“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”
Thursday 10am, NBC
I still love the Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s my official kickoff to the holiday season, and I still have vivid childhood memories of being transfixed by it when I should have been getting the house cleaned for the impending Turkey Day festivities (and equally vivid memories of dad barking at me to get my ass off the couch). Interestingly, none of my nieces and nephews give a deuce about the parade, and I’m curious as to why it’s viewed by the current generation as an old-fashioned relic. Who cares about giant balloons and floats anymore? Me, I guess, although I do find it interesting that almost all of the big balloons in this year’s parade, including the new Sonic the Hedgehog, are essentially advertising mascots. Was that always the case and I was just too dense to get it?
“The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story”
Friday 8:30pm, CBS
You can’t beat classics like “Rudolph” and “The Grinch,” but for the past few years a new wave of original holiday specials have been popping up in the hopes that they’ll become traditions in their own right. This new special is based on a Christmas book that became a self-published blockbuster. A mother-daughter team co-authored the book—about hidden scout elves that watch the activities of little boys and girls from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, and report back to Santa each night—back in 2005. After all the major publishing houses passed on it, they decided to print 300 copies on their own. Less than 10 years later it has become a Barnes & Noble bestseller and sold more than 1.5 million copies.
“Being Chaz”
Sunday 8pm, OWN
Chaz Bono, the transgendered son of Sonny Bono and Cher, inadvertently sparked major controversy when he was announced as a cast member of the current 13th season of “Dancing with the Stars.” Some were outraged that an openly transgendered person would appear on a “family show,” but that take on things was met with strong support for Chaz from the LGBT community and his very vocal mom. Chaz ended up in seventh place, and more importantly became one of the most visible examples of a trans person in mainstream pop culture. This new special is a follow-up to the Emmy-nominated “Becoming Chaz,” which aired earlier this year. It chronicles Chaz’s preparations for “Dancing,” as well as him coping with his transition from female to male.