# Reality TV hits an even lower low



## Princess Ivy (Nov 8, 2004)

while watching CSI last night, i was bombarded with advertisements for the latest hit reality tv show from the states. this one looks even worse than the others, although the adopt a baby one is still neck and neck with it.
Its called The Swan, and in it, women are given complete makeovers including plastic surgury, into the image of their consultants idea of beauty. the women apparently do not have a say in it, and are not even allowed to look in a mirror! all for the joy of being able to compete in a beauty pagent!
Now I don't care about beauty pagents, if you want to doll up and strut your stuff, go ahead. i have similar feelings about women in the adult entertainment industry. but these are women with serious problems, a lot of them psycological! and this show is sheer exploitation.

http://www.fox.com/swan/


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## Morning Star (Nov 8, 2004)

That sounds very freakish to me! Stepford wives.


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## littlemissattitude (Nov 8, 2004)

About "The Swan"...A friend of mine makes the point that some of the work done on some of the contestants is work that is actually reconstructive in nature, that they wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.  I think she is being a little too generous in her assessment, although what she says is true, from some of the adverts I've seen.

My problem with "The Swan" and other makeover shows is that it seems to me to be sending the message that individuals must be as close to perfect-looking as possible for them to be valuable members of society.  That, I think, is an extremely dangerous message to be putting out to the public.  Because, you know, most of us are far from perfect-looking.  All shows like this do is make people feel inadequate and, if they can afford it, seek out plastic surgery in order to conform more closely to what society considers "attractive".  I think that's sad.


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## polymorphikos (Nov 8, 2004)

Gattaca.


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## Lucifer (Nov 8, 2004)

I watched exactly one episode of the show while on duty, and it was sick and sad.  Basically the two women who get "swanned" are initially placed against one another in competition.  Only one of them is chosen to go on to the big pageant at the season finale.  At the end of the show, the loser was in tears.  What good did all the surgery do her if she turned around and broke down when it was over?  The surgery is extensive too, and usually resculpts the entire body as well as the face.  Lots of skinny, scarred Barbie dolls with inflated breasts and fragile self-esteem.  I think that reality tv must be mentioned in Revelations somewhere.

Lucifer.


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## Princess Ivy (Nov 9, 2004)

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it was, Lucifer! But what an opinion to put out there to all those young girls. already screwed up from our consumer culture of thin thin thin. The problems with anorexia and bulimia are rampant! now they will have a new goal. plastic surgery! It is sickening, and I refuse to have any of it on my television. These television producers are messing with people for ratings! It is sick! its also terrible how many of these people are signing up for it. A real comment on our modern society!


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Nov 10, 2004)

Incredible but, I suppose inevitable. Dancers at the edge of the abyss. See them wave, hear them rave as they fall.


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## eccles_1960 (Nov 10, 2004)

I've stopped watching most reality TV shows. I think that now you can remove the word "reality" and substitute with "confrontation". A lot of these shows seem to be designed to cause as much drama and conflict as they can get away with. Wife Swap and the holiday one here in the UK spring to mind.


That saying, I am hooked on the Cops series from America.


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## Kassad (Nov 10, 2004)

I recently heard things were even lower as a "who wants to be a pornstar" (not sure of the actual title) was aired somewhere but I can't remember were(Canada?).

Throw your tv, friends.


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## X Q mano (Nov 10, 2004)

Indeed! Boycott, boycott!


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## Maryjane (Nov 10, 2004)

_Been through the enorexic thing I didn't do it to be a beauty queen or anything, goodness I'm far from it but I did it because I hated myself. All I can say is I pray no one here goes through that, you never quite bounce back again, apatite will never be the same again, easy to forget to eat if you get to busy you don't get hungry. Well enough about that. I just dress neatly and keep myself well groomed and a bit of make up and that's it and be nice to people like I do in the forum  If people think your a nice person you don't need to be a beauty queen_


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## mac1 (Nov 10, 2004)

Kassad said:
			
		

> Throw your tv, friends.


After cancelling sky last christmas, I went one step further and stopped watching TV at the end of August (threw away my aerial lead and did not renew my TV license). All we get these days is b*ll*x reality TV show after soap, after b*ll*x reality TV show, the only thing I miss in all honesty is the news! Anything else I want to watch I download from broadband, and in all fairness, I am much happier for it. I am probably a bit of a novelty as far as media students are concerned though - lol!!!


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## Maryjane (Nov 11, 2004)

_I watch three chanels on TV I don't care about anything else but don't take away the space chanel, the discovery chanel and the weather chanel _


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## TGirlPaula (Nov 11, 2004)

I have a very good television and I don't watch it 

I live by myself by choice and I listen to the oldies station on the web or local radio or a tape or CD.  I find that far preferable to anything on TV except for the occasional documentary or a show on PBS, America's Public Broadcasting System that is 100% user-funded.  They often have great programmes during their fund-raising once a quarter.

