Have to say, the majority of posts about the celebs are of mild adoration - Sophie is wonderful, Paul is lovely etc, with a few dissenting posts thrown in.

I have come to the conclusion that the best way to look at the programme is as a modern day freak show.

I think looked at that way the whole thing takes on a new, and more realistic, perspective. They really are just a bunch of freaks put on the screen for our entertainment - aren't they??

Undoubtedly.

We shouldn't be under any illusions -the massive popularity of the series is almost akin to bear-baiting.

But they are bears who have chosen to be baited, with their long-term interests as a motivator so it's hard to feel sorry for them.

The thing which surprises me is that it is widely assumed that not being evicted early is a sign of popularity and a general Good Thing which vindicates the competitor's celebrity status if not saintliness. In fact, often it is the freakiest who stay to the end for ridicule purposes and the most normal who leave early.

'Reality' it is not.

In fact, often it is the freakiest who stay to the end for ridicule purposes and the most normal who leave early.



I disagree. The celebs who are chosen for the trials are obviously chosen because they are disliked by the public but the winner is the one the public like the most and not the one they find the 'freakiest'.

I don't think any of them are "Freaky". I think they are just a bunch of people with the normal idiosyncrasies that make everyone individual. If anyone put my life under the spotlight 24/7 I have no doubt that they would find me "Freaky", if only for the amount of time I spend talking to a computer - lol.

Given that they are in an incredibly difficult and demanding situation to everyday life I think they are all pretty "normal" (whatever normal is)

Oh come on - they wouldn't be chosen for the show if they were 'normal'. They have to pick oddballs to make it interesting.

They know what they are getting into, and they are paid well for it. Therefore any tears they shed in self pity are wasted on me.

There's nothing makes my teats turn purple more than a whining celeb moaning about having to go without pizza for a few days, and getting paid 50k to do it.

At least Street-Porker is enjoying herself and mucking in.

Oh come on - they wouldn't be chosen for the show if they were 'normal'. They have to pick oddballs to make it interesting.

Was Jenny Bond an oddball?

Was Jenny Bond an oddball?

Not sure about that one. Still part of the circus though.

I think Sophie just went in there to show her bod off to the blokes watching and try to rake in the cash...

They all go (and yes this includes John Lydon) for two reasons, 1) The fee and 2) The chance of a positively raised profile on exit.

They all know the score and they know what will be expected of them, it's a risk but a well paid one and, even if you don't come out of it looking like Mr or Ms Nice you can still have a reasonable career on the back of being Mr or Ms Nasty (a la Nick Bateman.) Panto always needs a baddie.

I don't think those chosen are particularly freaky, it's just that the editing tends to pick up on and highlight their particluar personality traits, so that we get to see who is the 'nice' one, the 'grumpy' one, the 'lazy' one, the 'vain' one etc.

I wouldn't say they were "freaks" either.

Unless everyone I know is a freak :unsure:.

Most people would behave in an extreme way when in an unusual situation. I remember going stir crazy when I was in hospital...you think you'll be fine but these things can really get you down. I remember making friends and then people leaving and me being left there...it genuinely was really unsettling and I started behaving in a really out of character way towards the end, crying a lot and wandering round the hospital with my drip still attached to me like a weirdo. Being in that environment just made me lose it a bit, so I do understand how they feel.

Hang on - let's not fall into the trap of thinking these are a group of unfortunates deserving of our sympathy. They're a bunch of celebrity luvvies who have trousered wads of cash to take part in a TV show designed to show them at their worst, although their fragile egos probably can't accept that part of it. I'd sooner face facts and treat it as the circus it is!

Agree, SF, for 50K I'd happily sit and eat a bucket of maggots. Heck, for 50K I'd crawl a thousand miles across broken glass to suck molten bile from Beelzebub's bum. :devil:

So let's not feel toooooo sorry for them.

What I'm saying is, I honestly think the money fails to influence them once they are in there, as a situation like that would be extremely disorienting.

I don't think they are freaks - I think their reactions to the situation are quite normal (with the obvious exception of Natalie, who has a self confessed OCD).

I don't recall saying I felt sorry for them, just that I empathised with them - different thing entirely!!

I don't recall saying I felt sorry for them, just that I empathised with them -

Well, I'd say that it's also possible to empathise with the characters in a pantomime - but it's just that - and best not to be taken in by it.

I'm not taken in by it SF. I can understand how disoriented they must feel, but I certainly don't feel sorry for them. They are getting paid a small fortune, and in my situation I was certainly NOT!!

Sorry to hear about your spell in hospital Ceridwen - clearly the luvvies are not in the same situation, although judging by some of the performances a few weeks in intensive care on an intraveinous drip might do some good.

I neither think them freaky, oddballs or even have the remotest sympathy for them. You see the way I look at it is they are doing their job!

Others get paid for operating on appendices, sweeping roads, washing windows, filling in tax forms, and this lot get paid for entertaining us. It is their job.

I am entertained watching them, the more outspoken, the more bizarre the behaviour, and the more funny each and every one is the more I am entertained. And we do pay a licence fee for our own brand of entertainment - this lot [or the other lot/s] have given me a fortnight's worth of fun and laughs.

