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I’ve never watched Deadliest Catch for the same reason that I don’t watch Ice Road Truckers: because work is work is work, and work is boring to watch. “Will they drive the big truck into the cold ocean before it is time to punch the clock?” I don’t know. “Catching fish is dangerous, but the world needs to eat fish, will these guys catch some? Will they get hurt doing it and collect worker’s compensation insurance? Find out tonight on a very special episode of Someone’s Job.” Don’t get me wrong: I wouldn’t watch a show about pop-culture blogging, either. There is no nostalgia in this shit here. But, anyway, so: this week on Deadliest Catch, reality TV faces “the ultimate test” (relax New York Times): death. During the taping of this season, Captain Phil Harris suffered a stroke and later died. (“Phew, we are off the hook. Get it?” — The Fish.) Producers supposedly struggled with whether or not to air all of this, and eventually decided to air most of it. (Sounds like a tough struggle.) The first episode featuring Mr. Harris’s stroke aired last night, and his prolonged decline will be stretched out over four episodes. I guess because once you decide to air something, YOU DEFINITELY AIR IT A LOT.
Naturally, this situation has created a real STIR in the media. Classic media.
Is it appropriate? Is it tasteful? Are we entering a new era of something something. Personally, I don’t see what the big deal is. I mean, the question of whether or not reality TV itself is appropriate or tasteful remains OPEN, but once you accept reality TV as a medium, then why on Earth would death be inappropriate? Especially in this case, of course, since not only is it a borderline-documentary about a particularly fatal line of work, which Captain Phil Harris spent his entire life doing, but he died from complications after a stroke. It’s not like he cracked his face open on the Big Balls during a particularly tense episode of Wipe Out. He was a man who had agreed to have his life taped (taped!) to find out what really happens when people stop catching fish, and start having strokes.
Admittedly, the name of the show now seems unwise in retrospect.
But frankly, reality TV faced its real “ultimate test” last summer. And failed. The VH1 show Megan Wants A Millionaire was quickly pulled off the air when it was revealed that one of its contestants had committed a gruesome murder. Yikes. The story only got sadder when the suspect fled to Canada and committed suicide in a motel room. Of course, pulling the show off the air may have been the most politic way to deal with the victim’s grieving family, as well as to avoid the perception that VH1 was trying to capitalize on the sensationalism of such a tragedy. But the reality (ding dong) of the situation is that VH1, and all of the major reality TV proponents, specifically search for people with deep emotional imbalances and an overenthusiastic love of alcohol in order to create dramatic tension. It was only a matter of time before that shit EXPLODED. So to pull the show entirely and pretend like it never existed–to the point of refusing (unspoken) to allow Megan Hauserman, a once rising reality star at the network, whatever THAT means, to participate in any future programming–is the height of dishonesty and malicious cowardice.
There are plenty of deleterious social effects that have developed from reality TV, namely the exponential increase in fame obsession (and the attendant sense of entitlement and misuse of the word “deserve,” as in “I deserve to win”), and an aggressive strain of schadenfreude as our culture’s key emotional note. But the portrayal of death, the one thing that we definitely all have in common without exception, seems both entirely above board, and one of the more difficult things for the producers to crassly manipulate with quick-edit interview segments and half-gallon bottles of cheap vodka. Showing people dying on a reality TV show is certainly no worse than showing people living on Hoarders.
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(“Phew, we are off the hook. Get it?” — The Fish.)
Ugh. That is just poetry.
?????????????????
2 years I waste watching this show and the only death I get is from a stroke?!
- Average Deadliest Catch Viewer
Totally unrelated, but this:
It’s part of their culture, you guys.
Shhh! Gabe gets mad when you make fun of the vuvuzela!
Being annoyed by the incessant drone of vuvuzelas = racism. No duh.
My vulva is buzzing with racism
I actually don’t have a vulva
So are you actually John Mayer?
Wow. That would explain everything, wouldn’t it?
