gecota:“I completely avoid the show.”
K: I am proud to say I have never seen this or
survivor. I might even put this on my tombstone.
“Never saw a crappy reality show”.
Kropotkin
Sadly I have, but not very much.
I gotta quick rant I wanted to share regarding a TV show, and because I think TV is shit in general, I don’t feel bad for posting it here even though it has nothing to do with the subject of this thread. As far as I’m concerned, it would be better just to start a thread called “Why TV is crap” rather than several threads about different TV events…all of which are crap anyway.
So there is this show (I don’t know what its called) but it is about this father-and-sons family who build custom Harley Davidson motocycles in this garage, which is the location of all the filming. These guys are the silliest things you have ever seen- gigantic muscle bound meat-heads (they got these huge bodies and these tiny little heads) who are constantly arguing. At this point I’m not quite sure what the show is supposed to be about. I guess its a motocycle enthusiast show for rednecks all over the world who have identity problems and want to cover themselves in tatoos, leather, and heavy-metal t-shirts. I dunno. Of course the show is informative about the mechanical aspects of building motocycles…but that just isn’t enough to make it popular. So, the show becomes somewhat of a male soap-opera to make up for the lack of substance.
While they are building these bikes, there is always some kind of drama going on- the father is angry at the son for not bending the exhaust pipes at a certain time, or one of the sons is competing with the other to impress the father, or the father fucks something up and the sons rub it in, etc., etc. Then the show spends fifteen minutes interviewing each meathead as he discusses his feelings about the other family member.
Is this shit real? Certainly not- it isn’t as if the camera crew says “okay, the cameras are rolling…just do what you nomally do- argue and fight and act like the idiots that you are.” The show must be scripted so that there is enough substance to fill the time span of the show, and the content of that filler material must be something that the viewers can relate to- incompetent meatheads who think they are tough because they ride Harley Davidsons, which, I might add, are the biggest pieces of shit to ever run on two wheels. But wait. Have I tuned in to listen to these guys argue and fight? Well, not originally. I wanted to learn about motocycles, but because the ratings tend to be higher when such dramas are included in the script, they are ordered to fight and argue more often. The next thing you know, I am actually interested in the meathead’s feelings about the other meathead, and not so much about the motocycles. Well, not me personally…but that is what happens to the viewers. The producers get rich by airing the simplest, silliest, and most easily scripted themes one could possibly imagine: four gorillas fighting about how to install a set of handle-bars on an extremely overpriced motocycle that is so loud when it runs, the driver is convinced that everyone else on the road who hears the godforsaken thing believes him to be a mighty warrior on a horse of steel. Hey, its the perfect show for the american inferior moron who loves to pretend he is tougher than he really is in front of the other morons who are stupid enough to believe it.
Tragic? Hilarious? I think its a bit of both. What I would like to see more so than the show itself would be the viewers who watch it. I can only imagine how perfectly a stereotype comes to life with these people.
Do any of you know what show I’m talking about? Surely you must.
Yeah, isn’t it Queer Eye for The Straight Guy?
Detrop, one of those meatheads, the young one I would
guess is dating or is married to sandra bullock.
Not a bad gig for a motorcycle meathead.
Which would fall under the heading of
things learned while eating dinner while
wife is watching entertainment tonight.
Kropotkin
Speaking of ET there’s a show on after with Pat O’Brian that at times makes my stomach sick while eating. What’s that one called?
TheAdlerian:Speaking of ET there’s a show on after with Pat O’Brian that at times makes my stomach sick while eating. What’s that one called?
K: I think and don’t quote me, but I think it is called
“inside edition”. Isn’t it time for O’brien to go back
to rehab? I think he has a permanent room at the betty ford clinic.
Right next to the Robert Downey jr wing.
Kropotkin
Detrop,
The show in question is called American Chopper. Its appeal has pretty much worn off for me, but I watched most every episode of the first two seasons (or maybe it’s three).
I’ve never gotten this impression. I think if you roll camera eight hours a day for a month or more, it doesn’t take a genius to edit together 40 minutes worth of episode time. And what’s so hard to believe these guys wouldn’t (or couldn’t) act natural in front of the cameras, considering they’ve been rolling on them everyday for years now?
I’ll grant you some reality shows have given me this impression, but not this one.
