Okay I am sorry but I am going to mention Big Brother.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:40 am

Right, I know, I know Big Brother is stupid and all that, but anyone in England can hardly have failed to notice that this current Big Brother show has caused a little "controversy" to put it mildly. I haven't watched big brother since the first or second one as its kinda boring after a while, but I might watch it tomorrow, its probably like watching a very slow car crash at the moment. Whether thats been the plan all along, who knows, TV people are quite clever, and they certainly don't waste their time watching TV as they are far too busy making lots of money.

For those of you who don't have the delight of the Tabloid Media, what this is about is a girl called Jade Goodie, who is one of these people who has become famous for being a rather ordinary hairdresser and ladette, has allegedly been racially bullying an Indian Bollywood actress during this year's Celebrity Big Brother show in England, I'm not sure what its all about as I've only seen clips of two girls shouting at each other in a well appointed house, but its managed to dislodge everything else from the news in the UK, there are riots in India, the British chancellor is out their trying to apologize, and questions in parliament being raised. So what is going on here? Does this show the completely ridiculous and vacuous nature of our 21st century TV culture world, (in which 2 girls arguing about stock cubes is more important than the fact that a country is at war, or that the weather is going to hell in a handbasket), or is it an accurate reflection of British/Western society, or is it just another way to sell newspapers and not worth wasting our time talking about?

Opinions anyone?

Post by **Betty Boop** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:49 am

Waste of time in my opinion, more viewers is actually what they want isn't it?

Sorry, but I'm not even tempted to take a look.

Off to watch paint dry..........

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:54 am

Betty Boop;521180 wrote: Waste of time in my opinion, more viewers is actually what they want isn't it?

Sorry, but I'm not even tempted to take a look.

Off to watch paint dry..........

Thats what most peoples opinion is as well I would say BB, so why is it taking up the first 20 minutes of every news show?

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:13 pm

I hate TV...the only thing I'll watch on TV is sports...

I occasionally watch comedy, but it has to actually be funny! for me to watch.

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:18 pm

Since 24 hours of events in the house are edited into a one hour evening show, who can really know what went on?

I watch it regularly and find it entertaining

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:27 pm

I generally don't watch TV as much as I used to when I was younger like most people I would say, its a time waster, and a lot of the reality/celebrity shows do seem stupid to the point of ridiculousness, but if something good comes along I will happily watch it, and there is a lot of very interesting stuff on TV, (British TV has some very good channels, some bad as well), Irish TV is boring usually (except for the Gaelic language channel) but its interesting that so much of modern TV is actually just about TV and nothing else, news about news, people famous for being famous, if you wana understand why the modern world is like it is, and everyone is so neurotic, watch mainstream TV, its all there.

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:54 pm

I've been watching it halfhearted whilst on FG.

Is it racism? IMO No.

I think it's just a matter of class, Jade has none, her and her cronies just are'nt used being with someone that has grace.

To say this loudmouthed chav (jade) headed a campaign against bullying is a laugh!

Kick the foulmouthed bint to the kerb i say.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:59 pm

I think I will look at it myself tonight to see what its all about, apparently the people running the show are going to ask Jade G. about what she has been saying, they should probably tell her what is happening because at this rate she is going to get beaten up when she comes out, and she's only a bit of an eegit really, she's not Hitler or anything as far as I can see, its all getting a bit hysterical.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:00 pm

So you have an British version of "Big Brother" as well.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:01 pm

CARLA;521229 wrote: So you have an British version of "Big Brother" as well.

Wait till the Irish one comes out, their won't be any sex, but lots of drinking and violence! :wah:

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:02 pm

CARLA;521229 wrote: So you have an British version of "Big Brother" as well.

