18059: Chin: Scary new reality show (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Elizabeth J. Chin <ejc@oxy.edu>


Heads up everyone.  I just read in the LA times of Jan 21 ("The Latest Reality TV: PLaying God to Todd") that the WB network will be premiering a reality show  called "Mad, Mad House" featuring 10 "regular" people who share their living quarters with 5 "alts" including a Wiccan, naturist, vampire, modern primitive (whatever that is) and--surprise, surprise--a "voodoo priestess".

Needless to say, it sounds simply awful.  The article notes "These five subject the guests to mental and physical trials, such as diving for items in a bloodbath."  Who presides over that one, the vampire or the voodoo priestess or the modern primitive?

Whose "voodoo" the "priestess" is practicing might be a question too arcane to even launch at program producers (does she practice New Orleans style or what?)-- the article provides no info on this so-called Voodoo priestess but there's no doubt the show is hardly likely to provoke much understanding or insight into traditional Haitian vodou, that's for sure.

I guess the best we can hope for is for the show to quickly sink into reality show oblivion.  Which is actually quite likely given the saturation of such rotten fare on the airwaves.  Argh and ugh.  Meanwhile, a few outraged letters probably wouldn't hurt, either.