The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


Godwashing …
March 17, 2011, 5:58 am
Filed under: Comment

So a while back I was in the US and as usual, I was jetlagged to within an inch of my life.

So to distract myself for a bit, I turned on the television and I saw this:

Yes, that is a white haired old man doing something disturbing with him hands as a super, in the bottom right hand corner, proudly announces “The Future Is In Your Seed”.

No, it’s not the porn channel, it’s the religious channel.

I must admit I’m quite obsessed with late night US television … or should I say, late night advertorial and/or God shows … mainly because I find it fascinating how they sell their stuff and who they sell it too.

As I wrote about the dodgy porcelain dolls, given these types of shows have been continuously on television for seemingly ever, someone must be buying/watching them to justify their production.

The thing is, whether it’s a 30 minute program showing how a Z-grade celebrities cosmetic range can make you look 90 years younger or some four hour religious special talking about how you can live a ‘higher life’, they both seem to use the same premises and promises in their pitch.

1/ Always use happy, attractive people.

2/ Make sure they are dressed in the sort of colourful clothing that outside of a television studio would have them arrested.

3/ If talking about something serious, use older presenters. But older – attractive presenters.

4/ If talking about family, always ensure there are photos of the presenters family in the background.

5/ Never do a show without some ‘World renowned’ expert on hand.

6/ Have perfectly white, crowned teeth.

7/ Pretend everyone is an old, old friend.

8/ Have a set that is either futuristic house or a replica of a typical middle America home.

9/ Intersperse supposed ‘real life customers’ throughout the program, where they talk adnauseum about how their life has been changed for the better because of product X or god Y. [Before and after photos are always a nice touch]

10/ If you ever have to say something negative, always shake your head side-to-side in an overly exaggerated way.

11/ If you can run to it, get some celebrity to endorse whatever it is you’re selling. The fact that your show goes out at 4am means they can be assured their core fanbase will never see it. The benefit to them is that it’s much more convenient to earn a shitload of cash than flying all the way to Japan.

12/ Always promise the happiest, healthiest, wealthiest life … but only if you follow the ‘instructions’ to the letter.

And there you go … the 12 key rules to make a late night/early morning television show, regardless of what you’re trying to sell.

Now the weird thing is that despite them always following the same template, I can’t take my eyes off them.

It’s like a car crash … you know you shouldn’t look but you can’t help yourself … but what do you expect when you get religious nutters saying things like “Your Future Is In Your Seed” with an absolute straight face or whole programs dedicated to selling some of the worst tat ever created, even though they try and sell it like it’s the technological breakthrough of the century, like this – the iPhone TV hat.

And before you ask, yes, I have ordered one … but at least it’s cheaper than a Dalek.

That isn’t a good enough excuse is it? Oh the shame …


40 Comments so far
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of course you bought one of those shit hats. youre a fucking sad bastard.

best post youve written in years. its still shit just less shit than usual thanks to not talking about any fucking planning bollocks and generally being a pisstaking smartass.

and that permatanned religious zealot looks like hes ranking off 2 blokes at the same time in that photo. probably priests. or kids.

Comment by andy@cynic

and wheres chris this morning? fucking lazy bastard isnt first, dont tell me hes got a fucking life all of a sudden. not possible, hes probably sat on the shitter with a bad case of the squirts after a vindaloo. lightweight.

Comment by andy@cynic

You seriously are the Olympic champion at offense aren’t you. Poor Chris … what’s he ever done to upset you?

Stupid question, no one has to do anything to upset you.

Comment by Rob

Spiritually Uplifting half hours don’t record themselves.

Comment by Chris

You might be the new Oprah, Chris.

Comment by Rob

A frightening thought, Rob.

Comment by Chris

Not as much as it is for Oprah!

Comment by Rob

wow… that could be straight from SNL.
awesome.

Comment by Age

You forget to mention point #13: every show must be made up of an audience that has the full range of demographic and cultural diversity and they must all be wildly enthusiastic about every minor detail and express this through an overexaggeration of gesticulation.

Comment by Pete

only you could make a comment that doesnt mention campbell being a twat for buying that fucking horse mask shit.

Comment by andy@cynic

I didn’t mention it because Rob buying weird stuff isn’t weird.

Comment by Pete

good fucking point. bollocks.

Comment by andy@cynic

Well said Pete – even if that makes me look a sadder bugger than normal.

Comment by Rob

I know some women who should buy that tv hat when they go out in daylight.

Comment by Billy Whizz

you mean you know some women you shagged who should buy that hat when they put the bedside lamp on. funny fucking thing is billy, theyre saying the same about you.

Comment by andy@cynic

Truth hurts Billy.

Comment by DH

You mean because they don’t want to see my face and realize what they’ll never have again? Yeah, have that problem all the time.

Comment by Billy Whizz

twat.

Comment by andy@cynic

Semi good post today Rob. Feeling ill?

Comment by DH

If you wear that hat out in public, I’ll buy you a starfucks. Small cup. House coffee naturally.

Comment by DH

you wouldnt have to buy him one dave, the fucker will walk in and be their millionth fucking customer or something and get the key to the fucking free starbucks city. i dont know who he fucked to get all this good luck but i wish id been on that casting couch before him. mind you, campbell would be more effective by threatening to fuck someone unless he gets what he wants. i knew being an ugly bastard had some positives about it. why the fuck was i born so fucking hot?

Comment by andy@cynic

What on earth are you talking about with all this free shit?

Comment by Rob

free fucking flights from lee.

Comment by andy@cynic

Would it make you feel better to know I’ve paid for the ticket?

Comment by Rob

im not fucking answering because youll only say you didnt to fuck me off more. bastard.

Comment by andy@cynic

wheres baz? why dont you get jobsy to buy it, rebrand it the imask and make a fucking killing while sitting back and laughing at how fucking gullible youve made the fucking planet. wheres my fucking ipad 2? bet youve got campbell one. campbell gets more fucking freebies than paris fucking hilton.

Comment by andy@cynic

My sympathies for your good looking misfortune.

Comment by DH

its a fucking curse.

Comment by andy@cynic

Yes I know buying a TV Hat is sad, but compared to rocking horse sheep, daleks, Communist clocks, R2D2 robots and a whole manner of other “best-left-to-the-where-are-they-now-dustbin”, it’s really not that bad.

Well, that’s what I’ll be telling Jill anyway.

Comment by Rob

youre just saying youre less fucking stupid than you normally are and that is very fucking stupid.

did you get the bollocks tv hat free as well? you fucking did didnt you.

Comment by andy@cynic

It’s an iPrat.

Comment by john

good response doddsy, pity campbell fucking matched you.

Comment by andy@cynic

Matched me? Yeah right. He simply revealed that he doesn’t stay out late on a week-night.

Comment by john

I do actually Doddsy, but only because W+K make me do some work every now and then.

Comment by Rob

stop being a whiny little bitch doddsy, you give it you got to take it.

Comment by andy@cynic

Good one Doddsy
Seriously, more money than sense

Comment by northern

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

Besides, I got called that for the dalek and it’s just got double the money that it cost so maybe I’ve just bought my pension scheme … though in reality, it’s more likely to be my ticket to the mental asylum.

Nice to see NP writing comments in my timezone – though he is currently in Singapore so that’s to be expected – so what’s Doddsy’s excuse, other than being a proud owner of a iNoLife.

Comment by Rob

what do you mean groper is in the same time zone? what the fuck is going on over there. lauren. mortimer. now groper. are you fucking paying them or something?

Comment by andy@cynic

what the hell?

Comment by lauren

its all gone wild and fucking crazy. read, stupid and fucked up.

Comment by andy@cynic




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