:wah: Celebrity big brother i'll have you know, there are two Americans in it, Jermaine Jackson and Dirk Benedict (A team)

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:03 pm

Thankfully the Indian foreign minster seemed to be unfazed by it all, so the prospect of the Jade Goodie war between Britain and India seems to be receding as we speak. God, she is in for a surprise isn't she? :wah:

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:05 pm

abbey;521233 wrote: :wah: Celebrity big brother i'll have you know, there are two Americans in it, Jermaine Jackson and Dirk Benedict (A team)

Dirk Benedict, wasn't he in the A-Team? Damn!, why didn't they put Mister T into it? "I pity the fool that racially abuses Indian Actresses!", it would be brilliant! They could have drugged his milk and got him into the house when he was asleep, it always worked on the show! :wah:

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:06 pm

Galbally;521235 wrote: Thankfully the Indian foreign minster seemed to be unfazed by it all, so the prospect of the Jade Goodie war between Britain and India seems to be receding as we speak. God, she is in for a surprise isn't she? :wah:
Fate can be cruel eh?

Big Brother made her, this'll break her.

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:08 pm

Galbally;521212 wrote: I generally don't watch TV as much as I used to when I was younger like most people I would say, its a time waster, and a lot of the reality/celebrity shows do seem stupid to the point of ridiculousness, but if something good comes along I will happily watch it, and there is a lot of very interesting stuff on TV, (British TV has some very good channels, some bad as well), Irish TV is boring usually (except for the Gaelic language channel) but its interesting that so much of modern TV is actually just about TV and nothing else, news about news, people famous for being famous, if you wana understand why the modern world is like it is, and everyone is so neurotic, watch mainstream TV, its all there.

That's an interesting point about television being a time waster, Galbally. Personally, I use the medium as a distraction...sometimes I don't always want to be focused totally on my own world and would prefer to escape into another for a while. And I find the "ridiculousness" of reality shows quite therapeutic in this respect.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:24 pm

theia;521241 wrote: That's an interesting point about television being a time waster, Galbally. Personally, I use the medium as a distraction...sometimes I don't always want to be focused totally on my own world and would prefer to escape into another for a while. And I find the "ridiculousness" of reality shows quite therapeutic in this respect.

That how I meant it Theia, its nice to be able to switch off and just watch some TV sometimes, specially when there is no one around for company, but its very time-consuming as well, and you can easily spend all evening looking at it without realizing how much time has flown by.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:25 pm

Speaking of which Big Brother is on now in 5 minutes so I better go and have a look, seeing as I am talking about it. :wah:

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:54 pm

Damn its not on yet! I really do wish mr T was in it, that would be brilliant! :wah:

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:00 pm

It'll be interesting to see if the sponsors (Carphone Warehouse) really have dropped out

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:02 pm

Yep, looks like they have...

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:05 pm

Thanks Doc...I've got to watch it again now :rolleyes: ......:wah:

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:05 pm

Galbally;521249 wrote: Speaking of which Big Brother is on now in 5 minutes so I better go and have a look, seeing as I am talking about it. :wah:

Really? You've nothing else to do, at all, in the whole wide world? This letter

sent to The Daily Telegraph sums it up nicely:

What a kerfuffle about - nothing.

Some rather unpleasant wannabes and has-been wannabes are being unpleasant to another wannabe in what every one knows is a tacky piece of 'car crash' TV. Well, blimey, no one would expect unpleasant people in CBB to be unpleasant, would they?

A lot of people in the world today should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves:

the politicians here and in India for letting themselves be dragged into this international non-event;

the politically-motivated instigators of the internet campaign to make this a racism issue;

the press for further publicising and inflaming this artificial upset;

the programme's producers for deliberately filling the house with potentially clashing 'personalities';

the viewing public for falling for the blatant manipulation;

the respondents here, myself included, for prolonging this discussion about - nothing;

the 'nasty' trio on CBB for, allegedly, being nasty to one of their housemates.

Enough. Let's get on with REAL life.

(Oh yes, should CBB be closed? I DON'T CARE!)

Dick James

Posted by Dick James on January 18, 2007 12:12 PM

More at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... view17.xml

Post by **Betty Boop** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:07 pm

Hmmm the paint is nearly dry now.....................

jennyswan · Post by **jennyswan** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:11 pm

I have to admit that I just hate reality TV, I think it's all crap.

Attention seekers the most of them, it's really sad. It's like saying I have no real talent of any kind so I will go on TV and make a complete t1t out of myself.

I figure that this is just a scam to get more people watching it.

