07 August 2008

The Moment of Truth

This is a game show but it is like really perversely funny reality tv. The prize of USD 500,000 for negotiating 21 questions that require you to answer yes or no seems a simple enough premise. Nevertheless, the questions are pearlers and having watched just one episode of the show I am already wondering why anyone would volunteer for this level of scrutiny and embarrassment.

The show aired for the first time on cable tv here in Indonesia earlier tonight (well at least the first time I have seen it here) and having done a little research it seems that it premiered earlier this year in the US. The Fox Network has apparently ordered 23 episodes of the program.

The closer you get to the top prize the more interesting the questions become. Some of the classics include, "since you have been married have you ever had sexual relations with anyone other than your husband?" It is like who in the world would want to answer this question on national or international tv for 500K. I guess if you tell the truth you will have 500K to help in finalizing a divorce!

The only way I can see this working to a contestant's advantage is if they confess all their skeletons in the closet and then go on the show. I am assuming here that everyone has at least one skeleton in their closet. These skeletons might be stealing 10 dollars out of your mother's purse or having a daydreaming a sexual fantasy while sitting in church or the mosque during a particularly uninspiring sermon. Yet, all the same and for these sorts of reasons it is not a show that I would ever find myself volunteering to be on.

I will watch the show again because it has that slowing down as you drive past an accident appeal. To my mind it is just crazy that people would want to do this even where there is 500K on offer.

8 comments:

Brett said...

I would be interested to see how many episodes you last. I put this in the same class as Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader, Wife Swap, Big Brother, The Simple Life, The Osbournes... Interesting, as my TVs get bigger, slimmer and more expensive, the longer it sits there unused.

Anonymous said...

At least the pace is faster and thus a bit more exciting than Are You Smarter.. that tries to stretch the show too much ("The answer.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. after the break.")
And I can't really laugh at the contestants of Are You.. cos I don't know most of the answers myself :P

Anonymous said...

I WOULD GLADLY DO THIS! seriously.. mr. husband knows (almost) everything there is to know about me. so do my friends and family. that being said, i am one of the crazies then.. :p

Anonymous said...

It'll come soon here in DK. They're looking for contestants. Would they take singles? Then I will dump my boyfriend first and I only have my parents to worry about, but they don't watch Danish TV, so ... LOL *shrugs shoulders*

Rob Baiton said...

Brett...

In terms of watching, probably a few. As I said, it has that slowing down as you go past an accident appeal to it.

It is a game show with a much more personal twist to it. So, in that sense I see it a little differently from the other shows you listed. Even The Osbourne's was much more reality tv in a standard form, this is who we are and this is what it looks like on a daily basis.

On the tv front, the moral of that story would be?

Jade...

Thanks for dropping by! I have dropped by your blog, nice photos! Too bad that I did not know they were not doing something at the Singapore Arts Museum as I was in Singapore last week.

It is interesting how much we forget from our early years of education. Although, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader is targeting US educated contestants. Nevertheless, some of the science questions are universally taught.

Rima...

The fact that you would do this comes as no surprise.

Rob Baiton said...

Writer One...

Dump the boyfriend and go on the tv?

I am sure there is a serious question in there somewhere with regards to the dumping of the boyfriend...

Anonymous said...

I downloaded the episodes right after watching the trailer on cable last week. The concept is brilliant and comical, however it gets flat and tedious sometimes.

I'm @ epi 6 now and still continuing, tho i'm not sure it manages to grab my attention for more than 10 epis.

Rob Baiton said...

lex depraxis...

I agree!

They could move through the questions a little faster and get through a few more contestants.

BTW, thanks for dropping by and commenting.