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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!"
After Punk'd, I would never speak with anyone remotely appearing to give me a hard time over anything whatsoever. I'd just walk away. Who would speak to MTV anyway? Aren't they just a bunch of asshats with lots of money but no direction whatsoever? I mean, I'd love to party with those guys because it'd be a blast... but to work seriously (or try to) with MTV would be like a game of career-Russian-roulette.
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
In the world of Daily Shows, Ali G., etc.-- as well as smartass miniDV documentaries I can't see why anyone, celebrity or not, talks to a camera crew anymore. You're just asking to have your quotes taken out of context and to be laughed at by the world.
"Reality" shows? You mean shows that have absolutely no connection with reality but have low production budgets?
"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."
It was NOT LIVE.
If you did something clever back at them, they would edit it to make you look like a retard.
If you are ever asked to guest on a show you aren't familiar with, it is imperative that you get familiar with it. Any information you get from the producers should be in writing. If they insist on using only telephone or editable email (a red flag, BTW), print it out as a contract and ask that it be signed.
If you must moderate, please moderate as irrelevent, not something bad, because I'm sure someone will find this interest
And then when they use that footage against you elsewhere to imply that you're unprofessional?
Best to not waste time with it or, as someone else said, send in some guy off the street for a free ride.
'Thats they exact same thing a banana wrench monkey.'
I guess $200 is the market value for a person's dignity according to Viacom.
That must be a nice company to work for.
The answer, of course, is obvious: most people aren't experts. Most people aren't geniuses. Most people are within one standard deviation of the mean and are pretty satisfied with their abilities. Hobbes was right when he wrote that the surest proof that humans are approximately equal in intelligence is that most people are satisfied with their level of ability, and their is no better indicator of a fair distribution than when each person is satisfied with their share.
Now, I could see supporting a show that took bogus experts as the target - i.e., those people who pretend to be able to talk to their dog, or to share karma with plants, use crystals to heal, etc. (but note that, under the abovementioned definition of knowledge that these people aren't really experts since they lack knowledge). That might be fun to watch. At the very least, it would serve the greater good of society by providing an intellectual function.
But humilating smart people just so that some moron with barely enough intelligence to operate the remote can get his kicks? Bah. Give me the philosopher-kings of Plato anyday.
Actually it's a "he". Poor guy, what were his parents thinking? :)
Since his server's been nuked, you can read a little about him here.
-R
The Daily show does try to be reasonably accurate, in that their targets are people who are already in the straight news and presumably an intelligent viewer can sort things out It is almost a real news show for those who know to take it all with a grain of salt
If you must moderate, please moderate as irrelevent, not something bad, because I'm sure someone will find this interest
Instead you just bowed out... hell you didn't even let them send the car. Think of the potential.
Well, it wasn't being filmed live, but disregarding that, one could always show up and inform the other guests whats going on, and then leave before the show starts. Let the legitimate guests in on the secret before they're embarassed...
It looks like it is gonna suck. Ass.
Most likely it'll flop after 3 episodes. And good, it looks rediculusly annoying.
It'll go in the pile of CC shows I hate, along with Colin Quinn's Tough Crowd. Which I'm amazed hasn't been canceled yet. Futurama would be so much nicer there!
Well, it wasn't being filmed live, but disregarding that, one could always show up and inform the other guests whats going on, and then leave before the show starts. Let the legitimate guests in on the secret before they're embarassed...
Whether it's live is irrelevant. Obviously it wouldn't be live.
But if they're paying you $200 to make a fool out of you, imagine how much it probably cost them to set up and produce that show. If you showed up and made every bit of your footage unuseable, it would probably cost them thousands or tens of thousands of dollars.
People harping about them editing you out of context to look like an idiot is much ado about nothing. If you refused to speak, what's the worse they could do? Or if you wore some t-shirt under another shirt that you took off once they set everything up, that had some message that they couldn't broadcast (maybe a Slashdot.org t-shirt or the logo of their competitors). They could block it out but it wouldn't be too difficult to make it hard for them to use any of the footage... you could move around making the camera people go nuts trying to keep you in frame. There are lots of things.
I think spreading the word about the show among the expert community will help, but it wouldn't hurt them as bad as spoiling an entire episode they had meticulously set up.
The only difference between the daily show and fox news is, the daily show lets you know its fake up front.
Religion is a gateway psychosis. -- Dave Foley
Most news shows do this, I have seen this happen on both sides.
