Big Brother: They Shoot Reality Stars Don't They?
Compassionately Written, Smart-Ass-Big-Brother-Commentary by Cindy Rutolo Dietrich
August 23, 2008
Memphis fell like Christ crucified at approximately 12:06 am., Eastern Standard Time. He looked exhausted and injured and disgusted, and utterly disappointed. More importantly he looked like he was in shock.
"Oh my God, he's about to die." Jerry shouts out when he hears why the Big Brother production room finally weighs in. Guess what they wanted. Yup. They wanted to tell Memphis something VERY important. They said, "Memphis, please put on your microphone." Forget about the fact that he'd been shivering and shaking for God knows how long. Forget about the fact that they'd been banging the lot of them into a wall for a few hours now. Forget about the the fact that he was probably medically dehydrated. Forget about the fact that he's possibly been in shock for almost 45 minutes. Apparently all that's okay, as long as they can hear what you say.Welcome to Reality T.V. folks.
Doesn't matter if you're in shock, or shaking. Doesn't matter if you drop. Just make sure they can hear you if you fall. And for God sakes, keep your damn microphone on!Have you ever seen the prolific film, "They Shoot Horses Don't They?" with Jane Fonda? It's a brilliant depiction of what desperate people will do for money. It takes place around the time of the depression. It's about a round the clock dance marathon that's widely watched and covered by media. The people in the film, dance till they literally drop. At least one person dies. It's awful to watch their pitiful physical state, and the deterioration they undergo as they fight to continue staying on the show.
The film reminds the viewer that they shoot horses when they've fallen; at least they used to. They shoot horses when they're broken. So, the film asks the question, what will society do if people fall? These little Big Brother, Head of Household competitions remind me of that film. Because they shoot horses, don't they? Well, maybe they'll shoot Reality stars someday too.
I don't mean this literally. I know they won't. They haven't yet. I hope they never will, or would. But watching these Big Brother Competition scenes makes me ask the question, how far will Reality T.V. continue to go to keep things real? Maybe they will someday, at first at least, inadvertently kill. Maybe someone will finally drop, and not get back up during one of these little 'competitions.' How long will they let that person lay where they drop, even if they don't get up?
Or maybe the camera will follow someone, wounded, and shaking into a room, say, a bathroom. Then, maybe right after we watch that person struggle to unbutton their shirt, but stop, because they can't stop their hands from shaking enough, the camera will cut away. This is the scene we watch with Memphis the night of the competition. Maybe someday, we'll latter hear that that person had to leave the show due to unforeseen circumstances. But no one will really know what's happened because that person never returns, or is ever heard form again. Maybe Big Brother will simply take them out back and shoot them in the head. After all, they shoot horses don't they? Maybe they'll shoot reality stars someday too. Might as will. Seems they'll do anything rather than actually provide even a simple medical evaluation on someone who could possibly, actually be seriously ill, and/or dying. I suppose it would save on the possible lawsuit. Or not. As for the competition and it's outcome, well, I couldn't even imagine Dan as HOH. Okay, I could. That's what scared me most. This is what I noticed earlier. I wrote it during the bribery scenes between Dan and April. But it pretty much describes Dan, being Dan all of the time. Dan cannot keep his hands off of himself.
Have you noticed this? He's constantly grooming himself. He's constantly primping. He's constantly fussing; with his hair and with his skin. He's constantly rubbing oil, or some kind of skin care lotion on himself. He's constantly reapplying, and rubbing it in. In fact, he can't seem to stop touching his skin. He's constantly checking himself out in the mirror. They're everywhere. What a treat that must be! But if they're missing, that's okay. Dan still finds some way to check out his face. There's always a reflection; - in a camera,- on the side of a toaster. Pretty much any reflection will do. The others are aware of the cameras and their appearance. Some are more conscientious than others. But Dan is hyper-alert. He's hyper vigilant.
There may be love lost between Dan and his hand. Happily I'll never know any details about that. But there's certainly no love lost between Dan and the man he sees as himself. That's an ongoing, flourishing affair. It continues to grow. He's definitely one of the biggest fibbers in the house. Right out of his mouth they float. He almost seems like an entirely different being than the Dan we first met when he moved into the house.Before the live eviction vote Dan was still reveling in the power and proposals. He said, "They know they can't win this thing without me, and I love it!"
Everyone pretty much knew.....
Cindy Rutolo Dietrich is an entertainment writer, reviewer, rock journalist, poet, hotel reviewer, pianist, singer, songwriting artist from Pennsylvania.
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