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Eating bugs on Fear Factor. Cheating spouses on Temptation Island. Women whoring themselves on "Who Wants to Marry A Multimillionaire?" All seem quaint now. (Remember Rick Rockwell and Darva Conger? The Ozzie and Harriett of Reality TV.)
Reality TV has discovered a new nadir with Kid Nation, the CBS fall entry in which 40 kids aged 8-15 are left to fend for themselves in a New Mexico ghost town.
But believe it or not, it's about to get worse...
Mo Rocca has appeared on a bunch of shows, including 'The Daily Show,' 'I Love the 80s,'...
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The Sickest New Reality Show
Posted Sep 2nd 2007 1:00AM by Mo Rocca
Filed under: Mo's Videos, Reality Television, Mo Rocca, Kid Nation
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. I think that Mo and the person who thought of the idea are stupid and need a slap of reality themselves. Why even give a show harming our seniors any airtime at all???????
PHATHIGHZ at 6:21AM on Aug 31st 2007
2. Network executives would air "Grandmother vs Pit Bull Ultimate Fighting Championships" if they thought they could make a buck. Me, I don't watch...but I don't want to be judgemental. Some of my best friends are Grandmothers.
jg at 6:48AM on Aug 31st 2007
3. Good job yet again on the Tonight Show Mo, and yes you do look like a used car salesman in that suit but I got to hand it to you, only you can make those suits work.
Anyway, although I doubt I'd ever watch 'Kid Nation' or your proposed 'Scorpian House', I'm sure there's other nonsense reality TV shows I would shamelessly fall in love with.
'Michael Vick's Going To Jail'-A real 'in your face' look at the prison system with Michael Vick as he gets locked up for his crimes. Features all sorts of convicts, such as Fruity Jones, the wise crackin' harmonica player who will make sure Vick never drops his soap. Special guest appearences by Bob Barker too!
'Who's in the Stall?', starring your host, Senator Larry Craig. Join contestants as they enter a typical public bathroom stall and are asked to answer trivia questions. If they can resist Larry's sexual advances and rack up enough correct answers, they can walk out with a couple thousand bucks and their dignity. If not, well, best of luck to them.
'My First Campaign Trail', starring the adorable tykes of all our favorite candidates running for the presidency. Watch as they learn, question, and realize how corrupted their parents really are as they gun for our nation's top position. It's life in the spotlight, and you know it's going to get hot once the mud slinging in the sandbox starts getting tense. See the Obama daughters scuffle with the spawn of Edwards, and watch Caroline Giuliani ruin it all for poor old dad. Coming this fall to Fox after 'Hell's Kitchen'.
How about a new season of American Idol, but with dogs?
Your friend, Blayze “Shaggy” O’Brien from the Bee
Blayze at 7:24AM on Aug 31st 2007
4. This guy is a Jon Stewart wanna-be, trying to be the latest comedic news satirists, but he comes off too unbelievable and annoyingly gay,taking through his nose!
chuck at 7:31AM on Aug 31st 2007
5. look im tired of this so called anti christ talkin his sh.t! all this 666 crap, enough already, either show himself and dazzle us with his powers or go blow! if he is so almighty powerful than why not show up? not too powerful!!!! that's why! I doubt this guy could do card ticks with any accuracy!!!
mike odonnell at 8:25AM on Aug 31st 2007
6. Kid Nation sounds pretty bad. I don't know who actually runs CBS, but their board should consider a house cleaning. You should pitch Scorpion House to them, they might buy it.
I don't know any mother who would leave her 8yr old with unknown 15 year olds. It is really sad that some people actually will sell their children.
goike at 8:35AM on Aug 31st 2007
7. Mo...
you crack me up, thank you...
If you're considering doing "Scorpion House," why don't you try "Snakes At A Daycare" while you're at it...
;)
all's good, stay safe, and enjoy...
PennDragon at 9:34AM on Aug 31st 2007
8. Hiya Mo!
When I first heard of "Kid's Nation" I thought:
Oh.My.God... Lord of the Flies!!!!
Then again, I am not at al surprised by all the crap (excuse my french) reality TV has been throwing into our living rooms: from humiliating the overweight, to humiliating the nerdy, to humiliating the blonde bimboes... it's all one sort of humiliation after the other.
