The power of TV is greater than we think






 After over-dosing on chocolate and rolling myself down the hill as well as my eggs, I have added part two to Paella and Bovrils Easter Bonanza!

A few weeks ago FC Barcelona was dead and buried, there was no way back for Messi and co. Well this has happened before and a TV show swears that it is the reason why!

Read this wee plate full of Paella and Bovril to find out more!

Enjoy!
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Paella and Bovril

Spanish TV can only be described as abysmal. There is a supply of American-produced crime investigation shows and the occasional British contribution to the schedule, but the homemade stuff is just unwatchable. Catalan television has done a little better, one of the shows even has "the power" to influence the Champions League!

The quickest and best way to get about Barcelona is on a bike. Cycling round during the day is rather pleasant at this time of year and the view from the bike is not too bad either.  Cristiano Ronahldo washing a car,   José Mourinho having a cup of coffee from a polystyrene cup are but a few of the sights I see on my morning rides thru my wee part of Barcelona. So, what are Real Madrid legends doing in the east end of Barcelona on a Monday?  Filming for their weekly television appearance on Catalonia's national TV channel. Crackovia is Monday night's comical look at the footballing stories from that weekend.

I would describe the style of Crackovia as a large bit like " Only An Excuse " with a dash of "Spitting Image" style and humour added for good measure. The cast of a few don make-up, wigs and football strip to become the almost perfect double of their sportsman but with an over exaggerated personality and larger than life character. Most episodes there is a musical number with the likes of "Messi" and "David Villa" singing there way thru a comical take on football. A few weeks ago, the episode before FC Barcelona had to clamber back from 2 nil deficit against Milan in the Champions League, Crackovia's crack team of writers decided to motivate the fans, "Barcelonistes", and the team with a wee tune. This had worked twice in the past, on the Monday a song from the cast, by the end of the game a spectacular comeback from Barcelona. This time round Carlos Puyol and Gerard Piqué were to give us their take on The Black Eyed Peas track "Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night" with the catchy "Li fotrem quarte gols al Milan" ( we promise you we will bang 4 goals past Milan), if you get a chance look for it on the internet! This comeback song had to be huge. The press and fans for weeks had been saying that with their current form Barcelona were dead and buried and this could be the end of an era for el millor equip del mon. However the best team in the world did come back and in spectacular fashion, scoring the 4 goals predicted by Crackovia.

This was all the writers needed to proclaim that they had the power to see into the future and the following weeks show was of course going to have to mention this fact. The cast again took on the personas of Puyol and Piqué and with crystal ball to hand sang their predictions to the awaiting queue of people. All is well until they realize that they do not have the power and it is just coincidence and the only thing left to do is have another look at last weeks musical spectacular, and it was spectular enough to get me dancing round my living room and a retweet of this fact from one of the producers. Maybe the reason I like this show is it is about football or maybe because it makes football that little bit more entertaining.


Watch the video here on YouTube.  



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