Lauren Weinstein: If MTV Calls, Hang Up

Lauren Weinstein writes "Usually when one gets a call to participate in a news-oriented television program, subterfuge isn't a worry. But in the brave new world of 'newsertainment' -- a blurring of news and entertainment -- you really need to watch your back. Herein is the sordid tale (posted last night to Dave Farber's "IP" list) of what recently happened to me -- and my narrow escape -- when Viacom/MTV Networks came calling, asking for my help to educate the world's youth about important topics (in this case, the scourge of spam). Be warned. It could happen to you!"

Comments

coward

[mabu]

Even if the whole thing was a fraud, it should have been an experience to participate. Having known it was a setup, this would have been a great opportunity to spin things back on the hosts and have some fun.

I would have loved an opportunity like this. I would have actually showed up and pretended once they started taping, that I was actually an anti-SPAM (the food from Hormel) advocate, or something equally goofy. At least you could have stood up in front of the studio audience and made a nice speech denouncing the quality of tv programming and how out of touch Viacom is with honest and decent programming.

Instead you just bowed out... hell you didn't even let them send the car. Think of the potential. You could have called up an enemy and sent him on the show, or found a homeless guy and told him he could get a free meal and a ride for participating. The possibilities were endless.

Re:coward

[mabu]

It doesn't matter. The studio audience would be LIVE.

If I were in that situation and I felt it was a trap, I'd say F*CK every other word. Let them try to edit that out.

You could pull a "Tim Robbins" and wear a t-shirt that says "This TV show is a SHAM" or some other really nasty image/saying. Let them try to edit that out!

You could call up the local obnoxious radio morning crew and tell them of the plan and work with them to cook up a dirty counter-trick. There's a pair of those sleazeballs in every area that live for this kind of stuff.

ENDLESS POSSIBILITY FOR FUN... and it was all blown.... too bad.

I hope they punk Ray Lewis

[gelfling]

Serously, I will cheer that Assston tries to punk a real badass like Ray Lewis or Allen Iverson and it ends in a quadruple homicide, high speed car chase, dead innocent civilians and a billion dollar lawsuit against MTV.

MTV...

[dark404]

makes -1 flamebait look +5 insightful

I want to join the fun

[MacFury]

I've always wanted to pretend to be President Bush's spokesperson during a gathering of reporters.

According to President Bush, President Bush has never made a mistake. Also, should a mistake be made, President Bush will be unable to recall the mistake or any events that happened before and after said mistake. President Bush also would like you to know that any fact brought forth must meet with President Bush's approval. Failure of the fact to be approved makes the fact false. Only President Bush approved facts will be considered truthful.

Of course...I don't know if I want to be killed as an "enemy combatant"

Re:I want to join the fun

[dasmegabyte]

Of *COURSE* Bush never made any mistakes. If he had, he might have to change his mind on a policy, and we can't have that. We all know that the reason we aren't supposed to vote for that unpatriotic John Kerry is that he has a histroy of flip flopping on issues. Such a terrible thing. I mean, here he was, supporting the Vietnam war...then he goes there and decides it's bullshit? What's that all about? Getting wounded and seeing your friends killed shouldn't be enough to make you change your mind on policy. Somebody should tell Kerry that if you feel yourself starting to change your mind in politics, you should just walk away. Relax a bit, go golfing. Ride your snowmobile through a protected national forest. Hang out on your ranch in Texas. And only when you've become reassured that your non working programs are the way to go should you even THINK about going back to work.

Re:How did he know?

[Anonymous Coward]

Thank Google for god more like....

Re:For those that would like to read the article

[stonecypher]

You appear to have lightning reflexes.

E-mail address listed?

[babba]

Am I the only one who cringes at a Spam expert letting his/her e-mail address be posted unprotected on a site?

Re:How did he know?

[Anonymous Coward]

Reality shows are easy to spot. They're the ones where the pixelizing guy makes $1million due to the health-danger bonus.

-hadohk

Re:I Loooooove the Daily Show

[EvanED]

There was also a time they had a "live" segment from Washington and Stewart started laughing because it was light out at 11pm. Steven Colbert came up with a good retort for that one, but I forget what it was.

Then there're the occasional time they continually change the background. Like the other night when Colbert was covering the G-8 summit and got moved from Savannah, GA to St. Louis, MO in about 3 seconds during a cut to Stewart. Or the time Steve Correll (sp?) left Bagdad because he didn't realize the scope of our impending invasion, and successive cuts showed him packing up his stuff in a hotel room, in an aiport, on a plane, etc. They have a lot of fun with that thing...

Re:I Loooooove the Daily Show

[josh3736]

I love Colbert! He's so hilarious partly because he's so damn serious. The man could describe how he saw a gay porno tape with GW Bush in it with a totally straight face.

The BEST scene they did was when Colbert was live 'from Mars.' He'd wait 20 seconds before responding to Stewart "because of the transmission delay." I was literally on the floor laughing my ass off.

Ahh, good times...

Re:For $200?

[Anonymous Coward]

Lauren is a bottom sucking slimeball that knows just enough to act like an expert and then makes money by just talking and bsing all day to other people as if she is an expert.

Your troll sucked. Attention to detail would help make it more persuasive. For instance, Lauren isn't a woman.

Re:if you're going on to a tv show..

[gl4ss]

*First become an expert on something besides porn-surfing and masturbating... and then maybe you have the right to fantasize about MTV calling you up and giving you $200.*

wtf I'd need 200 bucks then for? I could like, get a proper job!

Re:Punk'd?

[mfh]

> Why on earth would you think you were important enough to punk?

Yeah only the most important people in the world get Punk'd, you know, the scientists, greatest of politicians and the humanitarian philanthropists. /sarcasm

> I love how you have revealed your secret fantasy of being important enough to be punk'd, but having the brains and wherewithal to escape their set ups!

I aim to please.

The rules of /. club...

[EdMcMan]

The first rule of /. club is do not post a link to anything hosted on your own server.
The second rule is /. is club is... do not talk about /. club!

That said, does anyone have a mirror?

Re:For those that just read the summary

[Gilmoure]

I thought he was Sir Points-out-the-obivous-alot?