What gets me is when someone on the Right claims that a Left group does this, but denies O'Reilly of doing the same tactics.
Or the new "Michael Moore Hates America" movie, which from all appearances does an exposé on how manipulative and lying a documentary can be. Of course, the director misses the point that by doing a video documentary, which of course is a selective medium, the director is doing the same "tactics" that Moore does. You know, taking people out of context, rushing them on issues, manipulating their words, etc. (of course, the overall idea of Moore's Bowling for Columbine documentary which I saw was the use of Fear to manipulate and control the populace, the media's partake in it, and the government's use of it. As is F. 9/11 looks to be going more into).
Also as someone who has made a documentary, the medium is very maleable. I'd never be in someone elses video actually, and I understand why moore wouldn't be in the "anti moore" documentary.
Anyway, I am sorry you got manipulated by that circumstance, thought I would throw in my two cents.
The problem is that the older generation doggedly hangs on to the concept that "news" is the collection of all facts as being reported by ethical "journalists" regardless of how much these facts and reports affect profits. While that might have been true at some point, it's rarely true these days. And while some "journalists" may still be ethical, at least one of the editors up the chain will not be so.
The younger generation has realized this, so they figure they might as well have some fun while watching the "news". Hence, programs like "The Daily Show."
Personally, being part of the internet age, I don't consider anything news unless it's reported in a manner where people from around the world can discuss it and question its accuracy.
-hadohk
Because you misbehaved on a comedy show, that you KNEW was setting you up?
God forbid any working professionals have a sense of humor, the f*cking world might collapse.
It's that kind of mentality that makes this world a sick, sick, sick place. Yes, really.
CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
I feel sorry for those folks who work in the phone center making these calls who are only there because they need a job in order to support their families. I feel expecially sorry for those people who know exactly what they're getting people like Lauren into when they make the phone call or send the e-mail.
Some of my friends thrive on such programs. Punk'd is one of their favorites. I can't stand it. For those of you who have never heard of it, it airs on MTV. The premise of this show is the same as the debate show, except they take more extreme measures. Instead of arguing with you, they'll have your house repossessed and make you think you just lost your home, until the end of the show when they inform you it was only a joke. I've seen people start to cry on this show. Somehow, I'm not finding this funny!
Some people think of this as genius, I see it as a striving reach for attention. These people need help, I can't provide it, but someone has to.
As highlighted by slashdot.org, according to a mailing list posting (mirror):
The nature of Crossballs is confirmed by a couple of other sources. According to a gopusa.com commentary:
And according to a June 15, 2004 story from digitalspy.co.uk, an entertainment newsblog:
In similar display of mockery, according to a Jun 5, 2004 dc.indymedia.org story:
Reminds me of this quote perhaps applicable:
"The point of public relations slogans like "Support our troops" is that they don't mean anything... That's the whole point of good propaganda. You want to create a slogan that nobody's going to be against, and everybody's going to be for. Nobody knows what it means, because it doesn't mean anything. Its crucial value is that it diverts your attention from a question that does mean something: Do you support our policy? That's the one you're not allowed to talk about."
source: wikiquote
But you knew it was the Daily Show right? If they had hidden the fact that they were the Daily Show from you, then I think it would be the same. Even if you didn't know beforehand what the Daily Show was, you could easily find out.
Mail? Put "slashdot" in the subject to pass the spam filters.
I believe the accepted term is infotainment, and in some cases - docutainment.
I'm sorry, but these are just terms created by people hoping to sound like their profession actually means something.
The actual term is 'crap.'
Now edutainment can, on good days, mean something truly educational and valuable like 'Sesame Street' or 'Square One,' but believe me -- NOT if its on an MTV/Viacom channel....
Punctanym: alternate spelling of words using punctuation or numerals in place of some or all of its letters; see 'leet'
Probably the least favorite thing about Moore's documentary style is his insistance that he should be able to walk into any building in the US and get an immediate meeting with the head of the company.
The fact is, CEOs are usually busy doing something, and most of them don't want to be in a movie that incriminates them. The fact that they don't want to answer questions with no preparation time doesn't make them evil.
Yeesh.
Seems pretty bad. But the good thing is that at least in this case, scumball like that gun crazy idiot got humiliated, not some normal sane joe blow. :-)
And when they come for you, how will be left to defend you? Just because you disagree with someone doesn't make it right that that person is treated in a way you wouldn't want to be.