The Finch Formerly Known As Gold

16 January 2003

Dream a little dream of greed

On general principle, I refuse to watch things like Joe Millionaire.

What principle, you ask? I did time in pre-AOL chat rooms in the Eighties, and even then, the dating/mating ritual was seventy to eighty percent artifice, and most of the balance actual fraud. And back then, only the best and the brightest (well, and me) would be willing to spend a week's pay every month to observe this phenomenon.

So these days, I have to rely on other people's takedowns of these tawdry telespectacles, and fortunately, The American Prospect's Noy Thrupkaew is on hand to point out how Joe Millionaire is like lobbing a rock into a tree full of howler monkeys. Thrupkaew's most illuminating observation:

It's a bit horrifying, the way many of the women fight to be chosen by someone they don't even know. He's like a prince, they keep whispering, as they try to elbow their way into a fairy tale. Pick me, love me! I haven't seen such strenuous preening since I watched a dog show.

Gad, I hope Greg Hlatky doesn't see this.

(Via Hit & Run)

Update, 9:45 am: Monty Ashley at TeeVee tosses in this perspective:

I think I've figured out what really bothers me about it. The gimmick that the so-called millionaire really only makes $19,000 a year is phrased to suggest that therefore, he doesn't deserve love.

Does this mean I'm only half as undeserving?

Posted at 7:14 AM to Table for One


Let's hear it for principles. I'm not amazed that people watch this stuff, just slightly disappointed. I know Joe Millionaire is supposed to be lampooning other reality shows, but humiliating people -- even golddiggers -- on national television isn't what I call entertainment.

Posted by: edward at 7:40 AM on 16 January 2003

I thought about watching it when I first heard about it, but when it came time for the premiere, I had a dentist's appointment.

Posted by: Kevin McGehee at 10:13 AM on 16 January 2003

If they did one episode every six months, you could escape this thing altogether.

Posted by: CGHill at 10:14 AM on 16 January 2003

You haven't seen my teeth.

Posted by: Kevin McGehee at 4:01 PM on 16 January 2003

Should I be grateful?

Posted by: CGHill at 7:21 AM on 17 January 2003

You'd be amazed how much bad TV you can avoid watching by hitting yourself in the face with a hammer...

Posted by: Kevin McGehee at 2:22 PM on 17 January 2003