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No getting away from it

13

Comments

  • #62
    markesmith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,752 ✭✭✭markesmith


    Look, I don't want her to die, Jade Goody's the symptom of the problem, not the problem.

    Media outlets like ITV, MTV, The Sun, News of the World, Sky News (which puts a Jade Goody story in front of what's happening in Israel), Fox, The Irish Independent, RTE, Paramount Comedy...

    It's like a limbo dance to see how low they can go. And we collectively lap it up. I applaud those of you who don't have a TV, or choose not to watch it. What do you do instead, after a day's work? How do you avoid the TV every day?

    My main point is, that there's an incredible amount of stupid stuff out there, while important world events just get pushed to the back page. End result: you have people who "really empathise" with Jade Goody, but couldn't point out Israel on a map.

    Newton Minow made the "Wasteland Speech" in 1961 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_Speech). In 2009, TV is so ubiquitous that the Wasteland depicted in this speech has seeped into real life.

    And even the channels that are meant to be educational - Discovery, History Channel, Biography Channel - have dumbed down to suit the current trends.

    It's at the stage where if RTE do a half-hour documentary on something worthwhile, they're applauded. And people see the Attenbrough series as a beacon of light. This should be the norm.

    When I have kids, I'd be loathe to put them in front of that box. If it's not trying to sell you skin cream, it's trying to sell you the latest girlband.

    And between the TV, the newspapers, the watercooler and the Internet, there really is no getting away from it.

    Anyone want to follow me down to Donnybrook? :)


  • #63
    markesmith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,752 ✭✭✭markesmith


    jiltloop wrote: »
    Television is such a a wasted medium. Imagine what the guy who invented the television was thinking when he devised it. He probably had great plans and ideas about how it could be used to inform and educate and make the world a more knowledgable and open place. I'd say he's turning in his grave now with the crap that's shown on tv. I have a certain lack of respect for people who feed on this celebrity crap, honestly is there not enough happening in their own lives? If you want escapism why not watch documentaries? Learn how the world works, learn about other cultures and places, learn about history. Get a thirst for knowledge instead of mindless drivel.

    Couldn't have put it better.


  • #64
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,217 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    Mhmm...weetabix wrote: »
    It's harsh and I feel sorry for her kids BUT plenty of people are dying in the world and it's not been rammed down our throats everyday. What has she ever contributed to anyone?

    She makes my ears bleed.

    Ah I have a few mates that will tell you everything about all the celebs, I think that is very very sad...

    I normally stick to documentaries. Wildlife and history, discovery and science, I do like the road rage and cops channels too. :)


  • #65
    RaverRo808
    Closed Accounts Posts: 677 ✭✭✭RaverRo808


    I do not believe this woman is dying,Jade Goody is the lowest of the low and would stoop to anything to maintain her 15 minutes of fame(I still am to see whats shes famous other then being an slightly retarded,ugly annoying cretin who appeared on a reality television program),there is obviously some shady PR company behind this pulling the strings milking this to gain as much attention as possible therefore making a sh*t load of money,I wouldnt be surprized if she makes an incredible recovery and in 2 months is on every chat show talking about it,plugging the book,and if she is sick and dying,so what,thousands die every day of cancer who have kids and are far more deserving then Jade Goody,but they areant in the papers,F*ck her


  • #66
    Collie D
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,586 ✭✭✭✭Collie D


    RaverRo808 wrote: »
    thousands die every day of cancer who have kids and are far more deserving then Jade Goody,but they areant in the papers,F*ck her

    So, what in your opinion makes her less deserving?


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  • #67
    Slow Motion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,831 ✭✭✭Slow Motion


    markesmith wrote: »
    I applaud those of you who don't have a TV, or choose not to watch it. What do you do instead, after a day's work? How do you avoid the TV every day?

    Books and a decent DVD collection, my T.V. usually gets switched on for the news and not much else! It's fairly easy really as not switching it off after the news would mean watching eye bleeding crap that would very soon turn me into a homicidal maniac!


  • #68
    markesmith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,752 ✭✭✭markesmith


    Collie D wrote: »
    So, what in your opinion makes her less deserving?

