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Bread and Circus
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008I think reality TV may have finally hit bottom.
38 Responses to “Bread and Circus”
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I’ve seen this before, thought it was generally a news team present, as opposed to a dedicated reality show.
It also seems like this a somewhat common way to apprehend suspects, but I don’t know why. Is it that much work to show up at the door? Also, from my memory, it seems like this is generally petty crimes that do not necessitate such an elaborate set-up.
Aye. What’s the point, anyhow? If they know where these people are to the point where they are able to target “advertisement” to appear as an extra in a film, then they can just perform a no-knock raid. God knows the police sure love tearing shit up and killing dogs (and occasionally, innocent people). Methinks that for the officers involved, making arrests this way is like making porn without the money shot.
When it comes to TeeVee, I don’t think that there *is* a bottom.
Reality TV will hit bottom when criminals are forced to participate in gladiator-type combats against professional gladiators with chainsaws, extra sharp hockey sticks and flamethrowers.
#4 And when it’s hosted by the corpse of Richard Dawson.
I think luring criminals out with promises of prizes or exciting opportunities sounds like good police work. Some people are very hard to get a hold of, and don’t have permanent addresses. (I work with a lot of people like that). So cops don’t want to kick in someone’s mother’s door on the off chance he’s popped in for a sandwich at that moment.
Now, dragging out the excitement for hours just to taunt a person or make interesting television seems rather twisted, cruel and perverse, but, luring wanted individuals out with chicanery seems like a great and safe alternative to storm-trooping.
Need I say any more?
“It’s Cops as comedy and no one’s ever tried it before.”
There’s a good reason for that. It’s because the premise isn’t even remotely funny.
“We’ve told this marijuana smoker that he has won a million dollars. Little does he know that he’s going to jail instead!”
Hilarity ensues.
I weep for this country.
Hey, that’s a great idea……..and will give them funny names, like “Electro” and “Sub Zero” and……..oh, yea, that’s The Running Man…..
I hope the guy at the race track runs down the director while running from the cops and takes out the camera men in the ensuing gun fight. Now that would be comedy.
Depending on what date format used, this article is at least 14 months old. 9/3/2007. I’m guessing that is a good thing.
Why would someone sign a waiver to show themselves being arrested?
Maybe they put it to focus groups and people aren’t actually as stupid as Fox thinks?
#4 and #5, it’s called the movie Running Man. Richard Dawson was the host, and they had all sorts of death devices.
This is your tax dollars at work, for the criminals (cops) to be kidnapping other criminals on TV.
Notice the last name of the producer is Satin? If you pronounce his name wrong with an A sound, you get SATAN. :-)
“If it were a regular person you’d feel bad for them, but they are all wanted by the law,” Darnell says.
Wanted by the law = not a regular person that you don’t need to feel bad for = TV show
Wow, a reality show about the Innocence Project would be better.
Josef (#4),
Who’s up for a little Monday Night Rehabilitation? You want to drive the Assblaster or the Dildozer?
It’s reality shows all the way down!
I don’t know…I guess I’d rather see people arrested in a game-show sting operation than in a no-knock raid.
“Finally, all the participants are revealed as officers of the law, and the criminal is apprehended (before signing waivers to let the footage be used in the show).”
They sign the waivers before they’re apprehended? Is that a part of the show as well? You know, Fox probably offers to pay for all fines associated with their warrant, in exchange for signing this waiver. I can’t imagine how else this could work. Though it’s still tasteless and awful.
I envision the host being just like Richard Dawson in ‘The Running Man’ saying, ‘Hello, this is Killian. Give me the Justice Department, Entertainment Division…’
-”Finally, all the participants are revealed as officers of the law, and the criminal is apprehended (before signing waivers to let the footage be used in the show).”
They sign the waivers before they’re apprehended? Is that a part of the show as well? You know, Fox probably offers to pay for all fines associated with their warrant, in exchange for signing this waiver. I can’t imagine how else this could work. Though it’s still tasteless and awful.
PJ — It’s more the bit about drawing it out to make it as embarrassing as possible, then televising the whole bit that I find objectionable.
Sorry, didn’t mean to post that comment twice.
Wait a minute! COPS isn’t a comedy?
After years of research I have finally found the ultimate in TV:
It is the OFF network. No upgrade to digital necessary.
Simpsons did it! Simpsons did it!
[Wanted by the law = not a regular person that you don’t need to feel bad for = TV show]
Worse, there is a presumption in his statement that all of these ‘wanted’ people are guilty of something.
So much for innocent until proven guilty.
#13
Umm, yeah I know that. I watched the Running Man during my 11th birthday party. :)
Set your Tivos: Dec. 27
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6614056.html
There’s actually a whole channel for this BS, Fox Reality Channel
How sad.
Can’t wait for the first punk’d perp to realize he’s going to jail and, heh heh, pulls out a gun and slaughters a half-dozen people. People do act differently when they’re placed under extreme duress.
Never challenge worse. It can always get worse.
TV hit bottom the day the first “reality” show aired. Y’all are so LATE to the party.
Sorry, no time to read the comments: they have a show about Parking Meter people. That’s the lowest and most unreasonable. Unless, I suppose, they did a reality show about the DMV. That might be worse.
Mark (#28)
Went to the link you provided and guess what?
It’s that bastion of compassion for prisoners-Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s territory!
“…. at least for the Maricopa County Sheriffs Department in Arizona, the police agency working with Fox on the program.”
Cruelty, degradation, humiliation-yep that’s Sheriff Arpaio’s MO alright.
Well it all makes perfect sense now-doesn’t it?
Uhhhh! Do you people want to make up your minds? While this might no make a good television show, do you realize what is happening here? After reading story after story here about the cops raiding the wrong address, killing dogs and scaring kids, they finally do something different and you are all complaining about it. They get the person they are after to leave their home, come to a place where the cops totally control the situation and make an arrest. No kicking in doors, no problem with a wrong address and no dogs to shoot, what’s wrong with this? I think people here just like bitching about cops, no matter what they do.
Mr. Collins (#34)
I don’t understand why you think we should be grateful and/or relieved that the police trade one bad tactic (violent raids) for another (cruel, humiliating sting operations).
Some years ago, I think it was the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept. or LAPD (or a multi-agency effort) used a similiar but more humane ruse to bring in suspects on outstanding warrants.
They sent a letter telling the suspects they had won money and to come to such and such address to “claim their prize” and were promptly arrested.
No long drawn out humiliation of the suspects and no cameras to record it for “our amusement”.
It was simple and effective.
OneByTheCee
I don’t like that they are making a television show out of this, but I don’t believe that this is humiliating to the people being arrested. They have to give their permission before they can be shown on television. Those who are stupid enough to give that permission, deserve everything that they get.
As I said previously I do like the idea of stings like this. Get the people that you are after to come to you is a great idea. Add in that these people are likely to be unarmed and oblivious to the situation is a plus. Besides things like this have been shown to be very cost effective.
Mr. Blair (#15)
Your “joke” alluding to rape in prison is disturbing. I see a lot of similar comments posted on various boards and I find it absolutely appalling that anyone could think ANY rape is humorous and is an acceptable punishment to have to endure while incarcerated. Google Prison Rape, read the stories. I’ve
yet to find one that was funny. Not even a chuckle. Sadly, your post was given 7 thumbs up.
It’s the COPS who’ve hit rock bottom. They’re actually making extra work for themselves (and correspondingly wasting the taxpayers’ money) just so they can mock some penny ante offender on TV. Pitiful. Bread and circuses, indeed!