Rant:

[silversolitaire]

I just learnt about a show called Travel Sick on Comedy Central. I'm appalled. Apparently some dude has to go to "exotic countries" and face five challenges that reflect "weird customs". I find this offensive, because this show presents other cultures as odd and weird and it encourages stereotypes.

Like they make the guy who goes to Iceland do seal clubbing and whale hunting.

1) It's not funny. you don't make fun of that, even though he didn't take it literal. It's not a joking matter.
2) It gives the impression all Icelanders hunt whales and club seals.

I think this is insultive. Of course I had to check what other shows there were. And low and behold, another exotic country is Germany! Anybody surprised? And the tasks:

GERMANY:

• Sing with a Skinhead


• Climb the Berlin Wall


• Read a Peace Poem in a Riot


• Meet Beatle’s Ex-girlfriends


• Penalties

Is that offensive? Oh yes! And even more so, the voice over: "Losing the war obviously wasn't helping any. Fascism in Germany is striving. And instead of spending a nice day at the seaside, neonazis are having a rally." But apparently, according to my friend, they don't present anybody as bad. They just present. Yeah right! >.<

I mean, this show just encourages people to think stupid crap about other nations.

Figures... my friend's comment: "Berlin's in Germany?" -.-

How can anybody say with a straight face this show doesn't make anybody look bad? *sighs* But why don't you make up your mind yourself?

http://www.comedycentral.com/tv_shows/travelsick/

Comments

[queststar.livejournal.com]

God, that's just disgusting. And that's the understatement of the century; just telling everyone what you want them to believe.

I wonder when they visit the Netherlands. Will they then say that the prostitution's legalized, that everyone's completely high because of the drugs and that we all work in mills and wear wooden boots?