    Ahm, the fact that she's already been saturated in the media.

    Let some other terminally ill person have a go!


  • #69
    RaverRo808
    Closed Accounts Posts: 677 ✭✭✭RaverRo808


    Collie D wrote: »
    So, what in your opinion makes her less deserving?

    The fact she is a fame hungry idiot,who is pushed by the tabloid lowest denominator media to be a role model for young girls,she is a disgusting individual altogether


  • #70
    Collie D
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,586 ✭✭✭✭Collie D


    RaverRo808 wrote: »
    The fact she is a fame hungry idiot,who is pushed by the tabloid lowest denominator media to be a role model for young girls,she is a disgusting individual altogether

    FFS When did being a publicity whore make her Robert Mugabe?


  • #71
    Kiera
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,130 ✭✭✭✭Kiera


    RaverRo808 wrote: »
    I do not believe this woman is dying,Jade Goody is the lowest of the low and would stoop to anything to maintain her 15 minutes of fame(I still am to see whats shes famous other then being an slightly retarded,ugly annoying cretin who appeared on a reality television program),there is obviously some shady PR company behind this pulling the strings milking this to gain as much attention as possible therefore making a sh*t load of money,I wouldnt be surprized if she makes an incredible recovery and in 2 months is on every chat show talking about it,plugging the book,and if she is sick and dying,so what,thousands die every day of cancer who have kids and are far more deserving then Jade Goody,but they areant in the papers,F*ck her
    Its such a pity personal abuse isnt allowed on this site. You're a nasty piece of work!


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  • #72
    Rsaeire
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,888 ✭✭✭Rsaeire


    People should just agree to disagree regarding Jade Goody and move on.

    Reality TV is so hit and miss that it is easy to lambast it and cause it rubbish, but I can see how certain people can find something of interest in particular shows e.g. X-Factor; people might be interested in singing, Dancing on Ice; people, like a previous poster, might be interested in ice dancing, So You Think You Can Dance; people might be interested in dancing etc. In saying that, there are a lot of the other reality TV shows that are just utterly ridiculous and you wonder how they are made in the first place.

    I do agree with the posters who described soaps negatively and how people who are addicted to watching soaps numerous times during the week, and taping it when not there, as being a bit sad. In addition, you can’t compare a TV show like Battlestar Galactica, 24, Heroes et al, as these TV shows generally have 22 shows a season, whereas soaps can have up to 5 shows a week all year round. Not only that, but the same people watching these soaps endlessly, and I’m referring to soaps in plural, watch more than one, read about the actor’s real lives and what they get up to at awards, in private, walking to the shop etc. I find this obsession with celebrity culture, and everything that comes with it, as being completely crazy; I’m specifically referring to the people who follow these “celebrities”, and I use the term loosely, in magazines, on TV shows, on the news, on web sites etc. Being able to tell others what dress x wore at the x awards and who y dumped while on holiday isn’t an accomplishment.

    If these same people took a fraction of the time they spent with this obsessive behaviour and spent it on something more productive, such as eating more healthily, working out, going to the cinema, reading an "actual" newspaper", spending more time with their kids, if applicable, taking a course to improve their productivity in work etc, they’d be much better off, in my opinion.


  • #73
    markesmith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,752 ✭✭✭markesmith


    Just makes you shudder to think what it'll be like in 20 years time. Intelligence-wise, do you see us regressing? Have we as a species started to go backwards? We obsess over people we know nothing about, and we support a woman who never had any talent but is now dying. Just seems quite illogical, quite far removed from what our real purpose on this planet is.


  • #74
    Dinner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,132 ✭✭✭Dinner


    markesmith wrote: »
    Just seems quite illogical, quite far removed from what our real purpose on this planet is.

    What makes you think that there is actually a purpose?


    Surely it's obvious that the only reason that people have such interest in 'celebrities' is that these days, they can have an interest and they are able to see what celebrities are doing. 20, 30, 50, 200 years ago they couldn't have an interest because there was no way to hear about what they were doing. Although I'm sure that in their villages people would have discussed important matters like if a womans ankles were visible.

