Entertainment Execs Think You're Stuid...And They Can Prove It

So I'm sitting here watching Jake Westbrook destroy the Indians chances of winning as he's done quite a few times this year, when I started thinking about the most random thing in the world: TV game shows. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm an 80s baby which translates to "I was raised by the television". As a child I watched an obscene amount of television and my favorite thing to watch was game shows. It didn't really matter what the show was or what the premise of the show was; just give me a screen with your average American housewife or accountant making a complete jackass of themselves and I was set.

The more I thought about it the more I started thinking about those game shows as compared to the ones that show up on television today. I've gotta say it's pretty pathetic, but then again so is everything else in entertainment in this country. Let's examine.

Here are my favorite game shows from that era in no particular order:

1. The Price is Right
   
2. Jeopardy (best game show in the history of 4 universes)
3. Double Dare
4. Family Feud
5. Wheel of Fortune
   

That is a pretty gully list of game shows if I do say so myself. All great concepts with great hosts that brought out the intensity in the contestants and the crowd thereby making the shows damn good. The entertainment value was just incredible. Now lets compare them to a fairly recent crop of shows:

1. Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?
2. Fear Factor
3. The Weakest Link
4. Don't Forget the Lyrics (dumbest show ever)
5. Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Not only do these shows have hosts whose personalities are more of a draw than the show itself (with the exception of Fear Factor), but they also have concepts that are entertaining for about 1 full episode. "But David," you say "all of these shows did/are doing well in the ratings!" I agree and that brings me to the point of this entire post: entertainment outlets aren't even trying anymore and we don't care.

From television to movies to music mediocre is the new genius. The general viewing and listening audience has been reduced to either A) being interested in something because it gets shoved in their faces 45 times a day or B) people feel they don't have a choice. It's an obvious quantity over quality scenario. Advertisers and entertainment execs alike have figured out that you don't have to spend time developing a good product, but create a middle of the pack product with great marketing and you'll make millions. Who can blame them, would you work your tail off at work when the boss is handing out raises for leaving early?

AND they all produce the same product! Every show on television has a twin. Every genre of music has 4 or 5 bands or groups that sound EXACTLY the same. Movies get recycled every 6 months. Yet we continue to shell out money to be underwhelmed by something we've seen or heard before. We bought Lil' Bow Wow and Lil' Romeo cds. We watched 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact' (see also Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch). We tuned in to 'Chicago Hope' and 'ER' and 'Grey's Anatomy'. Maybe we're to blame instead of the studios.