother reassured. Then to Max, I’m terribly sorry, she’s not herself today—Madeline saw
—she whispered—"a man’s penis on the television last night and it really upset her."
Max stood dumbfounded, the shrillness of the little girl’s cry stabbing his eardrums.
The little girl continued to sob into her mother’s skirt. "It’s him, Mommy, it’s him. The mother examined Max more closely and a glint of recognition entered her eyes. She pointed at Max.
Oh my God, that really was you! You’re Max Andrews from Sellevision! That was your penis!"
A store detective appeared before the three of them. Is something the matter here?
he asked. I’m in charge of security.
The little girl turned to the uniformed authority figure, and asked in awe, Are you a policeman?
The detective looked kindly at the girl, No, honey. Well, sort of, I guess. I’m the police officer of the store, I suppose you could say.
The little girl pointed at Max, then burst into tears again. He’s a bad man, make him go away, I saw his thingie, he showed me his thingie.
The detective immediately turned to Max and glared.
The mother tried to calm her little girl by bending down and stroking her head, repeating, It’s okay, sweetie, there’s nothing to be afraid of, it’s okay.
The detective gripped Max’s elbow firmly. "You are in big trouble, mister."
Hi, and welcome to Sellevision. I’m your host, Peggy Jean Smythe, and you’re watching Gem Fest.
A small listening device, discreetly tucked into her left ear and hidden by her hair, allowed Peggy Jean’s producer to communicate to her from Control Room 2 on the other side of the building. On the floor in front of Peggy Jean were two large color monitors. One was a live-feed, displaying the exact scene that the rest of America was watching. The other monitor displayed the next scene, be it a long shot of the set, a close-up of the model who sat in a chair off to the side, Peggy Jean herself, or simply a prerecorded beauty shot
of the object she was presenting. At all times, there was a colored box on the left-hand side of the screen that contained the name of the item, the item number, and the price, along with the Sellevision telephone number. The color of the box varied and could be coordinated with the theme of the show. It could be yellow for the Good Morning Show, pink for a Hosiery Showcase, or blue for a Gem Fest. During the JFK Jr. Memorial Collection, the box was black. The Sellevision logo was always on the lower right-hand side of the screen, and never left.
At that moment, Peggy Jean was looking at the live-feed monitor, a medium shot of herself sitting behind a glossy, tan-and-black wooden table. Behind her was what appeared to be the evening skyline of an anonymous city. The windows of the buildings
were illuminated and there was even a small, round moon in the sky, along with a smattering of stars. Very urban and upscale. The naked Barbie doll a key-grip had placed in one of the windows went entirely unnoticed by the viewing public.
All the Sellevision sets were spectacular—beautifully designed and of the highest quality. The kitchen set was like a charming farmhouse kitchen, with a delightful view of trees that could be seen through the window above the sink. The trees looked extraordinarily real, especially in the winter when the branches were covered with artificial snow by prop stylists. There was a bedroom set complete with dormer windows and wainscoting. And the living-room set had a working stone fireplace as well as an overstuffed sofa, comfortable chairs, and accent tables—everything a tasteful, upper-middle-class living room might include, even a bookcase filled with color-coordinated antique books. Sellevision was far superior to the other home-shopping networks and Peggy Jean felt proud to be a part of it.
"If you love amethyst, or maybe your birthday is in February, amethyst being the February birthstone, or you just love the comfort of lever-back earrings and the color purple and you are a woman who appreciates a real stone presence, my first item just might be for you."
The producers in the control room cut to a prerecorded beauty shot of the trillion-cut amethyst lever-back earrings.
Then they cut back to Peggy Jean who was smiling and holding a wooden ruler, the earrings displayed on a black velvet stand before her. This is item number J-0415 and they are our trillion-cut amethyst lever-back earrings, priced at a very affordable forty-nine ninety-five. I just want to give you a measurement here,
Peggy Jean said while she continued to smile broadly, placing the ruler against one of the gemstone