Monday, August 15, 2005

Discovery Channel Gone Wild

I just finished watching the first episode of the show Going Tribal on the Discovery Channel. As far as the concept of the show and "immersion" of the host in tribal culture goes, I'm still contemplating my views. What does make my mind tingle is all the nudity and mutilation. I myself didn't mind the nudity; I do hate blood though, so I needed to avert my eyes during the scarification process. I wonder how the Discovery Channel was allowed to show total frontal male nudity, topless women and a nude breast being scarred with a razor blade. They did put up a warning about indigenous nudity on the commercial breaks. But I have a feeling that if these people were actors and this was released in a movie theater it would be rated NC-17. How is it that non-compensated people being naked and bloody is more acceptable than compensated people being naked and bloody? I only ask this to the easily offended that send letters to the FCC and such.

I also ask this question with respect to the rest of non-movie channel cable being so sanitized save the Cartoon Network and animated Fox shows (they happily get away with murder). I want to see more warnings on my commercial breaks. I want to see more uncensored TV without having to pay the big bucks!

3 comments:

Little Kenny said...

You bring up a good point about TV nudity. People are people right? So any naked breast, penis or whatever is sinful and not appropriate for view regardless of whether the person sporting it is indigenous or not. WTF Discovery? I feel so violated.

Oh wait a minute, that's right, I don't feel violated. I don't feel violated because I didn't watch it. I didn't watch it BECAUSE I CHOSE NOT TO. Because of the nudity? No. Because of the body mutilation? No. Because I just really don't give a fuck? Yes.

Regardless my reason for not watching it I still had the choice. Just like every other person out there. This is how it should be. Don't censor for me. I can choose for myself thank you very much.

Anonymous said...

The problem is inherent in the American notion of "decency". In Europe and perhaps the rest of the world, violence is the main concern. Anti-goverment setiment (read anything that does not glorify the Bush adminstration) and nudity is OK. The French worry more about children seeing people getting killed than getting nasty. The Italians go full porn after 10PM but no guns. I think they are onto something.

I am with you'all on this. I refuse to pay for cable. I mean, it's TV right? TV is free by definition. It's in the Constitution.

And the Discovery Channel? Dude. Something is rotten in Silver Spring (their new corporate headqaurters).

Anonymous said...

I read this entry and saw the same program. Here's mny entry about it:
http://curiouoso.diaryland.com/Nativetits.html Check it out for a different viewpoint!

Thanks, Curiouoso*