Why do they call it celebrity big brother anyway. I've never heard of them. :-2

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:14 pm

Bill Sikes;521284 wrote: Really? You've nothing else to do, at all, in the whole wide world? This letter

sent to The Daily Telegraph sums it up nicely:

What a kerfuffle about - nothing.

Some rather unpleasant wannabes and has-been wannabes are being unpleasant to another wannabe in what every one knows is a tacky piece of 'car crash' TV. Well, blimey, no one would expect unpleasant people in CBB to be unpleasant, would they?

A lot of people in the world today should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves:

the politicians here and in India for letting themselves be dragged into this international non-event;

the politically-motivated instigators of the internet campaign to make this a racism issue;

the press for further publicising and inflaming this artificial upset;

the programme's producers for deliberately filling the house with potentially clashing 'personalities';

the viewing public for falling for the blatant manipulation;

the respondents here, myself included, for prolonging this discussion about - nothing;

the 'nasty' trio on CBB for, allegedly, being nasty to one of their housemates.

Enough. Let's get on with REAL life.

(Oh yes, should CBB be closed? I DON'T CARE!)

Dick James

Posted by Dick James on January 18, 2007 12:12 PM

More at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... view17.xml

Each to his own, as the saying goes, Bill

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:14 pm

Yeah...who exactly is this Jermaine Jackson dude? :yh_giggle

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:17 pm

theia;521280 wrote: Yep, looks like they have...

Carphone Warehouse have "suspended their sponsorship". It could be that this

is an absolutely meaningless turn of phrase, depending on the contract. CPW

were unfortunate enough to employ one Ernest Walter Saunders a while ago.

They get what they deserve.

meltonpie · Post by **meltonpie** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:18 pm

Am I unique? I have NEVER watched any session of Big Bother, right from when it first started. This is not for any moral reason, but just that, to me, it is not the sort of entertainment that appeals. Someone has already said that it is edited, and we know that editing can be done in such a way as to give a completely false impression from reality. And yet they call it reality television!!

So you will appreciate my utter bewilderment as to all the fuss that is going on around the world at the moment. I wonder if it is a form of escapism - we find true reality too uncomfortable. Dangerous really, and when those final atom bombs come raining down on us (they've just moved the Doomsday Clock forward to five to twelve), our last gasp will be "That big mouth Jade wants chucking out the House".

It makes you want to weep; there now, I've really depressed myself contemplating the state of mind of the worlds populace!

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:18 pm

Can't be arsed watching it tonight, i'd rather watch martin shaw, judge john deed (swoon) :yh_battin

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:38 pm

Bill Sikes;521295 wrote: Carphone Warehouse have "suspended their sponsorship". It could be that this

is an absolutely meaningless turn of phrase, depending on the contract. CPW

were unfortunate enough to employ one Ernest Walter Saunders a while ago.

They get what they deserve.

Who is he, Bill?

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:41 pm

theia;521308 wrote: Who is he, Bill?

Someone who really isn't very nice.

Edit: A con-man.

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:26 pm

So apparently, we're now at war with India

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:39 pm

Bill Sikes;521284 wrote: Really? You've nothing else to do, at all, in the whole wide world? This letter

sent to The Daily Telegraph sums it up nicely:

What a kerfuffle about - nothing.

Some rather unpleasant wannabes and has-been wannabes are being unpleasant to another wannabe in what every one knows is a tacky piece of 'car crash' TV. Well, blimey, no one would expect unpleasant people in CBB to be unpleasant, would they?

A lot of people in the world today should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves:

the politicians here and in India for letting themselves be dragged into this international non-event;

the politically-motivated instigators of the internet campaign to make this a racism issue;

the press for further publicising and inflaming this artificial upset;

the programme's producers for deliberately filling the house with potentially clashing 'personalities';

the viewing public for falling for the blatant manipulation;

the respondents here, myself included, for prolonging this discussion about - nothing;

the 'nasty' trio on CBB for, allegedly, being nasty to one of their housemates.

Enough. Let's get on with REAL life.

(Oh yes, should CBB be closed? I DON'T CARE!)

