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MazY
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30-05-2007, 10:15 AM

Big Brother's New Low

It was Mark Twain who once said "All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.". It seems that few people in this world are more aware of this recipe for success than Endemol, the creators of the Big Brother series.

It should be no secret to anyone close to me that I absolutely and categorically detest the Big Brother programme and the way that it swallows up entire channels and news programmes for weeks at a time. It never ceases to amaze me that serious news programmes lower themselves to report on the events of what is happening "in the Big Brother house". Oh, grow up!

The simple fact is, I believe, that if Big Brother didn't court controversy then people would realise just how dull a format it really is. I'll stake all that I own that this series will have something controversial about it. It has to have in order to retain ratings.

For me, Big Brother symbolises and reflects everything that is wrong with today's television and indeed today's society. It is, it seems to me, designed for those people who have no talent other than that for sitting on their backside and existing. It's for those people who crave fame and success, but have no idea how to get it through any legitimate or mature means. Such is the immaturity of their craving, they are willing to show the world just how pointless, ignorant, and selfish they really are. In fact, they want you to applaud them for it, and you do. In fact, you even pay for the pleasure of doing so.

New Depths of Despair

However, as much as I detest Big Brother, Endemol has managed to sink to a new all time low with their new "game" called "Donor Show".

If you are human, or over the age of five, you may want to stop reading now. The concept of the game being that there will be three people, each requiring a new kidney to combat their illness. The dying "donor" will choose the one person who is worthy of living, based on chats with the family and friends of each 'contestant'. Of course, the brain-dead viewers will be able to play their part in being the hand of God, by sending in "advice" via text message. How cheap must human life have become for it to be worthy of advice via a text message?

I'm not easily shocked at all, and I detest the "ban it" mentality, but when I read this news article, I was bloody angry. I was angry at Endemol for having such scant regard for human life. I was angry at the laws that allow programmers such freedom, and I was angry that we live in a society that has fallen so deep into its own festering bowels that this could be considered as entertainment by anyone worthy of drawing breath.

I would like to believe that the British would never allow such inhumane television to infest our screens, but then I never thought I would see the day that people would willingly sit and watch other people sleep or move about a house. I did hear a surgeon here saying that it couldn't work here because of the various factors used to determine who is best suited to receive a kidney, based on sound medical grounds. What has especially infuriated me is Endemol publicly stating that they have devised the programme in order to highlight the shortage of donors. That, apparently, should make it all seem more tasteful. How low will these people really go, I wonder?

You can read more about this outrage on the BBC website.

I have now vowed to myself that the day the UK lowers itself to this standard is the day that I will cease to watch television for good. I simply could not sit back and do nothing. It would also be a clear statement to me that television has little left to offer me as an adult.
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Fudgeley
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30-05-2007, 10:20 AM
I read about this last night and could not quite believe what i was reading.....I saw something similar last year in the states I seem to remember.....the depths of t.v. it should not be allowed.
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Mahooli
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30-05-2007, 11:03 AM
Yes I was shocked about hearing this too. Surely the kidney should go to the person who best matches not the one the donor thinks is OK? I must admit I don't watch much telly these days.
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thandi
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30-05-2007, 11:23 AM
I think you will find it is a spoof - the channel in question is apparently renowned for them, and their 'shock tactic' advertising.

the good thing to come out of it of course, is that people will be talking about it, which opens up the stage to charities to educate those who may otherwise have remained unaware.
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MazY
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30-05-2007, 11:31 AM
At thandi: I'm happy to accept that I might me a little gullible. But to then believe that every news agency around the world is equally gullible, despite an alleged reputation for spoofing, truly beggars belief.

I shall ask my working colleague shortly, who lives in The Netherlands.

To be honest, I can't even imagine what it could be "advertising" that could warrant such crassness.
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Losos
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30-05-2007, 11:33 AM
Thank goodness, another person with my exact same views on Big Brother, I am proud and honoured to say I have NEVER watched the programme and I get angry when so called 'news' channels put out a story about it.
But what really amazes me is the type of people who do watch it. When I worked in Canary Wharf, London I would often hear people (Some who I knew to have junior management jobs) actually discussing the show. Once, one of them asked me if I had seen it and I just couldn't resist a withering verbal 'put down' that I hope she'll remeber for the rest of her life
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dori-katie
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30-05-2007, 11:35 AM
This is mad, what on earth has the world come to when they think this is a good idea.
I dislike BB as well never watch it they are just to stupid for me.
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thandi
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30-05-2007, 11:35 AM
The channel in question is reknowned for running shock tactic advertising campaigns (this according the discussion on the beeb this morning), I was not suggesting that the actual programme was advertising anything. hope this clarifies.
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MazY
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30-05-2007, 11:35 AM
m'Colleage assures me that it's no hoax and that it is in fact causing a huge 'ruckus', even at Government level, who want the screening banned.
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Losos
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30-05-2007, 11:46 AM
Don't get me started on advertising tactics, a) it is banned = Endemol get huge free publicity
b) it is not banned = Endamol get huge free publicity
Pretty much like the campaign by that Italian clothes company.
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