I actually knew a Steve Winwood in real life when I was younger, and if I remember him correctly, it wouldn’t surprise me too much if he turned into our Steve Winwood, but I think Steve has made comments about being a Southerner?.
Then what do you call your face?
Well then, I guess I’m a racist.
Was it ever confirmed that the VH1 murderer dude won I Love Money 3? That was a rumor around the same time they pulled the remaining Megan Wants a Millionaire episodes.
If Toddlers & Tiaras is appropriate without everyone having to go to JAIL, then this should be fine. Terrible, but fine.
Personally, I think they should show it. If only for the reason that people don’t understand what happens before the food hits their plate. Maybe they’ll appreciate those crab legs a little more if they know that some guy with a family DIED trying to catch them. Then again, everyone likes to blame BP for the spill when they do nothing to curb their own oil consumption or become willing to pay more for alternative energy. Off topic, but whatevs. I stand by my tangents.
You mean the lobsters don’t just walk to the restaurant and jump in to the boiler because they know I want to eat them?
Not to be a dick, but people blame BP for the oil spill because it was THEIR FAULT. There’s a difference between overusing fossil fuels because you have a half-hour commute and causing them to spew throughout the Gulf of Mexico while destroying industries and killing wildlife because you’re too cheap to follow basic safety protocols.
Also, Phil Harris was a chain-smoker, who continued smoking even after he was coughing up blood. So saying he died trying to catch fish makes no more sense than saying Chris Farley died trying to make people laugh.
It’s our fault for still consuming oil with shear insanity and self-destruction, and for doing nothing to stop companies like BP.
Yeah, silent downvotes, sucks to be reminded doesn’t it?
“silent downvotes” is quite possibly the funniest thing any Videogum monster has ever said.
Liz, I silently upvoted this.
Really? People downvoted this? pt is absolutely correct here and he/she is just saying the same think Mcluskyist said originally so what’s the beef? But Steve Winwood gets to act like a dick to everyone and people think it’s charming.
The beef is that people really, really, really don’t like being told that their way of life is damaging and suicidal, they would so much rather be able to blame the people who are “worse” than they are or the corporations and politicians so that they can feel better about themselves, when that’s just delusional. Sure, there’s little that can be done in the face of everything that corporations and politicians do do, but getting pissy and defensive (or not even, because no one has even said anything against me and Mcluskyistm, so just getting pissy) is just rather lame. It’s a sad denial of complicity in it all. And don’t think I’m denying my own complicity, I’m just refusing to act like it’s as simple as blaming the corporations, or as simple as blaming individual lifestyles.
No, I agree that the spill is directly BP/Transocean’s fault for not following safety protocol and not having the technology to fix the spill. I’m just saying that it’s a cop out for everyone to rail against them and boycott them as they get in their cars and just buy gas somewhere else. The situation in the Gulf is horrible and disgusting, but that ecosystem will rebound. Mother Nature can handle acute situations. It’s collectively everyone’s fault for not pushing their government representatives to fund alternative energy or changing their consumption habits. BP is selling a product that there’s a market for. No market for oil, no oil production, no spills. We’ve been having this conversation since Nixon. Although not an expert I’m pretty well-read on environmental issues, I can assure you that all of the greenhouse gases emitted for transportation, building heating/cooling, production of food and goods, etc. in the past month is far more harmful for the planet than the oil in the Gulf.
Also, I didn’t realize he had a stroke. I read it wrong (I was at work!) and thought he died on the boat whilst catching fish. So, a tip of my hat to you on that one Robin.
Downvote away! (silently)
LOLing at blog post about a newpaper article about a reality show about a dude who dies cannot be right in the eyes of God.
Sure, they get to show the pain and sadness that comes with a dying relative, but apparently my game is inappropriate!
Gabe — the fact you used “deleterious” and “schadenfreude” in the same sentence makes my soul smile, so thank you.
