The Odd(est) Couple?

While wasting away my paycheck, I mean flipping through the channels, the other night I happened upon everyone’s favorite channel, TVG.  For those of you without gambling problems, TVG stands for Television Games, and shows horse racing from tracks all over the country (although not Churchill Downs and Pimlico–those bastards).  One can set up an account and wager on said tracks.  It is truly capitalism at its finest.

After rooting home the 8 horse in the sixth race at Evangeline Downs (I swear, I don’t even know where this track is located), it was time for TVG to pay the bills.  There was a commercial for another online wagering site, which was confusing to say the least.  Then, things got… awkward?  weird?  ironic?

Now, being a good Southern boy, I have been to church a few times.  Occasionally, I would even sing along with a song or two.  But, why would I be recognizing a worship song on the channel that feeds America’s gambling?  Sure enough, TimeLife was advertising its “Shout to the Lord!” volume.  I think it’s something like 34 CDs for eight bucks or something, which is, obviously, a great deal.  I still couldn’t wrap my head about this relationship.  Who approached whom?  Does TVG go to TimeLife and say, “Hey, we’ve got this cool channel, lots of people watch, um, they, might, um, be interested in your CD…”  Or are the bigwigs at TimeLife thinking about new markets, and thought to themselves, “You know, we really haven’t tried to get the sitting-at-home-on-a-Wednesday-afternoon-gambling-on-the-fourth-at-Belmont-guy?” 

Obviously, TVG isn’t going to turn down an advertising partner.  But, I’d love to see the numbers from TimeLife, and numbers of CDs bought from the TVG audience.  Anyways, I guess TVG and TimeLife’s Songs4Worship CD, a match made in… well, Heaven.