Ecch-Rated Videos

I was going to say ". . . performing arias from 'La Boheme.'0"

Oh. Okay. But I'm watching very carefully.

So, as these young ladies are singing arias with great enthusiasm, and people who are viewing the video are trying really, really hard not to vomit while enjoying these all-consuming artistic performances STOP

Trying really, really hard not to ralph, when, ironically STOP

When the women reissue the aria as STOP

Nazlost, izgleda da ove dve zene . . .

What the hell is that?

Serbo-Croatian.

No.

The important thing about this phenomenon is that, acting entirely on their own, thousands of Americans have figured out a way to share the outrageousness of this video without inflicting its grotesque imagery on others. It is a sort of common courtesy that ought to be more widely practiced in our society, particularly during election season. Wouldn't it be great if, instead of having had to watch Rudy Giuliani accept Pat Robertson's presidential endorsement, we could instead have watched home videos of other people watching it and then racing for the porcelain?

Sporting events, too. Instead of televised golf, you could just find the same tournament on YouTube, presented as a video of people gathered around their TV, asleep. Or instead of having to watch Anderson Cooper, CNN's overemotional talking head, you could just watch videos of people watching Anderson Cooper and playing air violin. And don't get me started on some of those reality shows, which really stink.

Actually, that brings us right back to STOP.

Gene Weingarten can be reached at weingarten@washpost.com.

Chat with him online Tuesdays at noon.