It is often said that what differentiates humans from animals are not our superior intelligence, language skills or tools use. What truly makes us the most advanced of all species is what we become through the long, and sometimes painful and embarrassing, process of socialisation. It is in interacting with other humans and in learning to treat each other with respect and, most especially, tolerance, that we become human-e.

And yet it comes as no surprise that trash-talking still remains one of the most favourite past times of people. Children and teens may be forgiven for this childish aberration, but what exactly do you propose to do with adults who consider it time well-spent when dissing people. Apparently, throwing dirty slangs about appearance, race, and personal traits of another person is so important that it is being considered a talent you should flaunt with much pride, made obvious by the MTV show Yo Momma. The show invites viewers who believe they can offend a stranger the best. Two contestants participate every week in a face-off and hurl insults at each other in front of a live audience; bonus points for creativity and alacrity in insulting the other. The show audaciously also includes a segment based purely on Yo Momma jokes, which even most kids consider way beneath them.

If filth makes up the ladder that you have to climb to go up in social popularity, this is a piteously pathetic and simple solution for all the brain-dead losers looking for a way out of their boring lives. Any half-wit can definitely win this rat race; they would only be competing with losers. But is it worth becoming a throwback in human evolution?

Via: MTV

Once again, we are forced to ask if the real life shows are actually real? A few days ago, we reported Shilpa Shetty being asked to play host to the Indian version of Big Brother called Bigg Boss. Well, there is more to that. Now the infamous Jade Goody, who was pummelled by the world for bad-mouthing Shetty on Big Brother a year and a half ago, too will be on board at Bigg Boss. Apparently, she “wants to clear her name”. There is more to the drama. A source close to Goody has quoted, “Jade was a bit anxious about how the Indian public would react but she finally gave in, as a chance to clear her name.”
So, does the buck really stop there? News is that the British celebrity is being paid £ 100,000 for taking part in the show that will run for three months. It’s a lot of money but perhaps, the unavoidable confrontation between Shetty and Goody will prove to be even more valuable for the makers of the show. Let’s wait and watch.
Via ibnlive

The news arena is abuzz with Shilpa Shetty playing the host in the Indian version of Big Brother called Big Boss. Don’t worry, I won’t go at length to talk about how the almost forgotten actress got international recognition once the Jade Goody controversy (a lot of newsprint has already gone into that). Well as a part of the perks that came with her ordeal at the show, Shilpa even got invited to one of the royal events in the UK and met the queen herself. Not just that, an honorary doctorate from Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom for Dr Shilpa Shetty was followed by the Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award. Well. that is not really my point here though. Many believe that the Big Brother stage is a ‘planned’ drama. In fact, even when Shilpa was just being invited to Big Brother as a participant, people had already predicted who the winner would be. And I must tell you, they weren’t wrong.
This was followed by Shilpa’s kissing incident with Richard Gere which caused a furore against both the actors in India, as the gesture was a li’l too loud for the Indian sensibility. The effect was simple. An almost obscure Shilpa who used to do one non-descript film every two years got roped into a lot of film projects. She suddenly became very popular. I am not here to pin the poor girl down who made viewers across the world sympathise with her as she shared her woes with tears on an international channel almost a year and a half ago. Nor am I saying she is a terrible actress. All I want to imply is that Shilpa did a tremendous job in ‘Phir Milenge’ but only ‘Life in a Metro’ caught attention. Any guess why?
Via rediffmovies

The world has caught scent of the professional disagreement between INX CEO Peter Mukerjea and famous journalist and columnist Vir Sanghvi. Agreed, the two released a joint statement saying that they will resolve the differences in good faith. However, the buzz is that Mukerjea has already started scouting for a new chief executive officer for his news channel NewsX.

The core of the problems lie in the opposite point of views of Peter’s wife Indrani and Vir regarding the presentation of news on the upcoming channel.
Insiders reveal that even the delay in the launch of the channel is perhaps because of the inefficient executives lined up by Indrani. Also, Vir is not being allowed to function independently. On top of all this, Vir’s parting from the channel is still not very clear as he holds a 3% stake in INX News.

Wonder what the true picture is. Only one thing is evident, that the mudslinging is getting dirtier. I guess, we’ll just have to wait and watch for the volley of words between the new baron Vir and his counterparts, a famous TV producer couple.

Via Livemint

I can’t believe an NDTV production could be so disappointing! Yeah you guessed it right; I AM talking about NDTV Imagine. No, I didn’t have to pay an extra fee for the subscription as it came as a part of the Tata Sky package. Imagine my ordeal when it began with the super-tiring ‘Shava Shava’. I can’t imagine why Simi Garewal and Karan Johar agreed to form the jury when it has unoriginally been taken off from ‘Nach Baliye’ but this time with vocal chords. But that wasn’t all as ‘Ramayana’ followed soon after.

Imagine an orangey-yellow screen haunting you. The actors can’t act to save their lives and the characterization is nothing but weird. I missed the dignity in the mythological characters. Indeed, it is nothing but a poor cousin to Ramanand Sagar’s efforts that we witnessed decades ago.

Saroj Khan’s ‘Nachle Ve’ was the only saving grace. It is a show where Saroj Khan teaches absolute novices how to dance. It was great fun to watch the mistress of dances add spunk to a non-imaginative NDTV Imagine with her witty comments and observations. No doubt audience love her both onscreen and behind the screen. The best part is that Saroj Khan doesn’t spare anyone when it comes to giving her 2 cents even if you are Sunny Deol paaji or Sanjay Dutt.

YouthCurry

In the first initiative of its kind, several celebrities will come together for a music- based reality TV show that will promote the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals in India.