Also, no, this does not seem to be a big deal to me. I mean, it’s not like the guy got thrown overboard or hooked to death or something.
… or got shot in the chest by 16 Orc arrows saving his tiny compadres.
not to get all seriousgum but i gotta disagree about the value of work-related reality tv. now i’m not talking about millionaire matchmaker or make a fortune off gullible, misinformed people in the real estate business or related bullshit that is really just a vehicle for some megalomaniacal hollywood dipstick, but i really think that there is value in programs like this one and ax men and their ilk. i think the disconnect between the consumer and the process and people that provide the products we consume is kinda the most important issue of our times, magnified a million fold by the tragedy in the gulf. we make these assumptions that, in this modern age, we’ve found the perfect way to make shit happen. but the reality (!?!) is that we still haven’t figured out a way to get 2x4s to home depot without a chaw dipping dude out there in the woods somewhere occasionally straight cutting a fucking finger off. and beyond the danger that we as consumers place on these people with our demands (not that we’re entirely culpable, obviously they cut corners to boost profits, etc.), there’s social, environmental, cultural, racial, and economic consequences and implications that are fascinating and important. these shows certainly aren’t perfect and don’t cover a lot of this shit, but i think it’s a start. an easy, dumbed down way to see how things go from way the fuck out there to right here, and they might even make people think a bit about what their role in all this is. naw, who am i kidding, we’re all fucking idiots.
This is the most I’ve wanted to upvote something that didn’t just make me laugh hysterically.
I really enjoyed your argument. I thought it was interesting that you brought up the racial consequences of our actions. I totally agree with you, but I think most of these reality shows focus on white males being white males. How representative of ‘dangerous’ work is that? Ugh.
well, plenty of white males are doing very dangerous work, but you’re right, most of these shows do focus on white males. i guess with regards to the racial aspect i was thinking of the reality shows i’m pitching in my mind such as an apple grows in china, death by mardi gras beads, and your suv doesn’t need a coyote to get across the border, all of which will be shown on the total fucking bummer (TFB) network.
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HEY PT! I’M DOWNVOTING YOU NOW!
Yeah, but without any coherency besides, well, making my point?
I’m sorry, but if your point is “You caused this oil spill too with your vile consumption!” then you’ve earned nothing from me but a mouseclick and some sarcasm.
My point is that it’s rather pathetic to act angry and upset at BP and get all amped when it’s time to criticize them but then get defensive, pissy, and distancing when it’s pointed out that you’re actually involved in the whole process.
(too long, don’t read)
I don’t think it’s pathetic at all. I think people expressing outrage are reacting very understandably to something that is larger and more frightening than they easily know how to deal with.
Everyone knows that the dependence on oil is an ongoing problem. I’m sure a big part of the anger people are feeling at BP is the notion that we as a country have permitted ourselves to ignore the mounting energy/environmental conflict in favor of just making sure we can keep that sweet black tar flowing, keep the cars on the road, the computers and air conditioners ON. The notion of personal responsibility is lost on no one (I should think). But I didn’t build that fucking oil rig, and it wasn’t my job to make sure it didn’t fucking explode! The suggestion that “acting angry and upset” at the people whose job that was is a way of ignoring our own responsibility here…has a certain validity – but they did fuck up royally.
And I’m mad at the “drill baby drill” assholes, I’m mad that we haven’t designed better solar panels, I’m mad that we’re terrified of nuclear power which might just be safe if we’re not assholes about it and actually keep our plants from melting down.
I guess what I’m saying is, can’t we both be right? Can’t we get amped and criticize BP and hang their executives in effigy (IN EFFIGY) then try to have a nice reasoned public discussion about how to really solve our energy problems and avoid making the kind of devil’s bargains that destroys huge chunks of our country?
Of course we can’t. But it’d be nice.
