- First up is the man tits. It's funny how these things come in threes. I've had man tits on the brain quite a lot lately. First because of the show itself. Secondly, I was watching a program a few weeks ago on the Discovery Health channel that featured a story of a boy who had breasts and consequently, corrective surgery. Finally, Howard Stern's been promoting a contest for the past month or so on his show called The Biggest Man Boob. I've always been fascinated by this phenomenon. I've often wondered what effect having them has on the psyches of these men. I have to imagine that it's traumatic. Arresting in the same way that transsexuals challenge the basic conventions of sexuality and body image. It's not masculine and I have to believe that's damaging in some way? At the very least, very embarrassing. It's because of this that I've so enjoyed the tradition of the show to have the men remove their shirts at the weigh-ins. There seems to be no other reason than to exploit their shame for our sheer entertainment. It's cruel. And I find it funny that something like that exists within a show that desperately tries to shake the ghost of the prototypical, seedy reality t.v. show.
- There's a person on the show, Jay, who has an objectively dopey look. If you've seen his face you'd agree. If you haven't, you would. There was a thread here I wanted to pick up on. This idea of biology affecting personality. Just given his look you could almost write out his history. I'm sure he was picked on incessantly his entire life. He has the look of someone who's had to endure in some way, more so than the rest of us. It's as though he's had no choice to live any other way. It just is. People treat you a certain way based on your looks, which is obvious, but there's a reason why he brought this home for me...
- I've been troubled by the relationship that Jay has with his older brother Mark. I can tell it's an abusive one. For the most part it's not overt, the abuse, nor is the dynamic obvious but it's there. I imagine the meat of it is passive-aggressive. That the roles have been carefully chiseled over time. So that idea of people's behavior being dependent upon our looks is at the forefront of my mind because I've wondered about how the relationship between this one brother has developed with his elder and the rest of his family over time. By virtue of being inside this body I feel as though he's been piled upon. That he's had to accept abuse. That he knows no other way of being. And that because he's lived with it (his body and all that that means) all his life, his mind and the relationships he's developed in every sphere of his life have been structured in such a way that this all seems normal. I find it sad and infuriating. People locking others in cages and prisoners accepting their confinement. When I see this dynamic between the two I feel an anger underlying it, it's something totally unlike a simple sibling rivalry... it's a dance between the abused and the abuser.
- The show is ultimately flawed because in the end it pits men against women in a field that's not equal. This is a physical competition in a lot of ways and women can't compete with men in certain respects. I've seen far too many challenges that favor those with greater upper body strength and it drives me insane. It's unfair. But it's the arrogance of men that really gets to me. It's as though they're not aware of their own physiology and how that impacts the competition. They're not working harder. They don't want it more. They've science in their corner, plain and simple. On an equal playing field I'm sure the women could kick their asses... and they have before. I find their hubris disgusting.
- * Spoiler * I'm so glad that Dan's gone. I could NOT stand his fucking head-cocking anymore. His whole way of being was so affected and contrived. It drove me insane to see his face. It drove me up the wall to hear him speak. He became such a douche bag throughout the course of the show. I believe it was a combination of the weight loss and being apart of something, i.e. a boy's club. (I'd never call them men) I think it's a tricky thing maintaining an identity when you go through such a drastic shift. Or at least, it's hard to moderate and hold onto certain aspects of your character. It all comes down to pride and arrogance. It's like giving a boy a gun. Having not had something and then getting it... if you're not careful, it can turn you into an ugly person. It can warp your view and even who you are, or at least parts of who you are. I pray people keep the safety on.
- About the aforementioned boy's club. Why do straight men turn gay when locked into groups? Of course I don't mean literally, but there is this weird homoerotic vibe you can sense when you witness this camaraderie. It's disturbing. It even makes me uncomfortable. :P And this whole Pride chant the boys have going on isn't helping matters. It's just weird. Men are a mystery.
- The crying. I can't stand the crying!!! Re-fuckin'-lax! Being voted off the show doesn't mean you're off to the gas chamber. I don't understand how anyone can get that emotional. And I realize I'm a bit biased, being somewhat of a robot when it comes to emotional response, but I think by anyone's standards it would seem ridiculous how upset these people get, certain people anyway. It's uncalled for.
- Along the lines of my last rant... whether it's this show or any other reality show that groups people together for a certain amount of time, I can not understand how these strangers supposedly develop connections with one another. I hear people toss around the words brother and sister and it drives me mad. Worse yet is hearing someone say I love you. What the fuck!? I don't believe I alienate myself, because people manage to do a better job of it for me. When I witness things like this, these proclamations, I question myself. Is there something wrong with me? Am I wired different? etc. It's a momentary insanity and then I return with the conclusion that these people are just fucked up. Or at least very needy. I think it's actually sad because it trivializes the relationships they have with their friends and family, people worthy of the titles brother & sister and worthy of their love. I could never throw around such words so lightly, so freely, so carelessly.
- The last is an oldie but a goodie. Good ol' contrivance in the form of pre-taped bits. I hate the way the show crowbars ads into itself and tries to pass them off as natural happenings in their everyday lives. Yesterday I witnessed the worst yet. It was so incongruous that it was insulting. If you're gonna sell me something, just sell it. You'll be the better for it for at least having my respect instead of my disdain. We're not morons, we know the score. Don't be fake kids. ;) And if you are gonna fake it, put some effort into it.
DS333, exorcised.
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