tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670812027273632828.post5606251086410844387..comments2023-11-02T06:50:42.777-07:00Comments on billierosie: TALK SHOWS.billierosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00288997506566830393noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670812027273632828.post-81237186127490156562012-09-08T08:19:13.518-07:002012-09-08T08:19:13.518-07:00My nephew runs a charity for under privileged kids...My nephew runs a charity for under privileged kids. Their meetings are open, and parents often attend. One parent always opens her comment with -- "when I was on the Jeremy Kyle show..." <br /><br />I think, for those who are guests on the show, it mostly is about their 15 minutes of fame. (I wonder if Andy Warhol knew how prophetic he was.) So I guess it is the impact of the mass media.<br /><br />Michel Foucault said about how we need "the other" -- the other makes us feel good about ourselves. Thank God we are not them.<br /><br /> Foucault also thought that the other is necessary for us to be kept in order. We need the homeless that we see in the shop doorway asleep. We are going to behave and make damn sure we are not going to end up like them!<br /><br />Yes, it is something that Jeremy Kyle hasn't given up on his guests. He gives his guests access to the finest counselling you can buy. And great aftercare for alcoholics, drug addicts and the clinically obese.Services that his guests would never normally have access to. When I was researching this post, I found nothing but praise for the show's aftercare team. Particularly, the show's psychologist. billierosiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00288997506566830393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670812027273632828.post-59515373304931618412012-09-08T03:23:35.722-07:002012-09-08T03:23:35.722-07:00I wonder how Kyle would fare as a 'guest' ...I wonder how Kyle would fare as a 'guest' on a Kyle-like talkshow. His Wikipedia entry mentions his broken first marriage (broke up 5 months after his daughter was born), with compulsive gambling cited as a reason for the marital breakdown; his second marriage to the successful contestant in a dating gameshow he presented; his obsessive-compulsive disorder (including licking his mobile phone to make sure it's clean); and his apparent support for the Conservative party. <br /><br />The demolition of his victims is as much moral ritual as it is 'entertainment', and while they get sent away with an offer of counselling I wonder how many take that up and what happens afterwards. We never hear about that.<br /><br />On the other hand, I used to know someone whose fifteen minutes of fame was appearing on the 'most wanted' list on Crimewatch. And he was as weirdly proud of that as Kyle's interviewees are of their TV moment. I guess that's the impact of mass media for you.Fulanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14959628434559905605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670812027273632828.post-36678501817163313882012-09-07T13:11:19.974-07:002012-09-07T13:11:19.974-07:00Those shows, such as Springer here in the U.S., ha...Those shows, such as Springer here in the U.S., have always made me weep for those who watch them. Everyone describes it as the "train wreck" phenomenon, which for me means we all want to see how bad life can really be in order to feel thankful for what we have. Unfortunately, we aren't built for the bombardment we end up with. We become numb to it and addicted to it and forget our intellects at the door.Patrick Whitehursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00882350091197098228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670812027273632828.post-79658751377300455352012-09-07T07:08:29.732-07:002012-09-07T07:08:29.732-07:00I can't bear watching this programme, but to p...I can't bear watching this programme, but to play devil's advocate for a moment ... you could claim Kyle actually does respect his guests on one level. Instead of treating them as broken no-hopers, victims of their shitty backgrounds who need social services just to get them through their lives, he acts as if they are actually responsible human beings. He castigates them for making bad choices *because* he assumes they had the option of making a more rational or compassionate or responsible choice, and could do so in the future now that they are facing up to their failings. He assumes they have agency in their lives, and the mental/moral wherewithal to be sensible and decent people if they put in some effort. He hasn't given up on them. He hasn't said "Oh well, they're just trash and they always will be."<br /><br />Isn't that something?Janine Ashblesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00840188081214225153noreply@blogger.com