A judge has criticised the televisual obscenity that is the Jeremy Kyle show.
Alan Berg – speaking at a hearing relating to a headbutting incident that took place on the show involving a man and a bus driver (and lodger) who was having an affair with his wife – shows himself a prospective replacement for Charlie Brooker during his ScreenWipe related sojourn saying (according to the Beeb), “the ITV1 daytime programme was “trash” and existed to “titillate bored members of the public with nothing better to do”. “
He also said,
“I have had the misfortune, very recently, of watching The Jeremy Kyle Show.
“It seems to me that the purpose of this show is to effect a morbid and depressing display of dysfunctional people whose lives are in turmoil.”
He added that it was “human bear-baiting which goes under the guise of entertainment”.
“It should not surprise anyone that these people, some of whom have limited intellects, become aggressive with each other.
“This type of incident is exactly what the producers want. These self-righteous individuals should be in the dock with you. They pretend there is some kind of virtue in putting out a show like this.”
He also noted that the accused had been pestered by the production team to take part. He was contacted six times and asked to appear.
This pestering is, of course, familiar to my regular reader who will recall that earlier this year I too was on the receiving end of a campaign by the Kyle production office to go on the show. So if you want to let them know what you think what would you give for a direct means of contacting them?
Did you see this? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7019266.stm
This is all beyond satire on so many levels.
On one way of looking at things the sponsorship is sensible. Where else would they get an audience with a high proportion of neds? but it’s oh so wrong.