9 April 1998 Edition
Television: Pantomine
By Sean O Donaile
The Jerry Springer Show UTV
The Chris Barry Phone In Show FM104
Winning Streak RTE1
The man on the Jerry Springer Show was eager to tell his tale of woe. He had his penis surgically removed in order to shake off the interests of a stalker, who had ``tormented my body and soul'' for two years.
The stalker was then wheeled in, to the horror of the audience, and revealed that in fact he was his lover and after much ado, the amputee acknowledged his ``error'' and after some ``advice'' decided to reverse his misfortune.
The Jerry Springer Show could be labelled the ultimate in tabloid TV or is it the American version of pantomine? Run on similar lines as Oprah Winfrey and Ricki Lake, the programme has a huge following. It has its designated good guy victims and baddies to be hissed at by a dummy audience.
Characters attack each other physically, cry uncontrollably, reveal secrets they somehow cannot discuss at home and all willingly undergo humiliation for the sake of appearing on TV. People often assume Americans are motivated primarily by money. But the publicity of TV for whatever reason is an even greater spur.
It is the ultimate accolade. In one case the occupant of an electric chair attempted to have his execution shown live on The Phil Donahue Show. ``Respect'' is extremely desirable in the US and one could argue that this has led to some deranged folk attempting to garner this respect by massacring innocent people in order to become ``infamous'' and a household name. Who doesn't know David Koresh or Michael Ryan?
To appear on TV confers one in a milion status, regardless of why. Participants seem to know their roles, even if the programme isn't rehearsed or staged. Before entering the studio Bill doesn't know his girlfriend was once a man, but he senses he's the bull entering the arena and must charge at someone. Springer is the matador, cruelly taunting and leading his victims, but standing well out of harm's way himself. If Adolf Hitler was still with us, he would make a tidy living on the US talk show circuit getting booed and hissed at, as he ranted about annexing his inferior next door neighbour's garden or partner.
There's no point satirising American television, it does that well enough itself every day. Springer and his ilk use the perverted motivations of their society in order to boost their TAM ratings and do so successfully. The unfortunate thing is to see elements of the ``public privacy TV'' creeping into the Irish media courtesy of the Chris Barry Show and his phone callers who seem to have no sense of Irish modesty.
It was not too long ago that Frankie Byrne's sponsored radio programme dealt more discreetly with people's problems, ``And you know Frankie, he was only after you know what. He put his hands you know where...''
Now bored housewives and househusbands have moved on from the 70s vouge of the drinks cabinet; instead mortifying their partners at the office with saucy tales of their underwear. The Irish have been accused of sweeping their personal problems under the carpet, but to hang their personal laundry out to dry for the sake of pantomine is of no real benefit to anyone.
Barry's show is also notoriously right wing and regualry calls for the extermination of drug addicts, republicans and more. I recall on one occasion calling the station to complain about Barry's derogatory comments about Irish women. On reaching the swichboard I was met by a matador who egged me to call women ``sluts'' etc on air, in order to stoke up a row. I refused and was switched off. Needless to say, within five minutes Barry had recruited some moron to slander Irish women, thus ensuring a jammed switchboard and much pantomine, but to no debate of any value.
Springer and Barry would claim to be catering for the wishes of the people, but does the media have the right to lead the people in a vacuous world of tabloid TV, devoid of any values bar titillation and pantomine?
Ray Bates, Director of The National Lottery was derided for describing Mike Murphy's ``Winning Streak'' as ``not bad for a bunch of stiffs from down the country''.
I knew a man who once met a man who declined the chance to spin the wheel in order to avoid Mike Murphy's interrogation about his private life; ``So I hear you're bad on the aul drink..Ha ha...and sure the whole parish is talking abou you''.
However, Murphy's brand of pantomine is a lot less harmful and entertaining than that of Springer, and millions of Irish viewers regularly tune in to see the myriad of banners in the audience, ``Come on Dad'', ``Good Luck Auntie Frances'', and methinks I even spotted ``John 3:7'' but I think he was probably up for the All Ireland Final that weekend and wandered off the set for Trom agus Eadrom!
A cynic might claim that Mike Murphy is a frustrated Jerry Springer eager to stoke up a row with personal questions, but it seems he is more likely trying to liven up those ``frightened culchies''.
As one of those down the country folk, I was delighted to see fellow culchies and republicans Bernadette and JB O Hagan cleaning up on Saturday last. Speaking of pantomine, David Trimble has submitted an objection on the grounds that the wheel was spinning to a republican agenda.
