There’s a book authored by Stephen King called The Operating Man He wrote the actual book in 1982, and in 1987 it was made into a rather excellent film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The first time I viewed that film, I thought it had been an exciting piece of science fiction. The thought of people being sought after down and eliminated/killed on national TV was unique and a bit much-fetched.
But that was after that, and this is now. And what had been an entertaining fantasy is almost a real possibility today.
The fantasy was The Running Man, followed by the reality show Much larger. I remember watching South Africa’s first-ever Big Brother display. It was a unique, albeit voyeuristic, concept. Nobody I knew might admit to watching this, but we knew that they are called all the housemates, and we might discuss the previous day’s tricks every morning at work. It had been a novel concept — watching the behavior of a crowd of 12 other people in a house. I remember the actual shower being turned on at 9. 00 am as well as 9 pm – and also the age restriction being elevated to 16 at those times; therefore, youngsters couldn’t watch the actual housemates showering!
There have been much more Big Brother Series in Newcastle, south africa, but the interest has not been as intense as it was with the former. I think the same is true for your other Big Brother series worldwide. At first, it’s a big issue rapidly, almost like spying on someone without their agreement! It’s like being an authorized voyeur.
Eventually, the originality wears off, and the initial fascination is dull. How long do you need to know before the average viewer receives tired of watching people having, drinking, and sleeping? Hence the producers have to do something to boost ratings/viewership/advertising. So now we have other cameras in the bedrooms along with the bathrooms. And the producers discipline the housemates by withholding food if they cannot build a task successfully. So they receive uptightly and pick quarrels with each other. That makes things intriguing, for a few weeks at least.
The government was the start of the dreadful occurrence that is Reality Television. Idols, Survival, Meet My Persons, I’m A Celebrity… take your decision. Almost all of these shows are generally notable for the one annoying thread that winds its way through each one rapid ridicule. In Idols, those who believe they have singing expertise are humiliated by giving out their opinion to someone else, rude judges. Viewers can view the hopeful contestants broken into tears of frustration or humiliation at Claire Cowell’s caustic comments. Their dreams are shattered in the
most unpleasant way, and several viewers sadistically watch every show, enjoying the view of lifelong hopes and dreams becoming shattered in an unsightly way. In Meet This folk, prospective dates for the couple’s child are encountered with intrusive, personal questions; from the one episode I enjoyed, a girl forced to face upwards an ex-boyfriend she’d trashed under terrible circumstances a couple of years prior to the show! Is there any individual out there who hasn’t possessed a horrible breakup with an individual in years gone by? I’m A star takes many washed upwards “stars” and forces these to eat bugs and other unmentionable things in a marketplace. The audience ballots off the most useless superstar… well I guess these people request it! They are a part of the show hoping to restore their flagging careers.
We admit – I’ve viewed some episodes of these displays. But these are nothing compared to Greatest Makeover.
Viewers can now view a person – a woman or even a man, but usually the previous – having Plastic Surgery and expert advice on how to make the majority of him/herself. I’ve watched 1 or 2 episodes of Ultimate Transformation and non-e of The Swan. It saddens me that some of these girls think the only method they can be great, successful females is if they change their faces and their body shape.
Chances are they go through what looks like total hell. A facelift… We almost passed out viewing the surgeon using a metallic rod to free the actual flesh and skin coming from a woman’s forehead so you can LIFT the skin along with stitching it into your ex-hairline. The probe transpired as far as her eyebrow, their outline visible as the skin area was freed from the calcaneus. All in the name of beauty.
Liposuction… shoving a thick water line in and out of her abdomen as her “fat” (combined with rather copious degrees of blood) is sucked along a tube into a beaker.
Breast enhancement… shoving some silicon bag underneath a person’s breast with the force of any Mike Tyson punch???
Would we likely have watched these processes on television 17 yrs ago? The answer is no. It was looked at invasive and intrusive. Just Dallas was considered lecherous!
I’m not condemning those that chose to undergo surgical procedures. Breakthrough discovery Channel shows documentaries about people who desperately need plastic surgery. My spouse and I recall one show featuring its policeman whose face ended up being burned off when her auto caught fire following a crash while on duty. Another event told of a woman who also lost her entire attention socket to cancer. The lady wept after the plastic surgeon substituted the missing bone. Thus, she could wear a tremendous artificial eye. But will reality TV take the world’s passion for beauty and junior a little too far? Or can it be the media again: taking our tolerance ranges to the max? After all, viewers’ figures and show ratings suggest more excellent advertising and hefty income! Perhaps they want to see how significantly we can take before it can be tedious and we start tossing channels. Are they preying on insecure, desperate people hoping that ratings may jump?
It started in residence. We observed people just like laboratory rats, watching these questions controlled environment. We placed the key to whether they slept or whether they left. That evolved into a talent demonstration, where again, we had the strength to vote for the success and vote out the pendant.
Today we can sit using an insecure young woman even though she has her appearance converted to meet what she states is society’s criteria. Most of us watch every pain-filled up moment – whether the woman weeps with physical problems from her nose employment or cries because the woman realizes she will never search the same again. We endure her but don’t have to manage the reality she’s experiencing. Frequently one of the “victim’s” friends or maybe a family member has often contacted the program because he/she thinks this person needs plastic surgery. Often the person’s partner has reached the show! Yes, I recognize that often the “victim” very little wants the makeover; even so, the thought that someone who really should care about this person means he or she is putting a spouse’s name forward is miserable. To me, anyway… what transpired to loving someone to get him or herself, even with a few extra pounds or some lines?
So where does reality TV head out from here? And how close are we usually to shows just like the Running Man?
I think with almost there.
The article writer was born in Africa and lived there for the 1st 38 years of her existence. She worked in the world of pr for over five years, jogging her own PR company and also dealing extensively with the associated with journalism and the print mass media. She is the author of a site for Writers. The woman’s blog can be visited.
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