(no subject)

[rain_gryphon]

So, today I was standing in line at the store, looking over the TV magazines while I waited to check out. One of them had a big ad on the back cover advertising what they called "TV's Zaniest Prank Ever!" The premise is apparently that it's a 'big brother' type show, except that all the contestants save two are confederates of the producers. They try to set the two unwitting players at one another's throats. They described this in terms that made it plain that the viewer was intended to consider this hilarious.

This frightens me. Does the average TV watcher feel themself to be such a victim of circumstance that they take delight in watching someone else tormented and manipulated in such a cruel fashion? It's like accounts of medieval bear-baiting. It's not so much the meanness that bothers me, as what it says about the way the TV audience perceives their world.

I have this picture in mind of people who feel that society is basically some malicious conspiracy, and take comfort in imagining that they're seeing things from the 'other side' when they watch something like this.

Also, I find the phrase 'zaniest prank' vaguely offensive, although I'm not sure why. These are words that you never hear in real life, although they seem to get a certain amount of use on television, primarily to describe stuff that's stupid and unfunny.

*****

On the corner by the mini-mall, a knife and sword dealer has set up shop out of a trailer in the parking lot. I have to suppose that there are enough people who go driving down the road and just on impulse stop to buy a sword to keep him in business. Weird.

Comments

[maxgoof.livejournal.com]

This kind of reminds me of the situation in Total Recall regarding whether it was a memory vacation, or really happening.

It could not have been a memory vacation, since it pitted his wife against him. No company could get away with that, since he would never again be able to trust his wife.

It could not have been real, since it ended with a blue sky on Mars, and, as you remember, the technician remarked, in choosing the memory, "Oooh! Blue sky on Mars!" This indicated that at least that part was induced.

So, which was it? In reality, I think it was the one that they hinted at: He went off his rocker.

But getting back to the point, they want to make these two people enemies....AS A JOKE?

Someone needs to have their nose broken as a joke.

[patch-bunny.livejournal.com]

ON the subject of frightening TV shows, have you heard of OJ Simpson's plan to create a reality progeram called "Juiced (http://www.ncbuy.com/news/2004-06-08/1009799.html)"? Pranks get played on unwitting passersby, and he jumps out and says, "You've been juiced!"

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Here in Ohio you're now allowed to carry a concealed pistol. OJ jumping out of the bushes to startle passersby could actually make for an entertaining show. :D