Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Stupidity of Obscene Magnitudes



It's official. We are a damaged society. Two of the mistresses (one each) of Tiger Woods and Jesse James are in talks to host a reality show called Celebrity Cheaters. The show's creators want to catch celebrities "with their pants down." Oh, blind me now. Must we suffer through more of this lunacy while people with nothing to offer exploit themselves for those who are titillated by fame, no matter how spurious?

Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, mistress of Jesse James, and Jamie Jungers, Tiger Woods' squeeze, are ready to sign on for big bucks while all the other Woods/James mistresses scramble to make their own deals. Apparently mistresses are red-hot now. Rachel Uchitel, (Tiger's) is also going to star in a reality show about her life. A life whose high point, so to speak, was having sex with a famous golfer is not something I want to watch, no matter how SINtillating.

Reality TV is a cynical ploy to provide low level entertainment without paying real actors, but rewarding people for bad behavior is beyond offensive. I see no difference between this and legal prostitution, except the latter makes more sense.

21 comments:

Rosaria Williams said...

Stupidity+Trash=Mistresses

Yes, and Yes. Now if we watch them on t.v. we have joined the sisterhood ourselves.

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

And the oldest profession in the world goes low tech.

So... if we are in a downward spiral (because truly, I can't see this improving anytime soon), how much worse can it get, and do we really want to know?

What am I saying. Of course we want to know; how else can we CHANGE it?

:[


Scarlett & Viaggiatore

Bob said...

I could have lived a while longer not knowing this.

How long ago did Jim Carrey make The Truman Show? It seems that we aren't that far from the reality of not living our lives while watching others live their lives.

furiousBall said...

everytime i watch reality TV i feel like i'm going to the bathroom on my own brain

Jocelyn said...

"Oh, blind me now" is my favorite blog line in, em, EONS.

Indeed, my friend.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Lakeviewer,

Not much chance of that here. I'll pass on joining this viewerhood.

Thank you for your visit! I am so enjoying your novel about a family which has captivated my heart.

Scarlett,

Easier said than done. People must first be changed so that they no longer worship celebrities who are often famous simply for being famous.

Bob,

Please don't shoot the messenger.

You're right about eschewing our own lives while watching those of other people. We have grown increasingly separate from our own feelings, which has led to separating from our lives. I fail to understand how anyone else's could be more interesting than our own, no matter who we are or our particular circumstances.

Van,

There's a good reason for this. I've never heard it described better.

Jocelyn,

Reality TV mostly attempts to glorify lowlifes and enable us to feel like lowlifes, too. No thanks.

CiCi said...

And legal prostitution isn't made into a reality show. This confirms to me that I miss nothing at all by not watching television. I don't miss any of it. I have a life. Thank God.l

the walking man said...

Three Words...cooking shows rule.

Cecilio Morales said...

Great minds ...! See my post at http://cecilieaux.blogspot.com/2010/04/whither-romance.html.

(This is not shameless self-promotion, though it sure looks like it. We both hit on thinking about a similar aspect of Tiger Woods.)

Bob said...

@technobabe - legal prostitution HAS made it to reality TV. One of the cable channels, HBO, Cinemax, whoever, has (or had - I don't keep up) a show following one of the Nevada brothels.

I doubt you're missing anything.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Babe,

Au contraire, I think that most reality shows are in effect legal prostitution.

Mark,

I don't consider cooking shows in the same category - (I was going to say "class" but caught myself) because they teach people to do something worthwhile. By reality shows, I refer to all those icky voyeuristic shows in which "real people" compete for prizes, mates and of course, attention.

Cecil,

Interesting post, as always! We have devolved into a society in which few take responsibility for their actions.

It's interesting that both Tiger and the motorcycle creep had beautiful, supportive wives who seem to be lovely people. Are we to believe that they felt unworthy and compelled to sabotage their good fortune? I doubt it. I think they felt entitled by their own incredible specialness, above the rules that govern mere mortals.

Bob,

I didn't know either, but don't really care one way or another. I believe that if prostitution were legal, it would be more regulable and safer.

Bob said...

oh - I agree. I've long thought prostitution should be legal. It could then be regulated - and taxed! Think what a revenue generator it could be.

I wasn't trying to make any point, really, other than to point out that reality TV had broached that particular topic as well.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

bob,

I understood the point you were making but couldn't resist a bit of proselytizing. I think pot should be legalized, too, another good source of revenue.

Middle Girl said...

We have the choice of not watching and count me as one of those. Unfortunately, we are in the minority. Too many others make much ado about nothing much at all. ::sigh::

heartinsanfrancisco said...

OD,

Increasingly I choose to turn off my TV. Thankfully, we still have that option.

secret agent woman said...

Revolting. That's all I have to say.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Agent,

"Revolting" works for me.

meno said...

It'll probably be a huge hit. Which makes me want to move to another planet.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Meno,

If you find one with intelligent life, please send word.

HAPPY IN NEVADA said...

I was wondering why this sudden 'rash' of celebrities coming out about their affairs, and then the continued, nauseating coverage of those 'creatures' they call female.

Just as badly as Housewives of OC - NY - any of those 'reality shows' are, I didn't think they could do worse - obviously, I'm wrong!!!

I use TV for the cooking channels; the travel channel, the weather channel, and PBS. I gave away our television back in 1970 to the Kalamazoo Mental Hospital, and not until 2000 when I remarried and my newest husband wanted television in the house, did I agree to having it in the computer room - no where else.

I saw a documentary about the evolution of television; how many shows that couldn't get 'big corporate sponsorship', were canceled, so I guess it's still the same (hey, that sounds like a few lyrics from a song) - gives you an idea of how 'damaged' corporations are when they inflict 'damaged goods' on viewers.

So, keep on turning the channels and maybe those shows will have shorter lives.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Happy,

I think we may be manifestations of the same spirit. For many years, I kept a TV covered by a quilt with a lamp and books on it, and never plugged it in until I married *my* present husband, who wanted one in the house. We don't watch "reality" shows, though, unless you count the news.

When I was a child, my father remarked that TV was intended for those with a mental age of 12, but I think that would be generous by today's standards.

Thank you for your visit!