scrubbedexpat097

So whats the difference then, you can still turn off your telly and go back to your normal life, its only he that will be possibly changed by the experience.

Following someone that actually has to put up with this lifestyle and all the problems that they have to try and cope with seems to me would be true "reality tv" not someone who is just playing at it, but thats just my opinion.

scrubbedexpat099

Because most people will more relate to those they perceive to be similar to them.

You must have noticed in newspaper terms:

10,000 die in Bangladesh flood = 1 Brit saved in Bangladesh flood

But there is now an added nuiance when it comes to the term British

Britons detained by Egyptian police on suspicion of terrorist activities will be looked at very differently depending on whether they are indigenous or of Middle East extraction.

I use these as examples but I am sure all nationalities/ classes are essentially the same.

anotherlimey

Ratings. Morgan has a following after his 'Super Size Me' film. More people will watch it because he's doing it rather than someone unknown who is actually living on the minimum wage.

Could you imagine what would happen if David Letterman or Jay Leno did this, that would be nice.

scrubbedexpat097

Thats probably true, and it proves how shallow most people are.

"Ohh, what a great person Morgan is, living in poverty, I'm sure he isnt making any money out of it, how brave of him "

USBound

I think supersize me was one of the scariest films I've ever seen. I would have given up VERY early on... always thought that McShitolds was bad... now we know its VERY bad.... wonder if morgans liver ever did return to normal?

scrubbedexpat099

It's on now, quite fascinating.

They have got to the bit about no health care system, only a sick care system, sort of.

AmerLisa

Do you not understand about putting yourself in someone else's shoes? I don't think this is your usual "reality tv" show Not like the bullshite stuff SuperNanny or the other crap. That stuff is so make believe.

scrubbedexpat099

Just returned the granddaughters after 24 hours.

Not having any prior experience, I have found Supernanny very helpful.

Sarah

Hmm I think you're missing the point of it here. The reason he is doing it is because he is a documentary film maker and is highlighting the day to day poverty of many people in America. He is Mr. Average like you and I, which are the people he wants to get this stuff over to, he's not a big celeb who can't walk down the street and, no not living a life like the ones he wants to highlight, but the important thing is he's still trying to highlight this stuff. He takes you on the jouney with him and gets you involved because most viewers are average joes like him, who are not living on the poverty line but are able to keep their heads above water. If he did simply film a family that lived on minimum wage all the time he would not really be able to make objective observations, and its those observations that make it so important so others to see.
He's not doing this to further his celebrity and he's not doing this get rich. Morgans film Super Size Me made about $30million at the box office but he got less than $1million of that ! He's not money motivated, he's making television programmes that so desperately need to be made about about aspects of life in America, good and bad and should be applauded for this not critised. Have you seen any of his work? Don't you think that this guy is making some essential viewing? He is heavily featuring people who live on minimum wage permanently in his doc. its not all about him.

Ray

The very wealthy Michael Moore said the very same thing early in his career

He got a million for a few months work... bummer ... poor bastard...

doc d

there's a website for that book as well. i've been thinking of reading it. is it worth a punt then?
ie will i spend my time on a plane well if i purchase and read it?

scrubbedexpat097

Thank you

I'm sure there are plenty of minimum wage earners who would love to be handed a nice hefty cheque for portraying their everyday life on the TV.


I am not missing the point at all. I just think it is very demeaning to millions of people who live this way to see someone pretending (and yes all he is doing is pretending) to live this way and earning a big fat payday at the end of it.

If he is so concerned about people on the poverty line then there are other ways to get the point across.

elfman

Such as?

Wifey

His liver returned to normal. His girlfriend who is a holistic, vegan chef put him on a diet. This diet is "The Great American Detox Diet", by Alex Jamieson. Still in hardcover.

I know this because I'm the vegetarian on staff at a Barnes & Noble bookstore. (I make more than minimum wage! Yahoo!)

anotherlimey

I think everyone is right here. Yes he got a nice paycheck for it but if documentary film making was all about just pointing a camera at someone then we'd all be doing it.

I'm sure it takes some skill to put the right points across, which I'm guessing is why Morgan got paid to do it.