Dick James

Posted by Dick James on January 18, 2007 12:12 PM

More at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... view17.xml

Of course Bill, I have a thousand things I could be doing with my time that I find more interesting, and I normally hardly watch TV at all, as I live in the countryside in Ireland and there are a lot better things to do around here than look at television. Any spare time I have I usually spend it writing away with you lot, which I enjoy immensely. But I was interested to see what this was all about as its all over the news, and its all part of this glib, self-absorbed, TV culture thats going on, which if you read my posts you would realize that I also find silly and pointless. But I am not snobby about it either, if people like something like Big Brother, why shouldn't they, I didn't realize we were back to telling people what sort of light entertainment they should indulge in? I mean I would suggest that perhaps they could read an interesting book instead, or go for a walk, or learn to play a musical instrument, but I am not into telling people what to do or judging them because I deem them not "intellectual" enough, thats just snobbery.

So, anyways, I did watch it, and it is all a bit silly and pointless as usual, like all reality TV shows, what it tells me more than anything is the utter dominance of TV in our culture at the moment, and the way that real life is overshadowed by show business (thats what TV, Movies, The Charts, Theater, all are, they are not real life they are showbiz, including Shakespeare, he is just excellent showbiz while BB is trash). So why is it so prevalent that our TV is so escapist and meaningless and our lives our dominated by the search for better consumer products? Maybe because people don't really want to deal with the real world most of the time, who can blame them, its not a nice place, and they can afford to ignore it, and just indulge in the nicer world of Celebrity Chefs, Football, Big Brother, Last Night at the Proms, Westminster Live, or Oprah Winfrey (with commercial breaks).

Tell you what though, watching it reminded me a bit of the fights that have gone on in here, so in a way it was very interesting, and also quite apt.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:45 pm

meltonpie;521296 wrote:

Am I unique? I have NEVER watched any session of Big Bother, right from when it first started. This is not for any moral reason, but just that, to me, it is not the sort of entertainment that appeals. Someone has already said that it is edited, and we know that editing can be done in such a way as to give a completely false impression from reality. And yet they call it reality television!!

So you will appreciate my utter bewilderment as to all the fuss that is going on around the world at the moment. I wonder if it is a form of escapism - we find true reality too uncomfortable. Dangerous really, and when those final atom bombs come raining down on us (they've just moved the Doomsday Clock forward to five to twelve), our last gasp will be "That big mouth Jade wants chucking out the House".

It makes you want to weep; there now, I've really depressed myself contemplating the state of mind of the worlds populace!

No, I don't think you are unique, because Britain has a population of 60 million people, and I don't think they all watched that show tonight somehow, but if you watch the news on television you would think so because televisions first job is promote itself (because it is showbiz and always will be). They did just move the doomsday clock forward by 2 minutes, (it was announced on TV as I recall), but thats just a judgment call by nuclear physicists it doesn't mean anything other than that (but yes I do respect their opinion and they know what they are talking about) So, yes, the planet is in a bit of mess (as usual), but again, thats a separate issue.

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:47 pm

Uncle Kram;521349 wrote: So apparently, we're now at war with India

:wah: :wah:

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:52 pm

Uncle Kram;521349 wrote: So apparently, we're now at war with India

So who is gonna be in charge of the food then? Make sure they don't use up the military budget on stock cubes. Ah yes the 2007-2009 Anglo-Indian, Jade/Chopra War fought over a stock cube, it would be a fitting way to end the world, women fighting over food. :wah:

Tell you what though, that Indian one is right good looking, she could cook my dinner any night. :guitarist

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:53 pm

Galbally;521358 wrote: Of course Bill, I have a thousand things I could be doing with my time that I find more interesting, and I normally hardly watch TV at all, as I live in the countryside in Ireland and there are a lot better things to do around here than look at television. Any spare time I have I usually spend it writing away with you lot, which I enjoy immensely. But I was interested to see what this was all about as its all over the news, and its all part of this glib, self-absorbed, TV culture thats going on, which if you read my posts you would realize that I also find silly and pointless. But I am not snobby about it either, if people like something like Big Brother, why shouldn't they, I didn't realize we were back to telling people what sort of light entertainment they should indulge in? I mean I would suggest that perhaps they could read an interesting book instead, or go for a walk, or learn to play a musical instrument, but I am not into telling people what to do or judging them because I deem them not "intellectual" enough, thats just snobbery.

