November 21 celebrates World Television Day, which was established in 1997 on the initiative of the UN. It was proposed that it be celebrated to draw attention to “the role of television in promoting peace and development”. However, most of the time television does not serve this noble purpose but rather to entertain and surprise the audience. And sometimes in the most unusual ways. Often TV shows literally shock or make you feel Spanish embarrassment. We will talk about them.
“Susunu! Denpa Shōnen” (“Do Not Enter! Crazy Youth”)
Nippon TV
This is one of the most famous and exemplary Japanese reality shows for its madness and cruelty, which aired on Nippon TV from 1998 to 2002. The heroes of the program were aspiring comedians who were ready to do anything just to appear on television. The most famous of these was the young comedian Nasubi, who was forced to live in a locked apartment for 15 months without basic needs such as food, water, clothing. He was forced to gamble and receive rewards in the form of food to meet his basic needs. The camera captured his life in real time, recording how he gradually lost touch with reality and began talking to plush toys. Nasubi did not know this; He believed the footage was edited before publication.
“My Little Old Boy”
SBS
The TV show broadcast in South Korea also makes it possible to spy on people; but not in extreme situations, but in ordinary life. The characters of the program are stars of Korean show business who live alone, but by society’s standards, they have reached an age when it would be the right time to start a family. Viewers watch a celebrity search for a clean shirt in a pile of dirty laundry or pull rotten food from the depths of the refrigerator. The reaction of the hero’s mother who watched this disgrace is also shown in the broadcast.
“Close to the Bone: Surgeons and Chiefs”
YuhuVideo/YouTube
This cooking show first aired on one of Canada’s educational channels in 2004; The author of the idea was orthopedic surgeon Richard Hu. Surgeons and chefs met live and prepared a part of the animal’s body together in accordance with the doctor’s expertise. The hepatologist had to prepare the liver and the traumatologist had to prepare the leg of lamb. The consultant was a butcher who explained the anatomy of the animal to be served.
“I want to marry Harry”
Fox
TV shows where contestants compete for the hero’s heart are not uncommon, and they’re always a little weird to watch. But in 2014, a program was released in the United States with a very strange idea – participants were asked to fight for the opportunity to marry the British Prince Harry and enter the British royal family with all rights. The prince was not real, of course – II. An ordinary Englishman named Matthew, who looked like Elizabeth’s grandson, was invited to play his role. They tried to convince the contestants that this was the rightful heir to the throne, but they didn’t quite believe it. In the end, it turned out to be just another dating show and was pretty boring (but scary).
“Swan”
Fox
The program, which was broadcast on the Fox channel in the USA from 2004 to 2005, belonged to the transformational genre, that is, it showed how an ugly duckling turns into a swan, that is, an ugly girl turns into a beautiful one. The participant was given three months to make the transformation, during which he had to work with a fitness trainer, dentist, psychotherapist and also visit a plastic surgeon. In the finals, a beauty contest was held where the results of the experts’ work were evaluated. The show lasted one season and was heavily criticized for sexism and the enforcement of beauty standards.
“Be Cute or Get Cake”
A scene from the program “Be Cute or Buy Cake”
This Japanese show has also been criticized for sexism, and for good reason: Participants are tasked with looking cute as soon as they wake up. For this, the girls lie down on the floor in a row and fall asleep, and then they start waking them up one by one. If the contestant wakes up and still manages to look cute, they win. If he can’t control his facial expression, he will eat cake in her face. Needless to say, they are woken up rather rudely, which makes the task even more difficult.
“Sugar or no sugar” – or “Sokkuri suitu” (“Sugar or no sugar”)
A still from the show “Sokkuri suitsu”
The Japanese cuisine theme continues with a competition where participants must sink their teeth into objects that look inedible but could actually be a realistic cake. The question is whether the contestant will be lucky: if so, he gets a piece of chocolate cake in the shape of a shoe; If not, then she bit a real shoe (or other household item).
“Slippery Stairs”
ESPN 8
The theme of Japanese challenges – and strange and sometimes brutal tests of strength are very popular in Japan – continues with the famous “Slippery Stairs”. The task of the program participants is clear from the title – they will have to climb a steep, slippery staircase dressed in a shiny rubber suit. It’s nearly impossible to do – and spectators enjoy watching the contestants crawl up, fall, crawl again, and roll back down again.
By the way, over time, this spectacle turned into a separate non-Olympic sport. Four years ago, competitions of athletes climbing slippery stairs were shown for the first time on the American sports channel ESPN 8.
“Mustache wars”
IFC
You can return to the United States to take a break from the amazing Japanese shows and remember the truth that immerses the audience in the strange world of those who love to grow beards and style it in intricate ways. The show aired for two seasons (2011 and 2012) on IFC and followed a group of bearded men preparing for an international beauty pageant where their hair was judged. The group was called the “USA Beard Team.” Intrigues, burnout, lack of motivation, struggle for leadership: For bearded men, the path to success on Olympus proves thorny.
“I Was Born in the Wilderness”
Lifetime
One of the most controversial TV series in US history aired for one season in 2015. Its participants were couples who made the dubious decision to bear children in nature without the help of traditional medical professionals. That is, in its most natural form. The main intrigue of the program was the logical question: Will the newborn survive? The program was criticized by doctors because such a natural way of giving birth was actually associated with an increased risk of the baby’s death. It was closed after a wave of condemnation.
Source: Gazeta
Calvin Turley is an author at “Social Bites”. He is a trendsetter who writes about the latest fashion and entertainment news. With a keen eye for style and a deep understanding of the entertainment industry, Calvin provides engaging and informative articles that keep his readers up-to-date on the latest fashion trends and entertainment happenings.