Yesterday's Dominion Post had *another* front page picture of Dancing with the Stars "stars". The Stuff website also had an article posted about the results of the show. Who's paying them? I know Rupert Murdoch owns The DP and Stuff, but why should they be slavishly promoting a TVNZ show?? He doesn't own TVNZ too...does he?
Yes, I know it was Very Popular, but surely all 700,000 people who remotely cared, actually watched the show. How can they possibly justify presenting it as a news item when it has no status as an event in dancing or any other field?
For someone who didn't watch the show, I've learned quite a lot about it. According to a work colleague, his teenage daughter blew the family text-messaging budget during the show. "She sent *ten* texts!" he said. Viewers could vote for their favourite star; obviously there was no limit on how many times, since the broadcaster was presumably quite happy to collect part of the revenue. It must be part of fulfilling their charter obligations to teach young New Zealanders about democracy.
Apparently my colleague's daughter had to vote that many times to help shut out a vaguely villainous Shortland Street actor, who committed the crime of strutting around with a bare chest (Ew! Show off!). You can see how they plotted it. The eventual winner was Norm Hewitt, a former All Black hooker (who was mostly a reserve to Sean Fitzpatrick during his playing career). The good old solid, humble Kiwi bloke had the crowd on his side to beat the smarmy tosser in tight pants.
In the lead up to Sunday's final, they even got Helen Clark and Don Brash to opine on their favourite stars, and the two--ever desperate to appear to have the common touch--readily obliged. "I'm with Norm" I believe was the essence of Helen's quote (this is the same guy who Ruth Dyson said was a prat for playing on with a broken arm during an important game; she said it set a bad example for young people with injuries. A week later she copped even more public scorn than could be expected when she was done DIC, and politicians learned their lesson --don't knock the tough bloke). Man, talk about bread and circuses.
4 comments:
Perhaps the rest of NZ just didn't want the Auckland show-pony to win. We just love to hate anything Auckland.
Again, television has a lot to answer for. While we do get the occasional decent programme (the doco about the Nile and The Smoking Room being two examples), that appalling dance trash tends to be the sort tripe we're fed at most times. And whenever the TV cameras are in Parliament no MP can resist the opportunity to be a complete prat, safe in the knowledge they'll be on the news that night. Who was surprised to see both the PM and Brash kicked out of the Chamber in the same sitting when the cameras were rolling?
They obviously subscribe to the thinking that any publicity is good publicity. I beg to differ. I expect my elected representatives to get with the job to the best of their ability and in the best interests of the country. When I see one playing up for the cameras I am less likely to direct my vote in their direction.
Russell Crowe is a good example of the folly of the "any publicity" theory. His recent escapades have hurt, rather than helped, his current movie and may have adversely affected his Hollywood career. One Australian media wag reportedly said that "NZ can have Russell back now". No thanks Aussie, he's all yours.
You watch parliament on TV, Kev? You must have too much time on your hands.
And New Zealand, again, is having a very bad influence on the USA. The show "So You Think You Can Dance" has been announced for the Fall season. Please.
good post. leaves only one question: why wasn't shane wearing a vest?
Post a Comment