An interesting question arose at the dinner table last night when ABC's Wipeout had it's season premiere: "Is the show overly cruel?" My answer to this question is no for one main reason: peole choose t
o do this to themselves compared to Howie Do It (which could in my books be considered a cruel show) where unsuspecting victims are preyed upon by a snarky bald man and his camera crew. People don't sign up for Howie Do It there loving friends and/or family usually sign them up so that they can have a quick laugh as they watch their unsuspecting friend/family member be humiliated in front of however many million TV viewers plus the people in the audience. That, while being funny, is rather cruel. Contestants on Wipeout, on the other hand, sign up to be publically humilated in from of millions of TV viewers and some of them actually enjoy it. Thus, while the contestants on Wipeout are not only humiliated, bbut generally beaten up, it is not a cruel show because participation is voluntary whilst Howie Do It, where people or solely humiliated is a cruel show because participation is forced (subliminally speaking). So ends this short rant about what makes a show cruel.
o do this to themselves compared to Howie Do It (which could in my books be considered a cruel show) where unsuspecting victims are preyed upon by a snarky bald man and his camera crew. People don't sign up for Howie Do It there loving friends and/or family usually sign them up so that they can have a quick laugh as they watch their unsuspecting friend/family member be humiliated in front of however many million TV viewers plus the people in the audience. That, while being funny, is rather cruel. Contestants on Wipeout, on the other hand, sign up to be publically humilated in from of millions of TV viewers and some of them actually enjoy it. Thus, while the contestants on Wipeout are not only humiliated, bbut generally beaten up, it is not a cruel show because participation is voluntary whilst Howie Do It, where people or solely humiliated is a cruel show because participation is forced (subliminally speaking). So ends this short rant about what makes a show cruel.
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