Perhaps I'll be hoisted on my own pittard for saying this but the makeover shows are as repugnant to me as Jerry Springer.  Many young women have fragile egos and low self-esteem.  

Anorexia is almost exclusively a white middle class young woman's disease and I believe that it has been given to them as a marketing ploy,. a market being a group of people who ar3e homogeneous within, homologous without, can be communicated with, and, here is the key, they have money to spend.

Teenagers getting plastic surgery?  Apparently someone sold them on the notion that they need it.

I have never seen "Swan" but from what I understand two "plain" or "defective" women undergo plastic surgery so one can become a swan and the other something less.   Gag me, already!  How shallow the promoters are and how shallow the contestants are!

The late Karen Carpenter died from anorexia.  Somehow she always felt fat.  God only knows why.  "The Voice of the Heart" was stilled by an obsession with being skinny.  Her ideal weight was 60 kg or so (about 7 stone, max.).  She went down to about 40 kg and still refused to eat.

There is enough misery out there without my contributing to it by watching the telly in general and "reality" in particular.


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## Maryjane (Nov 11, 2004)

_And if not watching those three chanels on TV I have my nose stuck on the monitor for this her machine they call a computer. And working three days a week, more fun then work at that place. And my heart of hearts that I marired this past June, my own home, what can I say, Life pays off in realety not just in the movies it would apear. _


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## Kassad (Nov 11, 2004)

Hey Bigmac, if you really miss the news, go to euronews website for instance: you can have their news in real player (rather low quality but that should be enought to keep youinformed  )


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## Maryjane (Nov 11, 2004)

_I don't like watching the news, only watch the news when I hear something going on I am curious about I may check it out on the news to varify what I heard._


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## Esioul (Nov 11, 2004)

I prefer to read the news in the paper, because they often show shocking things on the news which disturb me- or perhaps I am just easily disturbed. I read a book today which had a murder in it and I've been feeling scared and disturbed all day, gah. I didn't realise the book was going to be that scary when I started it.


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## Maryjane (Nov 11, 2004)

_Some things I hear on the news makes me want to both puke and cry so why get all emotional over something if you don't have to. You can do something for the less fortunate right at home._

_I love emotional stories in moovies and books though_


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## Maryjane (Nov 11, 2004)

_Heck I cry on Star Treck shows. Or break an ornament or find a tear in my favorite dress or while holding a favorite stuffed animal or after getting angry at something or when someone else is crying etc. etc. I think that's normal._


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## Maryjane (Nov 13, 2004)

_Killed another thread, that's cool by the new year I'll have the forum to myself at this rate  _

_Master and I are taking over the world anyway _


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## Esioul (Nov 13, 2004)

Maryjane, I cry over all kinds of things a bit too. I even wake up crying from strange dreams!


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## captaintripps (Nov 13, 2004)

Has anyone noticed that this kind of show is getting progressively further away from that which it purports to present - reality. The danger is, I suspect, that it may be dragging a lot of people with it...


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## mac1 (Nov 13, 2004)

Yes I would totally agree, if there was any artistic merit to it I would say it was a horrific example of life imitating art, but there isnt, so I wont!


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## Maryjane (Nov 13, 2004)

_Well the conversation started with being sad and crying while watcing movies. Esioul there is nothing wrong with sentemental tears good tears, tear of sadness joy tears they are a release valve, bleeding out the bad blood is another i like. It's just only a probelm if you cry allot to much because your sad allot to much Esioul dear._


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## mac1 (Nov 13, 2004)

Thanks Kassad, I'll check it out. 

With regards missing the news, yes they should horrific things on it, but I feel alost obliged to watch as long as there is some element of subjectiveness in the journalism. Yes things make me emotional, sad angry etc, but this is something I respect and appreciate. I started to make a film about the Iraqi war victims over a year ago and couldnt finish it as my footage was just too horrific as reduced me to tears (and I dont cry often!). Having said that, I would rather be informed of such attrocities, than go about my life being utterly niave as a lot of people I know do. 

Oh, and I do love a good political argument with the lowest common denominator, something I miss out on when I dont keep upto date with current affairs. Reading the broadsheets, new scientist and the economist is all well and good till you get to the part of the argument where someone says "did you see XXXXX on the news" and you have to admit that you didn't. 

The only other stuff I miss at all are from back when I had Sky, and thats the documentary channels, I do make a point of downloading every documentary I can using bit torrent though, like I said, its become my (far more selective) TV!


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## Princess Ivy (Nov 15, 2004)

captaintripps said:
			
		

> Has anyone noticed that this kind of show is getting progressively further away from that which it purports to present - reality. The danger is, I suspect, that it may be dragging a lot of people with it...


Oh yeah, it has been noticed and judged!


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