The new reality show The Briefcase pits the debt-ridden against each other.

cloud493

Why does this exist? Really. Are we really at the point where watching and laughing at poor people is an ok thing? I don't like to criticise tv that much cos of the amount of **** thats on it these days, but frankly this rustled my jimmies. The BBC will also be doing a similar show called britains hardest grafters, so apparently its all ok. Christ.

BoJack Horseman

Trailer for the bbc show doesnt work

Whatever happened to the show there people are crammed into silver Lycra and try to fit through unreasonably small holes in a wall?

Howard Roark

American TV shows like that are always scripted.

Samaris

cloud493 wrote: »

Why does this exist? Really. Are we really at the point where watching and laughing at poor people is an ok thing? I don't like to criticise tv that much cos of the amount of **** thats on it these days, but frankly this rustled my jimmies. The BBC will also be doing a similar show called britains hardest grafters, so apparently its all ok. Christ.

Blech.

Ok, so now everyone knows that both families get a briefcase anyway. So not really getting the feeling that these are real people. But, say they're not actors. Imagine being given enough money to pay off your debts, maybe a better education for the kids, even things like operations or a form of transport so you can get to work. And then being told that the world is watching you to see if you'll give it away. And THEN potentially ending up in a position of being considered "mean" rather than desperate if you don't and the other family does, on air in front of tens of thousands of people.

Blech. Desperation porn for viewers. Don't like it.

Birneybau

Briefcase w@nker.

Hande hoche!

In a similar vein to Repo games.

Specialun

Thats is just fcuked up

Guy:Incognito

cloud493 wrote: »

Why does this exist? Really. Are we really at the point where watching and laughing at poor people is an ok thing? .

But people who are not poor is ok? Theres a succession of reality shows laughing at people for various reasons.

Have "the poor" now taken their turn as "most vulnerable in society" tm ?

Samaris

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

But people who are not poor is ok? Theres a succession of reality shows laughing at people for various reasons.

Have "the poor" now taken their turn as "most vulnerable in society" tm ?

Eh, the poor are -generally- "the most vulnerable in society". Certainly very vulnerable to having hard times exploited for the amusement of an audience.

I don't agree with the other reality TV shows that are based on taking advantage of peoples' issues either.

Guy:Incognito

Samaris wrote: »

Eh, the poor are -generally- "the most vulnerable in society". .
.

Are they? Do you listen to the news? Everyone has had their go at being "the most vulnerable in society". Hence my jibe at the term.

"the most vulnerable in society" are whoever the papers or politicians or anyone with an agenda choose them to be at a given time.

The King of Moo

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Are they? Do you listen to the news? Everyone has had their go at being "the most vulnerable in society". Hence my jibe at the term.

"the most vulnerable in society" are whoever the papers or politicians or anyone with an agenda choose them to be at a given time.

Yes, but the poor by definition are genuinely vulnerable!

Samaris

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Are they? Do you listen to the news? Everyone has had their go at being "the most vulnerable in society". Hence my jibe at the term.

"the most vulnerable in society" are whoever the papers or politicians or anyone with an agenda choose them to be at a given time.

Was that phrase used in the vid or something? Sorry, just figuring out where you're coming from is all

And to some extent, there is a political aspect; what is the current Thing for people to be allowed/encouraged to empathize with. But that doesn't negate that X or Y group actually IS in hard and painful circumstances, that they ARE vulnerable, and that shows like this are exploitative.

Guy:Incognito

Samaris wrote: »

Was that phrase used in the vid or something? Sorry, just figuring out where you're coming from is all .

Im coming from the "laugh at who you want, but when you start laughing at the poor, thats it" side of the hand wringing.

Maybe someone should have said at the beginning that the poor were off limits and saved them the bother.

The King of Moo

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Im coming from the "laugh at who you want, but when you start laughing at the poor, thats it" side of the hand wringing.

Maybe someone should have said at the beginning that the poor were off limits and saved them the bother.

What kind of person would want to laugh at the poor?

Guy:Incognito

The King of Moo wrote: »

What kind of person would want to laugh at the poor?

The same kind that laugh at the stupid?

Anyway. I doubt anyone is being forced on to the show against their will.

Caovyn Lineah

I can't imagine laughing at anybody in that show and don't understand why anybody else would laugh either.

ancapailldorcha

Whatever about the poverty porn peddled by the likes of Channel 4, they're private. I'm forced to pay for the BBC and its disgraceful "Britain's Hardest Grafter".

mad muffin

I'd be like,

WOOHOO!!!

Then go grab my shotgun.

Now get off my porch bitches!

Son Of A Vidic

What next? The Saw maybe? Where the viewers will decide upon who losses a limb and who walks. The way things are going in this world, we'll probably get there eventually.

Thargor

Maybe if they werent all so fat they'd have the energy to drag themselves out of debt instead of having to do human freak shows like this?

Jesus Wept

lol
what an awful lot of bollox

Jesus Wept

Thargor wrote: »

Maybe if they werent all so fat they'd have the energy to drag themselves out of debt instead of having to do human freak shows like this?

well that is a stupid comment

ancapailldorcha

Thargor wrote: »

Maybe if they werent all so fat they'd have the energy to drag themselves out of debt instead of having to do human freak shows like this?

Pathetic comment.

Samaris

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Im coming from the "laugh at who you want, but when you start laughing at the poor, thats it" side of the hand wringing.

Maybe someone should have said at the beginning that the poor were off limits and saved them the bother.

You can't really be sure that we're all just fine with the other ones either. But this show is pretty distasteful. Let's fling largesse at the peasants and watch them scramble for it.

I'm sure there's an argument at the other side of "well, they sign up for it and they get money out of it, why do you care?"

Yeah, they do, at least, although they also risk being made a show of on national TV for the crime of being in a desperate enough financial situation to make this worth it. It's rather like that damned "give a rival team's jumper to a hobo" campaign.


By the way, I have no time for the rest of these reality TV shows either.