Dancing with the media

The last few days I have seen previews of yet another series of "Stars dancing on ice". Yet another downfall in the quality of Dutch television. First we had "Idols", a program where idiots with a complete lack of talent were able to humiliate themselves in front of the entire nation, all in the name of entertainment. If it only would have stayed with one series, that would have been fine, BUT, it was such a success, that they decided to do another series, and yet another. And to make matters worse, they have sold the rights to other countries, so the entire world was able to enjoy the ear-ringing qualities of the girl next door. However, here in Holland, the winner of the first "Idols" is hardly in the picture anymore, and I wonder if anyone knows who the second and the third "Idols" have won, or who was first runner up.
And now they have the same kind of program, the X-factor, but this time you can also humiliate yourself when you can do another trick, other then singing in the bathroom without breaking the mirror.
Another program that has been broadcasted throughout the world is "Dancing with the stars". I think in England it's called "Strictly come dancing" or something like that. This time local celebrities had their chance to embarrass themselves on national tv. And yet again, with sequel after sequel.

The one of the lowest point here was reached when RTL4 came up with the idea of putting those celebs in thin ice this time. It wasn't really a bad idea to take things up a notch, when you like this sort of thing. But how things happened I don't know, but someone, a few days before RTL4 announced their bright idea, SBS6 proudly presented this as their idea, and broadcasted this along with RTL4, since neither obviously could trow their idea in the trashcan. So, at this point there were 2 versions on air. HELP!!! What's next? "Dining with the stars"? "Fucking with the stars"? "Torturing with the stars"? Well, for all of these versions I have a list of perfect candidates already, but feel free to come up with more suggestions. But wait, since the media is willing to show just about anything these days, how about "Hanging with the stars"? We already had one shown just a few days ago. So, why not another one? I already have a good candidate: how about President George W. Bush?

And just as I thought I had seen everything, I've just seen a preview of a program where they show a real autopsy with a real audience on tv. How low can you go?

Well, with all this said, I also have to say, that it's not so much those show I don't like. I don't mind having these shows around. After all, people like to watch, and even though it's not my kind of show, there ARE people who find pleasure watching this, and who am I to judge this?
For me, it's more the way they are being hyped in the media. Weeks ahead, they are already shouting that you must see it, days before they swear they have THE ultimate show for you, and the night before, they order you to watch, punishable by becoming an outcast, spitted out by the rest of the society, for being the only one who isn't watching it.
And you can't escape it. In every talkshow, you'll see someone who JUST didn't make it to the finals, in every game show you see one of the finalist doing their trick, On the news you will hear who won.
I feel that freedom of press has been taken a little to far. Of course, there must be a freedom of press, BUT please let there also be a freedom to watch!

Saddam Hoessein

I decided to do 2 posts this time, since there were 2 subjects I wanted to post, while they are still recent. I mean, wishing you happy new year in the middle of august, or talking about Hoesseins death around the same time is not really a bright thing to do.
Anyway, I wanted to write about the whole thing surrounding the death of Saddam Hoessein.
Everyone already knew it was coming weeks ago, and now finally the moment was there. I think it is safe to say that everyone agreed that he deserved the death penalty.
However, first I want to say that even though something had to be done about the situation in the Middle East and Hoessein was a threat for the area, the timing of Bush was to say the least a bit awkward. He was already involved in the war in Afghanistan, which cost a lot of money and lives already. So, I feel, that this whole war in Iraq is more of a private war between the Bushes and Hoessein. Daddy Bush has had problems with him, and couldn't finish his job, so junior had to take care of it for daddy. But since obviously George W. clearly doesn't have the brains in that family, he lied a very transparent lie to give him a reason to attack.
If Bush jr. was smart, which obviously he isn't, he only should have attacked Afghanistan. he had a good reason to do so after 9/11, and he would have had ALL his resources available for that war. Then he would have been a hero for taking out those who were responsible for 9/11. But he had to fight his personal family vendetta, and ordered his troops to march into Iraq. And you see where that has been leading to.
The other day we were talking about this, and YuMei mentioned about an article, saying that Hoessein also had done some good things for Iraq. Well, of course he had done some good things for Iraq, but I am sure Adolf Hitler has also done some good things for Germany , but it still makes him a terrible monster, and it doesn't make the crimes he committed less terrible.
Well...this is not the real reason why I write about this, but it is a good opportunity to get it off my chest.
The real reason is the fact that his execution was videotaped, and broadcasted all over the world. And I am a bit of a soft sensitive guy, and I must say that I had a bit of trouble with that.
I never like to see that kind of stuff, whether it is on the news or in movies or something. I always can almost feel the fear of the person about to be executed. So, I never seen "The Green Mile" or "Fallen", since that would make this weak children's soul have nightmares.
And it was all over the news: CNN, BBC, NBC and all the other abbreviations were broadcasting it the whole day, every damn minute of it.
in Holland we also had no way to escape these scary images. The worst is, that is was broadcasted in the 6 o'clock news. Does anyone know how many KIDS are watching around that time? I am lucky that Alec is still too young to understand what is going on, but I can already hear those children's questions from those 3-, 4- or 5 year olds:"Daddy, what are they doing there?", "Daddy, who is that man?", "Daddy, why do they put a rope around his neck?". How can you possibly answer those kind of questions? What can you say? "That man is a very bad man, and they are going to kill him with that rope"?
At least they had the decency not to film the actual event, but still. Like we wouldn't believe it, if they just told us without the video images.
I really hope that next time broadcasting networks, at least those here in Holland, have the decency not to broadcast these kind of things that early in the evening. But I am afraid that the next time it will just be the same again.