Author Topic: Endemol, Purveyors of Fine Television Worldwide... (Read 9368 times)

TimK2003 · « **Reply #30 on:** June 01, 2007, 10:23:46 AM »

[quote name=\'dazztardly\' post=\'153765\' date=\'May 29 2007, 11:33 PM\']
I read the article as well as watched the videoclip. This is rather appalling.

If anything comes of this, I hope some viewers will contact Endemol and offer their own kidneys to the other two contestants who didn't win.

-[/quote]

As long as Endammitol doesn't send the losers offstage with a copy of the home game.

tomobrien · « **Reply #31 on:** June 01, 2007, 10:46:53 AM »

Treasure Islets of Langerhans
Make a (New) Face
Tibia Track
Tooth...or Consequences

SRIV94 · « **Reply #32 on:** June 01, 2007, 11:22:52 AM »

I think this thread is sick.

Clay Zambo · « **Reply #33 on:** June 01, 2007, 03:08:04 PM »

One I definitely don't want to play:

Seizure's Challenge

BrandonFG · « **Reply #34 on:** June 01, 2007, 03:24:58 PM »

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'154016\' date=\'Jun 1 2007, 03:08 PM\']
One I definitely don't want to play:

Seizure's Challenge
[/quote]
No more calls please.

CarbonCpy · « **Reply #35 on:** June 01, 2007, 04:15:09 PM »

Gentlemen, we've been had. One of the Dutch members of Something Awful ended up watching the show, and had this to report:

[quote name=\'Forum Goon "GardenState"\']...The show started, and it showed your typical emotional moments of the contestants who all wanted to receive the kidney (lasted about 90 minutes). At the end, 2 of the 3 candidates remained, and when the donator wanted to call out the final name when the show suddenly stopped and the presenter interfered.

Turned out it was a big HOAX to gain attention to this subject, and it was awesome. Nobody showed big interest in this subjec before, and in the course of 2 weeks, it had become worldwide news and the main issue of our goverment. Millions of people voted for contestants showing support, wanting THEM to receive the kidney. The ending line of the show was that its quite easy for them to get one, just sign the goddamn donor donation form.

The show ended with clips from our goverment who said "How can we stop this program" and "how is this possible". I'll bet they feel pretty stupid now. Our prime minister was not happy with the image we send out to the world with this television program, but this program showed it is even worse that we are a country who doesn't put enough time and energy into this problem...[/quote]

Genius. Friggin' genius.

tpirfan28 · « **Reply #36 on:** June 01, 2007, 04:21:47 PM »

A tacky infomercial. Brilliant.

(Can we start a Endemol venting topic either here or in BtS? Please? Perty please?)

Joe Mello · « **Reply #37 on:** June 01, 2007, 04:32:52 PM »

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'154023\' date=\'Jun 1 2007, 04:21 PM\']
A tacky ~~infomercial~~ PSA.[/quote]
Fixed.

I think it's not as brilliant as GardenState put it. People will be too up in arms about the visuals than what Endemol was trying to say. I'm thinking this was more counter-productive than what "they" would want you to think.

Don't they show educational videos in school anymore? That's where this should be.

CarbonCpy · « **Reply #38 on:** June 01, 2007, 04:56:03 PM »

Further verification:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6714063.stm

BrandonFG · « **Reply #39 on:** June 01, 2007, 05:07:28 PM »

Honestly, if this had been a simple PSA or infomercial, who would've watched? They knew that by attracting controversy, people would watch regardless, mainly from curiosity.

They got their controversy, and they did a decent job of getting the point across. I agree it was brilliant. Now how many people are going to be pissed, mainly because they're just mad they got fooled, even though they know damn well it was a good prank.

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #40 on:** June 01, 2007, 05:46:19 PM »

Eh. I find that the intelligence of the stunt is balanced out by the idea that anyone ought to feel foolish for having denounced this show.

clemon79 · « **Reply #41 on:** June 01, 2007, 07:05:27 PM »

[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' post=\'154030\' date=\'Jun 1 2007, 02:46 PM\']
Eh. I find that the intelligence of the stunt is balanced out by the idea that anyone ought to feel foolish for having denounced this show.
[/quote]
I think I know what you mean, but I'm gonna ask you to elaborate anyhow, because I'm not certain. What do you mean?

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #42 on:** June 01, 2007, 08:54:37 PM »

Yeah, I didn't phrase that too clearly.

I admire the stunt itself--I think it made a point in a very attention-getting, useful way. But I also get the impression that there was a healthy dose of "ha ha, you fell for it, of course we wouldn't do something this crass"--and I don't see how anyone who criticized it beforehand is now supposed to be foolish for not reading the producers' minds. If anything, that reaction is an indictment of what gets aired on television in 2007, but certainly not an indictment of those reacting.

(Tune in tomorrow, when I reword this into a dissertation.)

clemon79 · « **Reply #43 on:** June 01, 2007, 09:05:08 PM »

That is what I thought you were going for. Yeah, for them to say "HA-ha!" is pretty lame, considering that a perfectly reasonable response to that is "Um, look around you, jackbag, we wouldn't put something like this past you at ALL..."

TLEberle · « **Reply #44 on:** June 02, 2007, 02:34:46 AM »

As quick as I am to call out Endemol when they foul things up, I also have to give props when they're due. By carrying this prank out, the company that gave us over-produced, drawn-out game shows that give away far too much money has brought an issue to worldwide attention that really needs it. Some countries execute prisoners when an organ shortage comes up. In the United States, where capitalism is supposed to run free, we can't sell our own organs. (Not like my kidneys would get more than $49.95 each, but at least we should have the option) 70,000 people in the US are waiting for a kidney. How many people would sell one of their own if given the opportunity?

Would this kind of attention have come up with a half-hour PSA? I doubt it. But "Game show winner receives kidney" got radio play on two diametrically opposed stations here in Seattle, as well as TV news coverage. I think the fooling was well worth it, though Endemol would lose all goodwill built up by pulling a Nelson Muntz on everyone.

So, to sum up, good on 'em, but they still owe us for Show Me the Money.