Prompt 34: Guest Staring, Richard!

I sat down with fellow college student and resident television expert Richard Sandoval in his family room where, through the vast majority of his life, he has compiled the expert mark of ten-thousand hours, watching television. "You know, I didn't really think I've spent that long watching television," He says, considering taking his eyes off the screen, "but I guess it all adds up." Indeed. Richard isn't a stumpy couch potato that most would accuse an expert of watching television of being. Instead, he is a lean young man with a metabolism that works overtime, all the time. "Probably what I've watched the most is stuff like Dragon Ball Z, or just playing video games."

Richard's questionable lifetime achievement is not without purpose, however. "It's probably a good thing I'm going to school to be in the movie making business. I consider my television watching," he says with an air of professionalism, "a lifetime of study to my art." I questioned his parents about his achievement; I was met with a swat on my head with a newspaper and an incoherent rambling with something to do about Republicans. I came to the conclusion that they were absolutely thrilled with the life he has chosen.

I asked how he came to be so proficient at his delicate art. "I'd say half the time is watching the channel because I've lost the remote. The other half was probably waiting for Goku to turn Supersayan." Most people would be afraid at the prospect of spending well over a year perfecting one task, time being the most precious commodity and all. They would argue that lives must be lived and laughter be shared. Richard agrees with his critics, though with an M. Night Shyamalan (Pre-Village) twist. "I lived my life in between episodes of Phineas and Ferb. Actually, life is something that just gets in the way. Kinda like someone who's obsessed with World of Warcraft." World of Warcraft is a MMORPG, massively multiplayer online role-playing game, that has spawned a cultural phenomenon in the last decade. Though, Richard wouldn't want to be associated with that group. "No, man. They're fat virgins who think it's cool to live in a digital world." I remind Richard that his vision of World of Warcraft players are the mold that other people see him in. "Yeah, but.. but," A delayed thought, and his head turns slightly upwards to the left, "Damn."

The discernible difference between Richard and the couch potato's of the world - or just the Western World, really - is that Richard believes he can harness his knowledge and use it to entertain the masses. "So that they too, may one day be an expert t.v. watcher like me!"