The United Nations marks 21 November every year as World Television Day, although the UN doesn't designate this day as the one where we celebrate the funny moments.
In 1996, World Television Day was proclaimed to be celebrated "in recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues"
World Television Day according to the UN is "not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather the philosophy which it represents. Television represents a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world."
Television, which is named after the Latin and Greek words meaning "far sight", has been arguably one of the most influential technological marvels ever devised.
Ever since the 1950s, when the medium first gained popularity, it has been the main source of public opinion and now an incredible 78% of the world's households have at least one television set.
Yet, throughout its illustrious history the 'idiot box' has been the subject of much criticism from people around the world.
To mark the World Television Day 2014, here are 10 poets, musicians, film makers, writers or the likes who have left funny lines to be remembered about the tube:
"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace." – John Lennon, English Singer
"Seeing a murder on television...can help work off one's antagonisms. And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some." – Alfred Hitchcock, English film maker,
"Television is a medium of entertainment which permits millions of people to listen to the same joke at the same time, and yet remain lonesome." – T.S. Eliot, Poet
"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into another room and read a book." – Groucho Marx, American comedian
"If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead." – Erma Bombeck, American humorist
"If we were to do the Second Coming of Christ in colour for a full hour, there would be a considerable number of stations which would decline to carry it on the grounds that a Western or a quiz show would be more profitable."
– Edward R. Murrow, American broadcaster
"Television: chewing gun for the eyes." – Frank Lloyd Wright, American writer
"Most people gaze neither into the past nor the future; they explore neither truth nor lies. They gaze at the television." – Radiohead, English Rock Band
"Peole are sheep. TV is the shepherd." – Jess C. Scott, Literary Heroin (Gluttony): A Twilight Parody
"I'm the idiot box. I'm the TV. I'm the all-seeing eye and the world of the cathode ray. I'm the boob tube. I'm the little shrine the family gathers to adore" – Neil Gaiman, American Gods
