Watching TV can be a low-pressure way for a family to spend time together, and post-show chats about TV characters' choices can be a great (and not-so-forced) way to express your values when it comes to touchy issues.
Egyptians have had a field day with the shoe-thrower story. According to one joke, the U.S. accused Syria of being behind the shoe attack, citing phone taps that intercepted the word "shoo" (Arabic for "what").