As If 19 Kids And Counting Wasn't Bad Enough

[The Skeletal Atheist]

The reality shows have very low production costs so it's easy for small networks to crank them out to see what succeeds. They will keep putting out titillating stuff like this as long as people keep watching. The size of the population is such that today, even "small" audiences are large enough to make everyone involved some money.

I, personally, aspire to be in a reality show where I just sit and face the camera for an hour with a stern face and randomly fart. It'll be called Stern Faced Guy Randomly Farts or something similar. At random points throughout the show people will talk about how they feel about my stern face and random farting. When ratings get low I'll say something reprehensible but appealing to a disenfranchised but dumb segment of society. It'll be a hit.

[gussy]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/tlc-producer-wants-list-of-100-fuckedup-families-o,37282/

I'm guessing this might have actually happened.

[Aletheia]

*Snickers*

Old bisexual trick.

Q: Are you gay?

A: No

Assumption: So they must be straight.

--------------

Hey, looks like the religious community is becoming accepting of bisexuals in a "I don't approve of half your nature, but still love you anyway" sort of way. However, I think this will make them less accepting of gays and form an unsubstantiated belief that they coax a gay person into being bisexual. You can't make yourself bisexual anymore than you can force yourself to be straight when you're not or gay when you're not.

Personally, I liked it better when the religious community acted like bisexuals didn't exist.

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Isn't this also "The Marcus Bachmann Story"?

[_Xenu_]

The reality shows have very low production costs so it's easy for small networks to crank them out to see what succeeds. They will keep putting out titillating stuff like this as long as people keep watching. The size of the population is such that today, even "small" audiences are large enough to make everyone involved some money.

What do you expect from the network that brought us Honey Boo Boo? So much of cable has become reality trash for just the reason you describe: As long as they make something that gets viewers, it will be profitable no matter how scummy it is. This is why I don't have cable.

[Dreamer]

I kinda view TLC in a Colbert-like light.  The ridiculousness is clearly highlighted but approached from a serious angle--and just like Colbert, many people simply take whatever meaning they wish from it because of how it's presented.