The Jerry Springer Show UTV
The Chris Barry Phone In Show FM104
Winning Streak RTE1
The man on the Jerry Springer Show was eager to tell his tale of woe. He had his penis surgically removed in order to shake off the interests of a stalker, who had ``tormented my body and soul'' for two years.
The stalker was then wheeled in, to the horror of the audience, and revealed that in fact he was his lover and after much ado, the amputee acknowledged his ``error'' and after some ``advice'' decided to reverse his misfortune.
The Jerry Springer Show could be labelled the ultimate in tabloid TV or is it the American version of pantomine? Run on similar lines as Oprah Winfrey and Ricki Lake, the programme has a huge following. It has its designated good guy victims and baddies to be hissed at by a dummy audience.
Characters attack each other physically, cry uncontrollably, reveal secrets they somehow cannot discuss at home and all willingly undergo humiliation for the sake of appearing on TV. People often assume Americans are motivated primarily by money. But the publicity of TV for whatever reason is an even greater spur.
It is the ultimate accolade. In one case the occupant of an electric chair attempted to have his execution shown live on The Phil Donahue Show. ``Respect'' is extremely desirable in the US and one could argue that this has led to some deranged folk attempting to garner this respect by massacring innocent people in order to become ``infamous'' and a household name. Who doesn't know David Koresh or Michael Ryan?
To appear on TV confers one in a milion status, regardless of why. Participants seem to know their roles, even if the programme isn't rehearsed or staged. Before entering the studio Bill doesn't know his girlfriend was once a man, but he senses he's the bull entering the arena and must charge at someone. Springer is the matador, cruelly taunting and leading his victims, but standing well out of harm's way himself. If Adolf Hitler was still with us, he would make a tidy living on the US talk show circuit getting booed and hissed at, as he ranted about annexing his inferior next door neighbour's garden or partner.
There's no point satirising American television, it does that well enough itself every day. Springer and his ilk use the perverted motivations of their society in order to boost their TAM ratings and do so successfully. The unfortunate thing is to see elements of the ``public privacy TV'' creeping into the Irish media courtesy of the Chris Barry Show and his phone callers who seem to have no sense of Irish modesty.
It was not too long ago that Frankie Byrne's sponsored radio programme dealt more discreetly with people's problems, ``And you know Frankie, he was only after you know what. He put his hands you know where...''
Now bored housewives and househusbands have moved on from the 70s vouge of the drinks cabinet; instead mortifying their partners at the office with saucy tales of their underwear. The Irish have been accused of sweeping their personal problems under the carpet, but to hang their personal laundry out to dry for the sake of pantomine is of no real benefit to anyone.
Barry's show is also notoriously right wing and regualry calls for the extermination of drug addicts, republicans and more. I recall on one occasion calling the station to complain about Barry's derogatory comments about Irish women. On reaching the swichboard I was met by a matador who egged me to call women ``sluts'' etc on air, in order to stoke up a row. I refused and was switched off. Needless to say, within five minutes Barry had recruited some moron to slander Irish women, thus ensuring a jammed switchboard and much pantomine, but to no debate of any value.
Springer and Barry would claim to be catering for the wishes of the people, but does the media have the right to lead the people in a vacuous world of tabloid TV, devoid of any values bar titillation and pantomine?
Ray Bates, Director of The National Lottery was derided for describing Mike Murphy's ``Winning Streak'' as ``not bad for a bunch of stiffs from down the country''.
I knew a man who once met a man who declined the chance to spin the wheel in order to avoid Mike Murphy's interrogation about his private life; ``So I hear you're bad on the aul drink..Ha ha...and sure the whole parish is talking abou you''.
However, Murphy's brand of pantomine is a lot less harmful and entertaining than that of Springer, and millions of Irish viewers regularly tune in to see the myriad of banners in the audience, ``Come on Dad'', ``Good Luck Auntie Frances'', and methinks I even spotted ``John 3:7'' but I think he was probably up for the All Ireland Final that weekend and wandered off the set for Trom agus Eadrom!
A cynic might claim that Mike Murphy is a frustrated Jerry Springer eager to stoke up a row with personal questions, but it seems he is more likely trying to liven up those ``frightened culchies''.
As one of those down the country folk, I was delighted to see fellow culchies and republicans Bernadette and JB O Hagan cleaning up on Saturday last. Speaking of pantomine, David Trimble has submitted an objection on the grounds that the wheel was spinning to a republican agenda.