…that THEY already know who wins? Am I the only one who survived the aliens’ mind wipe concerning Survivor I? All last spring and summer, we heard, “Oh, the participants and the network execs already know who wins, it’s all on tape already.” “Oh, no!” said other people, shocked. “It’s all completely spontaneous! It’s actually happening, right now!”
Well, so then it’s finally over and we all find out that yes, they knew, and the network execs knew, who won, and they all had had to sign non-disclosure agreements ahead of time.
So now we’re all just supposed to park our obedient little butts in front of the TV for the Super Bowl, and then leave them there so the network can pretend like nobody knows who’s going to win. And of course nobody has signed any non-disclosure agreements or anything like that, it’s all completely spontaneous.
We’re supposed to pretend that it’s high drama unfolding while we watch, when in actuality it’s all in the can, same as an episode of Friends.
The really laughable part was that the Chicago Tribune, an otherwise sensible newspaper, called in a psychic to give predictions:
So, um, this psychic isn’t predicting the future, he’s predicting the past?
I ran all of this past the Better Half this morning, and he doesn’t see any problem with it. Time for new tinfoil in his hat?
There’s a button on my TV that allows me to vote my opinion on the quality of the programming, “off.” I watch TV but haven’t had mine on for more than two hous this week. As for Survivor, did any of them die? No, then I guess they all survived. They may have had to endure sunburn and yuckky food but no one’s survival was ever at stake. No one can force you to be a good little automiton droid and suck up the pablum that passes for entertainment except you.
Duck Duck - I’m confused. Are you saying that there are people out there that really believe this show is happening in real time? There are people that don’t KNOW that this was taped months ago? I find that hard to believe.
Even if you had no interest in the whole concept, it would be hard to avoid all of the news reports that state the fact that it was taped last year, that everyone has signed a gag order, etc.
QUEL publicity? i never heard about it all being taped last year. I mean, I thought it was fairly obvious when I heard just now but I wasn’t bombarded with people telling me it was taped in the past…
What difference does it make? I mean, if the Super bowl was known in advance, it would still be the Super bowl, right? I don’t see the difference. :o
Um, nearly every article I’ve read so far has mentioned the fact that it was taped last fall. Even last fall, I was reading articles about the security on the taping of the show. Any casual reader of the entertainment section of a newspaper should know that.
I don’t get this part. Yes, they all signed non-disclosure agreements. They don’t get any money if they spill the beans. Every participant gets some money just for being on the show, although the big money is for the finalists. They also agree to get sued for millions if they do disclose any information ahead of time. I read a quote in todays paper from a participants husband saying that even he didn’t know, so he’ll be watching it every week along with everyone else to find out if his wife won or not.
It is unfolding as we watch, in a sense. Very few people know who the winner is, and the only ones that do are sworn to secrecy.
I just don’t get what is so objectionable? Or did I miss the point of your rant? No one is passing this off as something that is happening right now. IIRC, the last one wasn’t passed off as that either. Logically, I can’t see how anyone would think that a show that well edited could be shown live.
I would be inclined to agree with you, boli, but then I remembered all the hours I spent convincing my b-i-l that The Blair Witch Project wasn’t real (and I don’t think he believes me anyway, I think he finally agreed with me to make me stop weeping).
Yes. I knew actual people who were convinced that Survivor I was happening in real time, and who still think that Survivor II is going to be the same. Strangely enough, many of them are the Better Half’s coworkers at the Post Office. Could this mean something?
And like Zoggie said, last spring when the whole Survivor I thing started, and suddenly the network had this huge runaway hit on their hands, there wasn’t a whole lot of publicity about the fact that it was already in the can. There were rumors, but they didn’t exactly noise it around town at first.
And I had an awful time explaining Blair Witch to my kids. They finally “got it” about the fourth time the “camera crew” picked up and started wandering around in circles. Again. Even La Principessa, at age 10, knows that’s not what you do when you’re lost. Ergo, it’s “only a movie”.
I just hopes that one of them killed a kangaroo or something and gets arrested and gaoled (or at least heavily fined) when the authorities see it on TV. But I’m a bastard that way…
Wow. I know people that believe the “Blair Witch Project” was real, and I could believe that there are people that could believe that Survivor was actually happening last summer (despite the fact that it lasted all summer, and yet the show constantly referred to the “39 days” they spent on the island). But thinking that “Titanic” was a documentary?? Please, tell me you’re joking, because that’s just sad.
IMHO, survivor isn’t a very thrilling show. I would much rather watch a drama. I think that the shows the real world and road rules are better. Either way though, it does get kinda old. It’s not like they are in any immediate danger, or are deeply affected by the whole thing. They have camera guys and a lot of people making sure nothing goes wrong. IMHO, I think that the people who went down to the north pole and had no way out until the planes were able to come back (I’m talking about the doctor who had to perform her own bi-opsy (just about)) were a lot more courageous than the people off survivor.
As for the people who thought that the show went on at about the time they were watching and that the producers and other people didnt know anything about it, I know two or three people who made sure that they watched every episode so they would know exactly what would happen. But I guess thats about the same for any Tv show.