Nor have I ever gotten the impression they ‘think they are tough’. In fact, everyone on the show seems pretty soft and down-to-earth to me. I could give you a brief psychological profile of the main characters, but somehow I doubt you’d give a fuck. Suffice to say I think all those guys are pretty cool.
Again, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to presume two people are prone to argument, especially when it’s a co-working, father-son tandem in question.
As for your second observation: I suspect, from a producer’s perspective, the idea was, in fact, an ‘educational’ documentary about making motorcycles. Upon filming, however, they began to understand there was more involved with this particular set of individuals than that; that there might be more meat on the bone. I think that’s just as easy to believe, and understand, than it is to believe it’s somehow impossible to film humans in their natural state, which seems to be what you’re suggesting: “No fucking way a guy with a short temper and a host of pet peeves would argue with his son that much over the details of a multi-million dollar business.” Hm … if you say so.
The general disdain for reality television would seem to stem from garbage like The Bachelor and the other early shows ran by network tv in efforts to make money off the phenomenon. Conversely, I would argue there are plenty of shows that are indeed just continuous documentaries, without the need to script anything.
Personally I try and stay away from reality shows… I watched them a couple years ago when i was younger, like survivor and stuff… but for the most part I think they are shit.
Except for the home renovation one… with Ty Pennington or whatever his name is, now I don’t like that show either because the host is on 49 cups of coffee or coke like 24/7 and I just can’t take it. But I can appreciate the fact that they are going around and helping people that truly need help. Special cases… things like that.
So… I mean, at least there is hope out there. TV sucks but if you look carefully there is alot of quality. Showcase (Canadian channel) is fucking amazing in terms of quality television. The only problem is that it’s only for like a couple hours a day.
Personally, the behavior of the chopper guys reminds me of the “gay fussbudget†personality masked with by a media inspired “tough guy†image. It’s my bet that these guys, especially the dad, are neurotic perfectionists, that feel “gay†about that fact.
I’m not the biggest fan of thread resurrection, but I didn’t want to start a new thread either.
Recently I’ve been listening to the first Norwegian Idol, Kurt Nilsen.
And all I have to say is, his voice is incredible. To be honest, I think he blows the rest of the idols away.
He was also the one who won the first World Idol competition.
Just a fabulous voice.
~LDG
I guess I’ll check it out.
I must tell you the amount of time people waste watching television. It is said that the average adult watches 4 hours of television in one day. that is 1/4 of the average person’s day. Imagine the amount of time he or she is wasting watching images and listening to audio that is purely nonsense. What if the individual was reading for those 4 hours every day. Even if the person was a slow reader he or she could have read 3 or 4 books a week. Take that and apply that to a span of 20 or 30 years. That is a good 4000-6000 books. See the problem?
Yes, the problem is the poor quality of TV, not the watching of it. If someone read four to six thousand mediocre romance novels and detective thrillers they wouldn’t be any more informed, critical, imaginative, caring, passionate, involved in life than if they watched 4 hours of soap operas and game shows per day.
There’s a critical prejudice against television that to my mind is not warranted. Of course I have the best TV in the world…
I’m refering to television in its current state. I would say about 80-90% Is not educational or thought provoking to any extent. I enjoy watching the history channel and national geographic but thats about it. I should state however its not so much “t.v.” that is bad, but wasted time that could be spent in better ways. Leisure is a good thing, but not 4 hours of it everyday. There needs to be time set aside each day devoted towards learning and rational thinking. It would be great if I could turn the television on and see a philosophy channel discussing the importance of Plato and Aristotle or Russell and Wittgenstein.
Nor is chick-lit or detective thrillers…
It’s a shame that you don’t get more BBC, their 4th channel is full of interesting shows…
Sure, but reading isn’t necessarily better, there’re as many crap books as there are crap TV shows
Of course, but I haven’t been given my own station yet…
I haven’t seen any of the chicks - I have class on Tuesday nights - but as for the dudes, the only ones I like are the black guy and the guy with the shaved head. Everyone else is pretty boring.
And by the way, Randy and Paula are really getting on my nerves. Neither of them ever seem to say anything of substance, and when Simon speaks the truth (as always), they seem to have this tendency to jump down his throat, as if he’s not entitled to his opinion. Not to mention, ever notice Paula rides Randy’s coat tails? God, she’s worse then Randy, and he sucks.
I like the 16 year old guys, the brunette one’s, they are the most entertaining I think.
I’m fundamentally against reality television. At least its popularity is waning.
Thank God!