Anyone Watching Big Brother?

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:15 am

Compulsive watching - although in my defence I do only watch the highlights!

What a thoroughly nasty lot they!!

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:26 pm

Horrendous stuff indeed, almost as ghastly as the relentless Friends re-runs that the channel, e4, keeps running. Of course today it got a bit more interesting.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/ ... 77,00.html

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:31 pm

Apparently posh girl used the 'n' word with ref to Charley.

I've always been theoretically pro the programme in terms of its social value to psychological and social observation, but it seems to get more depressing each year. Lesley is nauseating, but I totally identify with her despair at the emptiness of these people. Nothing to say, no thoughts, no depth. I think the epitome was Shab in the diary room asking if she'd still get 'deals' if she walked. A sniper would be preferable. Give me The Apprentice, a genuinely compelling reality show.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:10 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:I've always been theoretically pro the programme in terms of its social value to psychological and social observation

How so? Seems a complete waste of time to me, and depressing as hell to boot. I hate reality TV.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:09 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote:
Otis Westinghouse wrote:I've always been theoretically pro the programme in terms of its social value to psychological and social observation
How so? Seems a complete waste of time to me, and depressing as hell to boot. I hate reality TV.

Ditto that!!!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:36 pm

I think you can make a case for learning lots about people and society from such things. You can't make any assumptions about BB being a representative microcosm, and of course it's very far from that, but at the same time, the alarming lack of anything in their heads other than hair-straighteners and deals, etc., seems to be very much a reflection of our times. At its best it can provide that mirror effect. You can also speculate loads about why reality TV is so popular. Obviously the all-pervasive cult of celebrity is a huge factor, but there are many other reasons too reflecting societal change.

I loved BB1 here, looads of drama and excitement, a new format, etc. It's never been as interesting since, and I've vowed to keep away on several occasions, and also end up watching a fair bit of it. It's also interesting to see some of the debates in society it opens up, particularly with the two racist moments this year of Shilpa and now the 'nigger' incident. It gets my kids talking and thinking, it makes people throughout society reflect on the fact that Jade's racist-informed bullying was a disgrace. You could argue for social benefit coming from that.

There's lots of tosh reality, of course, and there's way too much of it in general. but a lot of it is interesting and informative. The Apprentice is simply great TV, as far as I'm concerned.

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:51 pm

I watched the last twenty minutes of the second night and decided it wasn't for me. I watched sporadically last year, and was into it more the previous two years. I think it's well past its sell by date. Plus Chris Moyles replaced Russell Brand on the after show - another reason for not watching.

I agree the Apprentice is addictive. I watched the first half of this year, but have missed the last 3 episodes due to work and will miss the next two. Sugar is way better than Trump at this - though there are a couple of English people at work here that disagree. They do an excellent job of finding incompetents to compete. Although I fear I may have misspelled incompetent.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 2:36 am

It's true that the calibre of people is less impressive than you might expect. The Katie story has been very good. Never saw Trump, but have heard generally that Sugar is way better. I thought it was a UK export but was corrected on this the other day.

I agree CHris Moyles is utterly tedious, though fortunately they're rotating, week by week, it seems. Though I don't care much for watching George Galloway do it. I did enjoy the sheer excess of Brand's approach before. On a good day he's hysterical.