The show titled “Ustaad” will be produced by the UN along with the Indian arm of Endemol, the entertainment company behind the hit show “Big Brother”.

The star-studded show will take forward some of the UN’s key socio-economic issues that require immediate attention through an interactive and entertaining medium.

“The programme, which will be launched in November, brings together two powerful mediums — television and music — to provide a platform to reach out to audiences across the country on issues like poverty, health, education and environment,” Rajesh Kamat, managing director of Endemol India, told PTI.

The company has produced TV blockbusters like “Big Boss”, “Fear Factor India”, “Deal Ya No Deal”, “Heart Beat” and the “Great Indian Laughter Challenge”.

The company decided to rope in eminent personalities, artists, musicians and singers for promoting the eight MGDs in the country. It, however, refused to disclose their names.

“We are pleased to be partnering in producing an innovative music show that will inspire millions of Indians across generations to take up the cause of the MDGs as their own,” UN Resident Coordinator Maxine Olson said.

With the stupendous success rate of the reality TV shows, now more and more fresh ideas are springing out. This time there will be a contest of hymn-singing pop idols. And like all other of these famous and fabulous shows, this too claims to have a noble purpose behind it- to bring spirituality to young Indians influenced by liberal Western lifestyles and stressed by increasing work pressures.

Producers of “Swaradhiraj” or “Supreme ruler of musical notes” — which is expected to be aired in October — say contestants will sing spiritual songs of any religion.

“Youth today are going to discotheques. They are drinking too much, smoking too much and being influenced by Western media,” said Arvind Joshi, an official from Aastha, India’s largest spirituality TV channel, which will air the show.

A booming economy, though has brought prosperity, but it has also led to more stressful lifestyles where a faster pace of life has left many urbanites working long hours and with little time to relax. This has resulted in a proliferation of faith-based television stations offering talk shows, astrological programmes and classes on yoga and alternative medicine as a soothing alternative to 24-hour news channels and soap operas.

“Spirituality is there in the youth already, but we are trying to consolidate it,” said Joshi.
“Devotional music is the one thing that can relieve stress from people and take them towards God and spirituality.” “The set, possibly with a river or trees in the background, will create tranquility in the minds of viewers.”

Instead of prizes of cash or cars normally offered to winners of India’s numerous singing reality shows, the winner will get a paid pilgrimage to a holy site of their choice and the chance to record an album of devotional songs.

Lets see whether this spiritual-singing hunt will win over the hearts of the people as all other talent hunts, or whether this spiritual show will completely sideline all the other similar kind of shows!

Yes…the boy is 20 years old Abhishek from bangalore and the show is none other than Sony’s much worshipped and much appreciated music hunt: Indian Idol.

It was immediately after his today’s performance that the show went into flash-back, and all that we could hear was Abhishek’s heavy voice disclosing a truth that his parents managed to keep under sheets not just from him but also from the world, for twenty long years. “I am fortunate enough to have grown up with love of not one but two parents,” were Abhishek’s words. If happiness for getting to meet his real parents was one emotion visible in his eyes, fear of facing people who showered him with love all these years was another. “I don’t know how I will tell my parents that I know the truth.” Cut to the world of reality TV:

With due respect to the boy’s sentiments, I would like to divert the current of emotions towards the practical scene…

I couldn’t find even a single strand of link between the flow of the show and this dramatic revelation, except for the fact that was roped in as a sure shot gimmick to for soaring TRP’s. Otherwise, there was no point in sensationalizing the biggest secret of Abhishek’s parents before crores of audience. And another reason that I could guess is that even the boy didn’t mind cashing upon some publicity aka votes in this case…but I’m sorry to say he’ll be doing that on the cost of his parents’ sentiments.

This kind of weird stuff to raise TRP ratings is not an alien trend for the world of Reality TV.

If Anu Malik tears off meek Udit Narayan on one of them, then there are Aadesh Srivastava’s Walk-outs dhamkies if Alka Yagnik continues as a judge on another popular channel, while on the third rival channel nasalite Himesh Reshamiya doesn’t mind challenging veterans like Asha Bhonsle in the name of getting roti in his contestant’s home.

Cut the crap guys…and get out of this mad race of TRP… there’s more to reality TV than bringing the so called ‘behind the camera scenes’ before the world and cashing upon the clash of opinions of judges …emotions of the contestant and sentimental approach of the Indian audience.

Tags: · Television

Tired of bearing teenage to mid 20’s testing your patience in an attempt to fulfill their dreams? Welcome to reality TV fever – you want to see them dance, sing, act stupid, cry, throw a tantrum? Everything is fair in Talent shows and reality scoops.
The problem with these shows is there is a single concept, similar looking 15 seconds of fame hungry youngsters stomping all over your living room daily. You cry with them, you smile at their laurels but at the same time you want rip them off – they are just everywhere!

Indian Idol running for the third year on Simon Fuller’s American Idol, Voice of India another singing talent hunt for those serious musicians and a bunch of others.

If you thought you aren’t having enough laughs?

Well, there is Great Indian Laughter Challenge also doing its third round at making people laugh on “new” jokes. You love Raju Srivastava well he’s everywhere – Star One, Star News, Commercials and now you can find the bandwagon on Bombay to Goa, the latest comedy flick waiting in the wings to hit the box-office.

Not to forget the late night Crime Shows on every News Channel on your idiot box starring the most hideous of anchors and more than often scarier than criminals.

So, what’s new? We have had our share of sobbing womenfolk on every soap, reality shows, rip offs on Mad TV and News Breaking every hour on tinniest of “scoop”.

Time to put a stop on the show, the clone show.