A blazing spotlight sheds light on this scene. Two men kept subdued by security guards, and malnutrition. The crowd is completely rabid. Screams fly as each man is led to either side of the stage and thrown into their chairs. To balance the scene, the woman they share is put between them. The crowd’s screams dwindle into eager anticipation. One man will be the victor - the other will be nothing more than a forgotten memory. A small sacrifice for the entertainment and appeasement of the people.

        Do these scenes seem familiar? The first is that of a Roman Gladiator ring, where slaves would be forced to battle to the death in an attempt to win their freedom. The second is that of a modern day talk show, where people verbally and spiritually do battle in an attempt to win their 15 minutes of fame. Perhaps the analogy is weak and the description is dull, but the point is clear enough. Modern day talk shows are essentially our gladiator rings.

        In the days of Rome, people’s entertainment would be to watch their ‘lessers’ battle to the death. Nowadays we do the exact same thing, but only in a more ‘civilized’ way. Now, we take people who are down on their luck or in a bad position and embarrass, humiliate and degrade them to the point where they are no longer on a human level. A man who has been happily married for 30 years is brought in front of the world to find out his wife is having a lesbian affair with his daughter. A brother comes on to find out that his sister is prostituting herself for crack. A lover realizes in front of the entire globe that his girlfriend has given him, and thereby their 6 year old baby, aids. All of this to give the people of tv land 15 minutes of amusement. Some would argue that if we ruin the life of a person in order to amuse a billion people for half an hour, then it’s worth it. I cannot believe in this philosophy, as I find it an insult to the value of a person’s life, but that is just a personal thing.

        I believe that these talk shows are unethical. Their purpose is simply to put down others and place them in a degrading position. And why? Simply to amuse us for 15 minutes. Why else would Jerry Springer have the Klu Klux Klan and the NAACP on the same program? These shows are fueled simply on hate and violence. Why don’t they take it once step further and have the Memories Of Auschwitz channel? Or the Live Lynch Mob Channel? Shit, why not have a channel for every minority group and show them being tortured, gang raped and killed? The ratings would go through the roof!!! Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration - but you understand what I’m driving at.

        On top of all of this I believe that these talk shows desensitize people from the reality of what is happening on those stages. When we laugh at the Klu Klux Kristmas, do we consider the future of the 8 year old, who’s gift from Santa was a lynching video? Nope. When we see the groom-to-be fuck 2 prostitutes at his bachelor party caught on tape, do we think about the weeping bride and the shattered marriage? Nope. We’re to busy laughing as these people squirm in their seats insulted by the crowd and the host. We forget that there are real people sitting on that stage. People who’s entire life - their entire dome of existence - has been shattered for the sake of entertainment & ratings. For the sake of a few laughs and 8 minutes of interest in between commercials.