Wtf?

[Svenskaflicka]

Bachelor, Bachelorette, Joe Millionaire, Lifestyles of the rich and famous, Bachelorette - the marriage, For love or money...

What the EFF is going on here?

Get me the Guerrilla Girls!

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Bachelor, Bachelorette, Joe Millionaire, Lifestyles of the rich and famous, Bachelorette - the marriage, For love or money...

What the EFF is going on here?

Get me the Guerrilla Girls!

Witness the decline and fall of western civilization.

-Colly

 

[shereads]

The movie "Network" predicted the popularity of reality televsion. Everyone agreed it was a brilliant satire, but none of us dreamed it would come true.

I confess. I watched 'Big Brother' religiouisly the second season. Invited to watch with a friend, I found myself hooked. Like turning over a rock and seeing the squirmy things that live under there - except that the squirmy things are a mirror of us at our worst.

We'd call each other on Wednesday nights when Big Brother was on, and stay on the phone the entire time, making comments like, "What kind of idiot watches this crap?"



When we finally admitted our addiction, we joined a 12-step program and got over it. Wednesday nights haven't been nearly as much fun since then. I'm back to watching The West Wing, which makes me sad becasue it portrays a White House where everyone is an idealist and where the President, under investigation for a coverup of some kind, says to his personal aide, "If you ever lie to protect me, you and I are finished."

ha.

The benefit of reality shows to the producers is that they cost almost nothing, and they're almost labor-proof. Threaten a writers' strike if you want; "Average Joe" only needs a shrewd casting agent, an editor, and a cheap set.

The problem with the shows is that they're running out of ways to shock us. I propose a program called "You're Having My Baby," where a woman moves in with a dozen men and the first one to impregnate her wins the right to marry her and be a father to their child - or take a million dollars and sign away all rights to the child. The incentive for the woman is a multi-year contract for a new reality series, following the life of the first child ever fathered as part of a nationally televised competiton.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I think we're being brainwashed.

I just can't make up my mind about their goal, though. Are they trying to get us to strive to get married, to have an expensive wedding, marry millionaires, act like morons in order to make a lot of money, strive to get accepted into the "Fine World"...

...or are they just trying to make us stupid, so that we will care more about the intrigues of Big Brother than the intrigues of the politic world?

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I have to wonder just who's reality thses shows are talking about. I haven't seen a rude NY driver, incompetant beuracrat, offensive taxi driver or idiotic cashier on any of them. They sure don't resemble my reality.

-Colly

 

[MaxSebastian]

And we, the British, are inventing half of them! Hurray!

We may have lost our Empire, but we've still got so much to give!

And the next one is... 'Shattered', in which a bunch of people are subjected to some of the most boring activities imaginable (no, not the viewers, the contestants) and if any of them shuts their eyes for more than ten seconds, £1,000 comes off the total prize fund.

They go bonkers from sleep deprivation and turn into some of the most eloquent people on TV!

Meanwhile, they are evicted every now and then when they fail certain tasks. The last one in gets the cash.

Oh, you'll get it next, you'll see.

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Don't worry - be happy

Ladies, ladies please don't worry.

The addiction to these hours of tripe will wear off, honestly. I missed BB1 in UK due to being overseas at the time, but heard about it and wondered what all the hype was about.

I was back in UK for BB2 and got hooked, although I only really watched the highlights programme, BB's little brother.

When BB3 arrived, the originality of it had worn off, and it got boring pretty quick. We're due BB4 here soon and frankly I think most of the nation couldn't give a toss. in fact there's more fun to be had watching the presenters than even the highlights. Mind you, Davina's to die for in more ways than one and Dermots really funny. (Not fake funny with canned laughter like you get in the states!)

The next thing apparently will be watching people rubber necking in a sleep deprivation based version. Sounds to me like most of the audience will be rubber necking within minutes!

 

[MathGirl]

Re: Don't worry - be happy

I missed BB1 in UK due to being overseas at the time, like most of the audience will be rubber necking within minutes!

Dear L,
You certainly seem to have an odd idea as to what "overseas" means.
MG

 

[Guest]

 

[lewdandlicentious]

??????????????

You certainly seem to have an odd idea as to what "overseas" means

Strange that, I was talking about BB1 in England, and I was in Germany at the time.

Sorry, but I know Europe's a place a long way away from you, but Germany, as opposed to England still counts as overseas!

 

[Black Tulip]

Jeez, am I glad you guys don't know where BB was invented.

It gets boring very quickly and the people who were in it have for a large part a ruined private life to deal with. I know, one of the contestants in the first BB in the Netherlands was my son's teacher.

The object of these shows in my opinion: a modern version of bread and games to the people. (is that the saying in English?)

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I confess to watch ONE of these things. It started tonight, and I'm definitely going to see the rest of it. "Joe Millionaire".