Oh come on - they wouldn't be chosen for the show if they were 'normal'. They have to pick oddballs to make it interesting.
So would you call boring Joe an 'oddball'?

So would you call boring Joe an 'oddball'?

Would you?

If they are a bunch of freaks (getting paid for it) then i guess we must be even freakier choosing to watch them :wacko:

It's the money, the challenge, the money and perhaps a step up the celebrity ladder. All celeb's in the previous shows have come out with their interigity and street cred. pretty much intact (I think), apart from the boxer in the first series. And what about editing, there was a bit too much of Paul Burrell tonight and not enough of Fran. And Mike Read in the last series didn't get a look in.

Would you?You called everyone oddballs - don't squirm out of telling us why Joe is one.

To me these are celebrities who are given the chance to raise their profile...before this show Fran I knew hardly anything about,Paul only what the papers had told me...they all benefit.
I don't think Kerry was an oddball,and Phil Tuffnell certainly wasn't...I'll pass on the first series :blink:
The show has gained more credibility and they all work in the media,so why not?Yes they do get paid for it,but the charities also benefit.
I would love to see Joe win this,and Fran as runner up..because I don't think either have had an agenda.
Ellie

You called everyone oddballs - don't squirm out of telling us why Joe is one.

Look at me squirm


If they are a bunch of freaks (getting paid for it) then i guess we must be even freakier choosing to watch them :wacko:

Ain't that so!

By the way - having watched Mr Burrell's bush tucker performance last night, I'm sticking with freak show.

Oh come on - they wouldn't be chosen for the show if they were 'normal'. They have to pick oddballs to make it interesting.


It looks like they actually asked just about every celeb from a-z list and these were the only few up for it.

Aren't some of the people who choose to be celebs in a kind of circus anyway? Look at the Beckhams, the Osbournes, Jordan & Peter etc. They choose to live their lives through the media.........and as long as the media are singing their tune they are quite happy. I think today, to be a celeb takes a lot of guts especially when there is a baying crowd just waiting for your downfall.

Agree, SF, for 50K I'd happily sit and eat a bucket of maggots. Heck, for 50K I'd crawl a thousand miles across broken glass to suck molten bile from Beelzebub's bum. :devil:

So let's not feel toooooo sorry for them.
Honestly Norm, my love, you are just so CHEAP!

I can never understand why anyone (ordinary folk or celebs) choose to go on these "reality" programmes. But if they do and they get slated in papers and web sites then so be it .... live by the sword, die by the sword.

Where's this £50k come from? I know I heard they were getting £25k and someone already said one of the celebs was waiving their £25k fee to go to charity.
The whole point being the longer they stay the more calls are made to their number, and the more they raise for their charity.
BTW, does anyone know the charities they all are raising for? Shouldn't we know that too?

BTW, does anyone know the charities they all are raising for? Shouldn't we know that too?To be honest Eternity, I think they gave up the facade that any of it was for charity after the first series!! :unsure:

BTW, does anyone know the charities they all are raising for? Shouldn't we know that too?

I don't think they tell us until the winner is known - I don't know why but my guess is that if we knew what charity each celeb was supporting it might influence our votes!

I don't think they tell us until the winner is known - I don't know why but my guess is that if we knew what charity each celeb was supporting it might influence our votes!
lmao! I bet half the celebs don't know what charity they're backing!!!! lol! :laugh:

Ok that's an exageration - I bet none of 'em know!

Where's this £50k come from? I know I heard they were getting £25k and someone already said one of the celebs was waiving their £25k fee to go to charity.
The whole point being the longer they stay the more calls are made to their number, and the more they raise for their charity.
BTW, does anyone know the charities they all are raising for? Shouldn't we know that too?


Last year I heard Jordan wangled into getting twice what everyone else got.

Well I think the reason these celebs are on the show is primarily of course to relaunch their flagged careers and raise their profile... also i think for some there is a need to be loved and accepted by the GBP (Brian and Paul deffo want people to see the real them!!)

I have to admit I find it hard to empathise with the celebs - they are all selling their souls in some way and they have to prepare to suffer the consequences and come on most people do like to see these stupid wealthy muppets suffer!!! (Natalie and the bush tucker trials anyone???!!)

Anyways imo from Joe/Jenny(be nice to all, lie low on the radar) to Janet S P/Jon Lydon(i'm loud and proud and gonna tell it like it is!) to Jordan/Nancy/Sophie (i'm gonna flash my bits and get more modelling deals!) to Brian/Paul (finally the public will see the REAL me!)... IMO they all have an agenda/strategy whether there all odd balls or not i'm not sure.. i would call them all more desperate than odd.

When Nicole Appleton did her interview with Frank Skinner, she said her and Liam Gallagher were asked first and then Natalie Appleton... that tells you something...

There is definately a stigma attached to it, they want to be seen, noticed and gain some fans and support... and for some people - it works beautifully..

:devil: but for some (Im not mentioning any names <Natalie>) it has the opposite effect...