    Do you think that gossip was invented along with the internet?


  • #75
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Jade Goody seemed like a very unpleasant and stupid individual, but to take any pleasure or schadenfreude in the terminal illness of a mother with two young kids because they are heavily involved with a vapid and idiotic media is, well, vapid and idiotic.


  • #76
    Nylah Quick Oasis
    Posts: 81,308 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Nylah Quick Oasis


    markesmith wrote: »
    I applaud those of you who don't have a TV, or choose not to watch it. What do you do instead, after a day's work? How do you avoid the TV every day?

    Forums, wow, work-related study mostly. And reading a good book.


    I almost never hear anything about her nor do I have any interest in doing so. I don't feel overcome with emotion one way or the other about her.


  • #77
    Acacia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,816 ✭✭✭Acacia


    Collie D wrote: »

    I neither like or dislike Jade Goody. She doesn't interest me one bit. If she's in the paper I just turn the page. Yet people on here say they hate her and hope she dies soon. Why? What has she ever done to you?

    If you're referring to me, I never said once that I hope she dies soon. I said I don't particularly care what happens to her. That's not the same as wishing her dead.

    She hasn't done anything to me personally, no, but I have every right to not like her-George Bush never did anything to me personally, and I still don't like him.

    stovelid wrote: »
    Jade Goody seemed like a very unpleasant and stupid individual, but to take any pleasure or schadenfreude in the terminal illness of a mother with two young kids because they are heavily involved with a vapid and idiotic media is, well, vapid and idiotic.

    Again, if you're referring to me, I think it's actually more vapid and idiotic to watch a z-list celebrity on a tv show struggling with terminal illness as if it's some sort of great piece of entertainment. I find that a bit sick , to be honest.

    And I certainly don't take pleasure in the fact that she's sick- quite the opposite , actually- I just don't care.


  • #78
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Acacia wrote: »
    I think it's actually more vapid and idiotic to watch a z-list celebrity on a tv show struggling with terminal illness as if it's some sort of great piece of entertainment. I find that a bit sick , to be honest.
    .

    You don't have to watch it. I don't. Some do. Who cares?


  • #79
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 18,160 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    stovelid wrote: »
    You don't have to watch it. I don't. Some do. Who cares?
    I covered this earlier:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59060109&postcount=40

    Unless you stick with broadsheet media, which I find too formal, you're screwed. There's no middle ground unfortunately.


  • #80
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,224 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    OP, you're my hero. I'd rather rub sandpaper on my nuts then watch the reality TV garbage that the lazy TV executives are throwing out these days. Whoever thought "let's put 10 mongs/scangers/inbreds in a house/cage/arsehole/car/other and film them for weeks" was a good idea, needs to be found so we can pummel him/her to death.

    /happy thoughts


  • #81
    Acacia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,816 ✭✭✭Acacia


    Karsini wrote: »
    I covered this earlier:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59060109&postcount=40

    Unless you stick with broadsheet media, which I find too formal, you're screwed. There's no middle ground unfortunately.

    Exactly. It's hard to ignore it really, when it's plastered all over the tv on a regular basis. For example, the ad for 'jade's progress' is on every five minutes on Living TV. That's how I know about it, as I certainly wouldn't bother finding out information about her otherwise.

    My point was I resent being told to be ashamed of myself because I don't have much sympathy for a rather pathetic 'celebrity' trying to make money off her terminal illness. I'm not saying people can't watch it if they want- I just think it's more shameful to do that (i.e. derive some sort of entertainment out of her illness), than to say that I don't really care about her.


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  • #82
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Karsini wrote: »

    Unless you stick with broadsheet media, which I find too formal, you're screwed. There's no middle ground unfortunately.

    ??

    You read the tabloids, Metro or (S)INDO, you get tits, Jade Goody and z-list celebrities.

    Read the broadsheets or selected internet sties, you get news.

    Use the TV remote judiciously.

