What's Next?

My general position on reality shows is that I don’t watch them. I made an exception a couple of years ago to watch Last Comic Standing for a few of its closing episodes—in search of a laugh, which I found. Last week and this week, I made another exception. I watched America’s Got Talent—poorly named, but an interesting variety show.

AGT apparently works like some of the other “talent” shows. Thousands audition, dozens are given spots on TV and the list slowly narrows. I was genuinely moved by some of the passion and desire of some of the performers. And, I’m happy to say, their talent. But. And this is a big but. The producers allow acts on the show that no one in their right mind would think show any promise. Why? Apparently so the studio audience can boo them, give them the thumbs down, and actually drown them out with shouts of derision. I couldn’t help but think “This must have been what the gladiator audiences were like—rude, bloodthirsty, and boorish.”

In my youth, there was a talent show on TV, The Ted Mack Amateur Hour. Ted would host the performers, some better than others certainly, but no awful acts. And the audience would politely applaud even the not so stellar performers. It wasn’t necessary to hoot and holler and make semi-obscene gestures to make the point that a given act lacked something.

But today we have to humiliate people on national TV. People who probably should realize they are not “star” quality, but apparently don’t. People who should never have been seen has having any talent and allowed to get on that stage to begin with. They have been put there simply to allow America to make fun of them and the studio audience to ridicule them.

What is wrong with us that we think this is entertaining? And don’t get me started about some of the fight shows I’ve seen advertized where anything goes. This is a sport? This is what we’ve come to?

My, my, my.

Jerry+