So, anyways, I did watch it, and it is all a bit silly and pointless as usual, like all reality TV shows, what it tells me more than anything is the utter dominance of TV in our culture at the moment, and the way that real life is overshadowed by show business (thats what TV, Movies, The Charts, Theater, all are, they are not real life they are showbiz, including Shakespeare, he is just excellent showbiz while BB is trash). So why is it so prevalent that our TV is so escapist and meaningless and our lives our dominated by the search for better consumer products? Maybe because people don't really want to deal with the real world most of the time, who can blame them, its not a nice place, and they can afford to ignore it, and just indulge in the nicer world of Celebrity Chefs, Football, Big Brother, Last Night at the Proms, Westminster Live, or Oprah Winfrey (with commercial breaks).

Tell you what though, watching it reminded me a bit of the fights that have gone on in here, so in a way it was very interesting, and also quite apt.

Just what I was thinking...and the fighting threads usually attract a large audience

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:55 pm

theia;521368 wrote:

Just what I was thinking...and the fighting threads usually attract a large audience

Its true isn't it, I thought that the similarities in the psychology were very close indeed. Quite interesting.

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:06 pm

Galbally;521371 wrote: Its true isn't it, I thought that the similarities in the psychology were very close indeed. Quite interesting.

Quite unsettling, too. It makes me wonder which role I'd adopt if I was shut away in the BB house for three weeks. But I don't know that I want to look at that one too deeply. I might not like what I find.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:09 pm

theia;521384 wrote: Quite unsettling, too. It makes me wonder which role I'd adopt if I was shut away in the BB house for three weeks. But I don't know that I want to look at that one too deeply. I might not like what I find.

I'd smoke a lot of cigarettes and definetly be very bored, so I would probably start getting annoyed, but I wouldn't call someone a poppadom because they were Indian though, I'd be a bit more subtle, or violent, one or t'other, but then I am not whats-her-face Jade.

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:25 pm

Galbally;521386 wrote: I'd smoke a lot of cigarettes and definetly be very bored, so I would probably start getting annoyed, but I wouldn't call someone a poppadom because they were Indian though, I'd be a bit more subtle, or violent, one or t'other, but then I am not whats-her-face Jade.

I would definitely be very morose about not having my own space, I would likely have an anxiety attack at least once, I would resent it if I felt I was contributing more to the chores than other people (though I would act the martyr) and I would be extremely intolerant of other people's habits...

between you and me, that's why I turned them down when they asked me

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:29 pm

theia;521397 wrote: I would definitely be very morose about not having my own space, I would likely have an anxiety attack at least once, I would resent it if I felt I was contributing more to the chores than other people (though I would act the martyr) and I would be extremely intolerant of other people's habits...

between you and me, that's why I turned them down when they asked me

Good on ya, you would have been bored, I am sure of it! I couldn't do it, no books, no escape, hell is other people (sometimes

).

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:30 pm

Galbally;521386 wrote: I'd smoke a lot of cigarettes and definetly be very bored, so I would probably start getting annoyed, but I wouldn't call someone a poppadom because they were Indian though, I'd be a bit more subtle, or violent, one or t'other, but then I am not whats-her-face Jade.
Someone called her a poppadom?

never heard of an Indian being called that before.

French call us Rosbif, what's in a name?

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:33 pm

abbey;521401 wrote: Someone called her a poppadom?

never heard of an Indian being called that before.

French call us Rosbif, what's in a name?

Well, I think that a French person going up to an English person, sneering at them, and calling them a rosbif in a nasty way is also out of order actually, don't you?

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:41 pm

Galbally;521402 wrote: Well, I think that a French person going up to an English person, sneering at them, and calling them a rosbif in a nasty way is also out of order actually, don't you?

Context and intent are the main factors, I suppose?

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:47 pm

Galbally;521402 wrote: Well, I think that a French person going up to an English person, sneering at them, and calling them a rosbif in a nasty way is also out of order actually, don't you?
If that's how she did it then yes, i did'nt watch it.