The Decline of Meaningful Culture....Live!

Commentary on the social phenomenon of talk shows, 'reality' TV and similar.

 

‘You must be in it to win it!’
‘The Sky is the limit!’
‘This adventure won’t end once you begin it!’
Be immersed in the rapture as angels ascend
Look to a future where all is pretend
On the road of the broken and unspoken fears
Won’t you partake in the televised cheer?
All problems will leave you- all pain goes away
As you watch the demise of the people you hate
And rejoice in the choice of the ones elevated
To the ‘best of the rest’ celebrity status!

Ricky Lake and Jerry Springer have a lot to answer for
They prompted Trisha Goddard to take my TV set by storm
Whereupon the British populace got their chance to join the ‘stars’
On the premise that popularity
Comes from how petty people are
Then out came Jeremy Kyle- an ex-addict on a mission
Doling out his judgements
Sensationalised derision
The audience applauds the host
And boo’s the villain in the ‘stocks’
The stones they throw are verbal
In this public court of shocks:

Rants, humiliation- vendetta’s viewed on air
The futile feuds of f**k wits for the f**k wit world to share

Watch them weaving like a cobra- waving fingers in the air
They say
‘You ho!’
‘Whatever... girlfriend!’
‘Does this face look like it cares?’
With missing teeth and bingo wings
Home-made tattoos and piercings
Cheap jewellery hangs from everything
We’ve gotta:
‘Talk to the hand, cos’ the face ain’t listening!’

The window scrolls below the show
Coming up next... (so please don’t go)...

.............‘My husband dumped me for my mother’...........
.........
.............‘My girlfriend’s sleeping with my brother’..........
.........
..............‘I’m romantically involved with the family pet’..........
..........
.....YOU can be on the show if you can think of others.....

Generations of human trash
Arrive from trailer parks and council homes
To share their real life traumas
Text your judgment from your mobile phone
Malicious talking- vicious stalking
Time to join the talk show talk in
Phone this line to have your say
Pass the mic’ around the studio
The guests can’t get away...

Join in the tension and the drama
Of being really thick
Those that think life is a talk show
Make me f*****g sick
Under-educated low lives
Playing up for fame
Now the camera’s rolling
The moron breed act up: inane
They crave continual attention
While neglecting their own kids
Munchhausen’s DNA is tested

........‘Join us after the break to find out who the father is’......

Now we have ‘Docu-soaps’-
Home renovation
Self-improvement
Elimination
‘Survival’ of the ruthless kind
Swapping wives- changing lives
Makeovers on the dating game
Join the quest for ‘Z- list’ fame

‘Cause a commotion
In self promotion
Show the viewers your ego devotion
Pull out all the stops
You’ve only one shot
Start screaming
’ME! ME! ME!’’
(So Irritating)
Imitating the intimidating behaviour that they see
Cajoled, contrived ‘reality’ that exudes from their TV
They reinforce the slave morality that permeates society
So the subjugated populace still, somehow, think they’re free
Trial of tribulations, the disintegration of all that we could be

In the arena stand the gladiators
Some you’ve loved and some you’ve hated
How you’ll laugh to see the devastation
The Mass amassed in deliberation:
Who will be the focus of discrimination?
‘Thumbs up?’
‘Thumbs down?’
What say thee...

...to the public execution of all humanity?

 

Author's Note

General comments on style, content and suggestions for improvements welcome. Written with the intention of adapting/amending for live performance.

Reviews

[Just Brooke]

Haha I loved this poem!!!! The format is really cool and I like how you "go to intermission"
Watch them weaving like a cobra- waving fingers in the air
They say
‘You ho!’
‘Whatever... girlfriend!’
‘Does this face look like it cares?’
With missing teeth and bingo wings
Home-made tattoos and piercings
Cheap jewelry hangs from everything
We’ve gotta:
‘Talk to the hand, cos’ the face ain’t listening!’

This part made me laugh out loud! Amazing write man! you are a new hero of mine! haha you said it all=]

[Tory]

I'm trying not to give comments to anyone who submits to my contest. Sorry. It could look like an act of favoritism.

[Richard Longbow]

The style is great. I think you hit the nail on the head. I have friends that watch Maury and I cannot stand the man. Dumb people watch these shows and dumb people go on them, and they're totally unaware they're being exploited. I hate shows like these. Great job! Thanks for entering it into the contest!

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

I have always wondered where they find the people that prace across those stages. No, I do not watch them, but do catch a glimps when changing stations and to my dismay I've seen the entire show in many a waiting room. I just wonder how much money they are getting paid to go on TV and act like utter fools.

Enjoyed the write.

[angry_pandit]

gr8 piece,

Coming up next... (so please don't go)...

.............'My husband dumped me for my mother'...........
.........
.............'My girlfriend's sleeping with my brother'..........
.........
..............'I'm romantically involved with the family pet'..........
..........



its sure to get a the crowd going, good work, especially the length, but if you planning to have a live reading i would suggest getting in more slangs to let the audience relate to the type of people you relating to, rich text tends to get lost in the narration as some times the audience fails to maintain speed of the thought. but on the whole i liked the topic a lot, its very interesting. all the best.

[Katherine Wyatt]

This is just fantastic.. I couldn't agree with you more.. the writing is wonderful! A great flow and a wonderful piece.. thanks for saying it out loud!

[Legion]

That sums it all up in a nutshell. You have just effectively thrown mud into the face of the lowest denominators. Well done. Unfortunately, this low brow crap won't stop for it is easier and cheaper for the television stations to produce than any other programming and in the end it is about money to them. I'm still waiting for an Amish reality show myself. Can't believe it hasn't happened yet. Oh, and what is wrong with having an affair with the family pet? lol Anyway, great write. Going in my favorites.