Degrading Japanese game shows on ABC
By Ali Giamalva
The newest reality TV craze is Japanese game shows, or a show on ABC whose goal may or may not be making fun of them with two shows called “Wipeout” and the appropriately titled “I Survived a Japanese Game Show.”
Apparently, the Japanese people find it hilarious to humiliate people. The shows feature contestants participating in embarrassing and degrading obstacle courses while the crowd laughs their ass off. For example, while one contestant runs on a treadmill, the other attempts to eat food that sits on a plate on top of the runner’s head. Another such game show dresses the contestants up in diapers and bibs and then spins them around in a crib.
The American version of these shows is similar. Except one thing: the Japanese contestants compete for the mere entertainment of the audience and the honor of winning the competition. But, the American contestants do it for money.
In other news, the one we all love to laugh at (but not on a game show), Steve Carell has signed a contract with the NBC hit “The Office” for three more seasons.
“He is the hardest working man in Hollywood and the harder he works the better it is for me. I mean … well done, Steve; you are wonderful … He is a very nice man and deserves all his success. I am just as dedicated to my art without compromise but only between the hours of 9 and 3 p.m.,” said co-creator, executive producer and star of the original British version of “The Office,” Ricky Gervais.
On June 26, MTV Productions launched a comedy Web site, Atom.com. The site will feature comedy shorts including four original comedic series. “Scrubs” comedy writer Ryan Levin and “Animal House” director Ivan Reitman will be involved in a few of the “dozens” of short films that will be featured on Atom.com
Atom.com’s goal is to be the “leading network for original digital comedy,” said General Manager Scott Roesch.
Atom.com is a comedy Web site that has followed in the footsteps of many others of its nature such as Turner’s SuperDeluxe, NBC’s Dotcomedy and the HBO/AOL joint venture This Just In – all of which have failed.
Two former game shows, “The Newlywed Game” and “The Dating Game,” will be making a return to television. Although the shows have been traditionally hosted by men, actress Kim Coles will be hosting the pilot of “The Dating Game” and comedian Judy Gold will be hosting “The Newlywed Game.”
The two shows will have a modernized twist by incorporating topics such as online dating Web sites.
Originally Published: Issue 657 - July 2, 2008
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