    Seriously, nobody can totally escape this stuff but you can adequately limit it.
    Acacia wrote: »
    Exactly. It's hard to ignore it really, when it's plastered all over the tv on a regular basis. For example, the ad for 'jade's progress' is on every five minutes on Living TV. .

    What do you expect on Living TV? Programmes on the works of Wittgenstein?


  • #83
    Acacia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,816 ✭✭✭Acacia


    stovelid wrote: »
    ??
    What do you expect on Living TV? Programmes on the works of Wittgenstein?

    No, I don't and that's not the point. I watch that channel for other programmes, and the ads for Jade's show are on every 5 minutes, so it's not easy to avoid hearing about her.


  • #84
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Acacia wrote: »
    No, I don't and that's not the point. I watch that channel for other programmes, and the ads for Jade's show are on every 5 minutes, so it's not easy to avoid hearing about a z-list celebrity who has a show on the celebrity and lifestyle channel that I'm watching.

    FYP.


  • #85
    Acacia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,816 ✭✭✭Acacia


    I think you're intentionally missing my point, tbh. I'm saying that it's hard to avoid hearing about Jade on Living TV, and just because she's on that channel a lot, it doesn't mean I should have to stop watching it just to avoid her. Not that I care that much about her in the first place.


  • #86
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Acacia wrote: »
    Not that I care that much about her in the first place.

    Me too.

    My exposure to her is minimal given my choice of media.


  • #87
    Latchy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21,190 ✭✭✭✭Latchy


    Lets be honest about it and leaving JG prediciment aside .Their is a production line of such like celebs out there and always has being ( how apt , most of them will be sooner or later ) for many years now .I dont really care much about the celebs lifestyle because most of them imo, are pandering to the lowest common denominator/ most impressionable , alllowing for the fact that people will choose to follow or watch whom they wish ,when they wish .Or in the majority of cases , have it shoved down our throats .It's knowing the difference that's important .

    Thank god for books .Most times , I can loose myself in a good book away from the car crash tv /trashy media .


  • #88
    RaverRo808
    Closed Accounts Posts: 677 ✭✭✭RaverRo808


    Kiera wrote: »
    Its such a pity personal abuse isnt allowed on this site. You're a nasty piece of work!

    Love the sleep I will lose over your opinon of me ..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


  • #89
    markesmith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,752 ✭✭✭markesmith


    Never mind Jade Goody, she's more the symptom of the deeper-lying problem.

    I mean, she'll die, and someone else will be along to take her place. There seem to be legions of dead-headed celebs with no talent, who will consider racism, spousal abuse, cocaine addiction, eating disorders, mixing medications on morning TV shows, and yes even terminal addictions, to increase their shelf life to a voracious magazine- and TV-consuming public. Katona, Tweedy, Goody, and on and on.

    It's more about the infrastructure that lets people like Jade Goody thrive. It's the modern-day equivalent of the Circus Maximus, the Elephant Man, moving statues in Knock...

    It's like people need to read or see about freaks these days. And if you're not into that, if you're not into the Perez Hilton world, by God you're subjected to it often enough in normal conversation.

    I mean really, who cares that Cheryl Cole fears for her marriage? Look at the cover of OK Magazine any week - photo of Cheryl with pursed lips, "Cheryl fears for marriage"...

    At the end of the day these magazines seem only to want to hawk plastic surgery, TopShop's latest Kate Moss line, and an eating disorder to you.


  • #90
    RaverRo808
    Closed Accounts Posts: 677 ✭✭✭RaverRo808


    What kind of person who is supposedly dying of cancer,which is a horrific way to perish,would publicy film her wedding and charge a Kings ransom for the rights to it,it reeks of PR spin,and is downright despicable,I am now more then ever convinced this is hoax for her to win back her z-list celebrity status and get the money rolling back in again,maybe she should bring out a new perfume.......................Terminal!


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  • #91
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    I often think that the only two groups who actually worry about the likes of Jade Goody are celebrity fans and supposed intellectuals fulminating about the vacuous tastes of the hoi polloi.

    The rest of the population don't really care. As in really don't care: they don't think about it; they don't worry about it, and they don't start threads about it.


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