You know, before I left Mexico for good, I was invited by a TV Producer I once met at a party, to attend a brainstorming session for a new "reality show"... since I found the ideas dull-as-dishwater and I was desperate to be left off the hook, I decided to propose one of the most outrageous ideas I'd ever had, so they would be appalled and would show me the door.
Their idea was to have a show called "Marriage Conflict" or some such. And the idea was having regular middle-class (usually lower-middle-class, with aspirations) couples bicker onstage, and side with either/or the husband-the wife.
I found the concept trite, so I suggested that they should be faced off in chairs equipped with hidden shock buzzers in the bottom. Thus, the husband and wife would be asked questions about the other. Simple questions. Everyday questions. Should they fail each qestion, they would receive a shock on the genitalia/derrière (depending on the case).
For example:
"My wife's favorite movie is... A) Casablanca. B) Pretty Woman. C) Ghost. D) Ocean's 11..."
Buzz: "Ocean's 11!"
"WRONG! It's... PR-E-TTY Wo-MMON!"
Shock: "AAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!"
or
"My husband's favorite sport is.... A) Football B) Soccer C) Baseball D) Golf..."
Buzz: "Uh, Football!"
"WRONG! Its... SOCCER!"
Shock: "EEEEK! YIAYIIIIIAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!"
And so forth, and so on, until either/or were rendered unconcious or blubbering, depending on which got the most accurate answers.
I kinda hoped they would look at me in shock horror and throw me out. Instead they were fascinated and wanted more, more, more!
How do you like it?
I shuddered there, as I left in a hurry, telling them they were the sickest bunch I'd ever seen and I shudder now, as a variant of that proposed theme has aired to widespread success, shock cushions and all...
I fear Reality TV, Mo... I think it's...
...Evil!
;)
[a hug]
Spain Reads You, Mo.
Miguel Cane at 10:26AM on Aug 31st 2007
9.
MO ROCCA on leno--loved it. I really liked your colorful entrance.
Reality shows are sinking to new levels of depravity. Anything with bugs are disgusting. I am surprised that KID NATION is legal.
The newest reality shows are horrible because of the annoying judges! [ MARY MORGAN] I REST MY CASE.
I heard that the upcoming shows include : a new Chris Hansen spinoff called " To Catch A Senator " Also Men's Room Dating Game, where the winner get's a date with the undercover cop in stall # 3.
I hope the insanity will end before there is a show called The Worlds Worst Racist starring Mel, Michael and Don at the Laugh Factory.
Meanwile are main recourse is TURN THE CHANNEL !!!!!
EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
marsha beckerman at 10:37AM on Aug 31st 2007
10. Can I sign my mom up?
heather at 10:49AM on Aug 31st 2007
11. Mo, You are hilarious. It amazes me that people take this seriously. Yes, Kid Nation is like Lord of the Flies but Scorpion House... now that is entertainment. I would host that.
carlyrenea at 11:02AM on Aug 31st 2007
12. It's a stupid premise for a show and I would never watch it, but I really don't see how it's so detrimental to the kids. Come on, it's not like they were actually unsupervised. The only gripe I have with the parents of these children is that they allowed them to miss school for it, talk about poor priorities.
Ashlee at 10:53AM on Aug 31st 2007
13. I've been waiting to hear Mo Rocca's take on Kid Nation, and now that he's blogged about it, I'm still waiting. Oh well.
The sad fact is that they still make reality shows because there are still enough people out there watching them. Plus, it's cheaper to pay reality "stars" than it is to pay actual talent to write a real show. example: in the Kid Nation trailer, the host claims the $20k gold star will send the kid who wins it to college. Are they serious? After taxes, it _may_ send them to community college.
Anyway, I really just wanted to say that even if Kid Nation exploits those children (someone should have considered labor laws/union rules before the project started. hello! planning!), but if for some reason the network is pressured into not airing the show, it would be worse. Then all the kids' "work" would have been in vain. Like New Mexico didn't know what was going on when the crew started building sets and stuff. . . . .
mo-NEEK-a at 11:16AM on Aug 31st 2007
14. How did they get those kids to do all of that work? My kid won't pick up his dirty underwear muchless clean an outhouse. Is it just about the money?
elizabunny at 11:19AM on Aug 31st 2007
15. heather-
I loved your comment.
elizabunny at 11:21AM on Aug 31st 2007