See! This is all I want! I get really pissed when people have a thoughtout comment or a reasonable comment about important things, and it gets downvoted but no one has the ball or ovaries to respond, and when that happens it just reeks of people getting upset because they heard something that upsets their ideal view of themselves or their world. It’s not the expression of outrage I take issue with, it’s the refusal to wonder if it could or should be turned around. (I mean, hell, you emphasize hanging BP execs in effigy, I fully support actually hanging them. I promise you that if the BP CEO was executed, and then the next one, the third one would ensure the leak was plugged.)
So yeah, we can both be right in some way, I just can’t stand people getting upset when things get more complicated, and unfortunatly, that most often happens with people I actually most agree with, people who are thoughtful, liberal, decent people.
And I don’t want to get into the rest of it, because I don’t know if either of us want to write essays on Videogum, but nuclear power is a terrifiying joke and I don’t know why you think we shouldn’t be afraid. What in human history has ever shown you that we know how to not be assholes about it? And even if we somehow managed that, we still have to do something with the waste. Waste that will be able to kill anything for a period of time that is far longer than anything resembling civilization will last. Waste that, as it is proposed now, would be trucked across the country, through some of the biggest cities, multiple times a day, for all time, always and ever at risk of even the slightest accident resulting in death and radiated city centers. Solar power is a non-starter too, it still requires more material and more energy spent than will ever be recovered. So, yeah…
But seriously, thanks for actually responding. I get pissy about a lack of dialoug, not at dialoug.
My pleasure, and yeah we can stop essaying now.
This is a place for one-liners and laughs, generally. When an argument starts I usually like to say something brief and stupid to upend the person I disagree with. But when a real conversations starts I generally can’t resist.
And I dunno about nuclear. I’ve heard it’s a bigger part of the energy spectrum in other countries, and they’re able to not dick it up the way we have a couple of times (spake wikipedia: 71 percent of all nuclear accidents [45 out of 63] occurred in the United States.) OK…a bunch of times.
The argument that it can be a bridge between fossil fuels and cleaner/safer energy that isn’t currently feasible has always seemed like a reasonable one. There are clearly no totally comfortable solutions-shit I’m doing it again. Sorry! [Not Actually] Betty White OUT!
The only work-related reality show I watch is Dirty Jobs. Perhaps it will appeal to you? You should check it out =)
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I don’t watch Deadliest Catch or Ice Road Truckers but I watched THE FUCK out of Axe Men. I love Axe Men.
Good God, deforestation has never been so sexy.
not as exciting of a death pool
I think it’s perfectly reasonable to air this series of episodes. They have showed many deaths on this show, they have pulled dead bodies out of the water, they have shown empty saftey suits floating in the sea and such. And death is not only a big part of this job, but a big part of real life, and as someone who has followed the show it is a sad (even if he really didn’t do anything to avoid this stroke) end for one of my favorite people on the show. I would be pretty bummed if he was just not there in one episode and he was replaced by the other sister from Rosanne or something in the next, and I’m sure the idea of having his, or any of their deaths played out on a TV show they signed up for called “The Dealiest Catch” isn’t making anyone roll in their (watery?) grave – I mean, it’s baked right into the title. Furthermore, I think too much of reality TV, obviously, isn’t reality at all and things like this that involve real people and real families and real jobs can be an important – and you know, depressing – reminder of what happens in the real world, where it’s not all ‘Jersey Shore’ and ‘I’m Celebrity, Get me Out!’ (or whatever the hell). All right, I’m done.
- Bering Seacrest out
I could think of a few reality shows that wouldn’t upset me at all by showing a cast member’s death. Keeping Up with the Kardashians, I’m looking at you.
“The Simple Death”
The guy in the middle looks a bit like David Bowie. Kinda? If David Bowie was a fisherman?
Preach Gabe! BTW – brilliant: “to find out what really happens when people stop catching fish, and start having strokes.”
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
You guys! I just got really excited because Kodiak is my hometown and I just scrolled through and saw this guy’s shirt. That’s all – thanks for letting me share.