"...an exercise in systematic humiliation..."
The header is part of the decription made by the executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, referring to a cancelled (pre-launch) two hour reality show titled "Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay." The competition was for $50K between two contestants attempting to convince people, including friends (and, presumably, family) that they're gay. It's a twist on the same schtick used in "My Big, Fat Obnoxious Fiance'", which is no surprise since it was produced by the same people.
My stance is that this is a case of a group (GLAAD) being entirely too sensitive about its image. But, then again, I suppose that's largely what the group exists to be. The inference in their objections was that the show might incite some action against members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual community... whatever that really is.
The show was originally scheduled to be aired Monday, June 7th, for what it's worth. Here's the initial reaction, followed by the comments on the decision to cancel the show, both via the offended parties, it seems.
Probably what caught my attention more than anything else was the quote I pulled for the header. If that doesn't capture the essence of nearly every "reality show" that's aired, I don't know what does. I know that's about the only appeal they have for me, which is why the only episodes of American Idol I've sat through have been the early ones, while active and obvious weeding of the untalented was going on. The WB cut to the heart of the matter by secretly inverting the rules with their sometimes hilarious WB's Superstar USA, where contestants were led to believe this was another American Idol, but in fact the judges were looking for the worst singers and performers they could find, weeding out any speck of talent and grace. Sometimes it becomes so cruel that I hope it turns out to be a complete put-on. While each of the people to make it to later rounds might be able to milk some William Hung-ish fame from the event, having been lead on this far I worry that they've become so convinced that they've ascended that they've razed their "old" lives, certain that they'll never have to return.
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