Comments on: Worst Reality Show EVER

By: James Pollock

James Pollock — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:41:46 +0000

The Springer show is apparently entering its 20th season…

By: David A. Rooney

David A. Rooney — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:14:37 +0000

Geezer Alert - I remember watching an show called “The Gong Show” which actually looked for truly atrocious acts to make fun of. Ain’t nothin’ new on TV for decades.

By: Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:56:12 +0000

Thanks for the tip about the book, Winter Wallaby. I added it to my wish list in Amazon. I’ve been thinking for a few months now about reading up on the My Lai massacre. I am as fascinated by the the people who commit the atrocities as I am by the people who risk their lives to stop them.

By: James Pollock

James Pollock — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:01:59 +0000

It turns out there’s a scandal in the British talent shows, where the “good” performers were made to sound better and the “bad” performers were made to sound worse by the producers.

Videos of other menfolk getting hit in the genital region is funny because it hurts. Blame Mel Brooks (”Tragedy is when I stub my toe, Comedy is when you fall down an open manhole.”) You have to wonder how many faked tapes they got, where guys TOLD little Junior to let them have it for a shot at winning the cash prize… I saw at least once where they ran a “best faked videos” segment, and they were pretty obvious.

Then again, just about ANY Japanese game show is more brutal… etched in my brain is the one where two guys stick their heads in a basket… and they pour in a bucket of scorpions.

By: CIDU Bill

CIDU Bill — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:49:48 +0000

It must be, Molly, based on how many years “America’s Funniest Home Videos” was defined by home movies of children falling off swings and men getting hit in the crotch.

By: Molly J

Molly J — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:25:59 +0000

Gilgamesh — This is why I can’t watch American Idol and the like. The initial rounds are like a scene from Carrie. Some poor soul thinks (s)he can sing, thinks they have made it through all the rounds of auditions and are now about to get that big break on national TV, thinks fame and fortune found following a dream is just around the corner.

What they get is an audience booing and Simon Cowell sardonically removing their heart on national television, in front of everyone they know and don’t know. They get the slow realization that they have been set up. Big time.

And this is entertainment?

By: paperboy

paperboy — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:52:10 +0000

David#2, don’t you mean a sponsor would be “Fruit of the Loons”?
Morris Keesan#15- “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” - Lindsay Lohan
Dr.Shrinker#6- I’m sticking my neck out here about that “Stanford Experiment”, ’cause I’m only going by an interview on Fresh Air by what I GUESS was the leader of the experiment, who, when asked about specifics of the awful behavior of the “guards” listed “arbitrary changes of schedules” and “forced naked leap-frog”, where (gasp!) the “naked genitals of the leapers brushed against the other’s foreheads”. He also said the turning point came when his fiance observed what was going on and proclaimed it really awful. (”Oh yes,dear; you are right; this IS awful, I’m shutting it down right now, yes, dear…”) Perhaps this Zimbardo guy ended up, after spending the grant money, with a bunch of fraternity hi-jinks and had to account for the spending. Yes, I’ve yet to seek out REAL documentation on that notorious incident, but it seems it may not be the final take on human’s easy slip into brutality.

By: Kilby

Kilby — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:36:11 +0000

@ 15 - Bad publicity is nevertheless publicity, and as such is still valuable, at least to some extent.

By: Morris Keesan

Morris Keesan — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:00:46 +0000

I’m constantly amazed that people (celebrities and others) will allow the producers to air the videos of them being humiliated, on programs like this one.

By: Winter Wallaby

Winter Wallaby — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:16:51 +0000

Gilgamesh, thanks for the book recommendation. If you’re particularly interested in the Milgram experiment, he’s written a book, “Obedience to Authority” that’s quite a good read. He describes lots of experimental variations, and has many fascinating interviews with the experimental subjects. It was written a while ago, so no discussion of Abu Ghraib - he had to use the My Lai massacre instead.