One construction worker (oh, the contrasts...) makes 20 women believe that he has just inherited a castle in France, AND $50.000.000.

They show the hook... sorry, I mean, the ladies, talking about what they think about being in a TV-programme to try and catch a millionaire to marry.

Some of the girls apparently don't know what to do with this information, they are saying things like "I've never dated a rich guy before... this will be different" or "I've always made more money than my boyfriends... this will be a nice change".

Others are more open about their profess... I mean, preferences. "I want a guy who's ambitious and makes a lot of money." "I want a rich guy."

None, so far, has said "it feels weird that he has so much money... I hope that won't be an issue... I hope he's not become snobby from being rich".

The two most grabby girls have shown their sweet personalities by statements like "I've always felt that I'm a princess, so I feel right at home in this castle", "I'm too pretty to wear this *BEEP* purple dress!", and by, during the pick-your-dress-for-the-ball ritual, grabbing two dresses at once, to make sure that she gets the prettiest. "Hey, you only need one. Can I try the other one on?" "No, not until I've decided which one I want to wear!" "I'm very competitive, giggle, giggle..."


I'm now looking forward to see a) the grabby girls' faces when they found out that the guy really is a construction worker with a yearly income of $19.000, b) the semi-grabby girls' faces when they find out the truth after swearing in front of the camera that "the money doesn't matter, it's HIM I love!", and c) the scene where the few girls who really liked the guy and not the money, find out that he's lied to them, and beat his sorry ass!

 

[Linbido]

Bachelor, Bachelorette, Joe Millionaire, Lifestyles of the rich and famous, Bachelorette - the marriage, For love or money...

What the EFF is going on here?

Get me the Guerrilla Girls!

Blame Sweden.

I've been told that it was at SVT (Swedish public service TV) that the first Survivor show was created, named Expedition Robinson, featuring weird people marooned on an island. That concept was then sold to a number of countries and networks, including CBS, and that it was the immense popularity of that that triggered all the other madness.

So there.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I am NOT a Swede, I am NOT a Swede...

*hides under blanket*

 

[Svenskaflicka]

OK, so I've just peeked at a site that told me how Joe Millionaire will end. He proposes (and tells the truth), she accepts, but later on, they split up. Hey, gotta keep a straight face for the camera, huh?

And the second time they ran it, the girl dumped the guy when she found out the truth.

It's sad to see how men and women act like gold-diggers.

I guess they deserve each other.

I just can't understand how anyone could want to be in a competition with 19 other women over a guy - a popularity contest - and let people all over the world watch it on TV!

 

[Guest]

I just thanked god I don't know what any of you are talking about.

Perdita

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Which is why you're so clever!



PROTECT YOUR BRAIN - DON'T LET JUST ANY CRAP GET INTO IT! AVOID DOCUMENTARY SOAPS!

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Lucky

Perdita,

Believe me when I tell you you're a very lucky woman!

Hi by the way, I'm Lewd and Licentious!

And....

 

[destinie21]

Re: Re: Wtf?

Blame Sweden.

I've been told that it was at SVT (Swedish public service TV) that the first Survivor show was created, named Expedition Robinson, featuring weird people marooned on an island. That concept was then sold to a number of countries and networks, including CBS, and that it was the immense popularity of that that triggered all the other madness.

So there.

My only question is this: Were the original participants told it would be a three hour tour?

 

[Guest]

Hola, Lewd. Thanks for the introduction. I love lewdness, but it has to be real and not rude.

regards, Perdita

p.s. I am one of maybe three people in the states who did not watch one minute of the O.J. trial either.

Edited to change lewdity to lewdness; I was at work.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I just thanked god I don't know what any of you are talking about.

Perdita

Score one for sanity and good taste

 

[lewdandlicentious]

OK

That's OK, we didn't see much of it either!!!

 

[Icingsugar]

Re: Re: Re: Wtf?

My only question is this: Were the original participants told it would be a three hour tour?

No, but there's a novel idea.

What I'd like to see is an Agatha Christie-esque kind of thing. Ten people locked up in a house. Last one alive wins. I mean, come on. Marriage? Millions? Raise the bets a bit, folks! Let the next Big Brother winner govern Iraq.

 

[Guest]

 

[Dirt Man]

Svenskaflicka

The easiest way to deal with this sort of thing is to get off of the couch, chair, or whatever you are sitting on at the moment, and either change the channel, or turn the TV off entirely, and go do something else. If all else fails, unplug the offending devise.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

PS: To be truthful we knew about this show months ago when it was aired here to show what lengths women will go to acquire a man of wealth. Of course they didn't dare use any American women as that would have alienated half of the possible audience here, or those who would have done it themselves just to be on TV. You see the truth is that when people are in front of a TV camera they believe themselves to be actors instead of who they really are, and act accordingly.