Newsflash: Reality TV shows portray their targets with “utmost respect and decency”

On one hand, maybe everyone should be allowed the privilege of ridiculing themselves on national television, no matter what their ethnic background, socioeconomic standing, gender, etc. Hey, if they want to do it, why stop them?

On the other hand, this is disgusting, particularly this part re: CBS’s upcoming effort to make an ‘Amish in the City’ show:

“We couldn’t do the Beverly Hillbillies,” the CBS chairman, Leslie Moonves, told TV reporters in January. But, he joked, the Amish “don’t have quite as good a lobbying effort”.

Or okay, fine, CBS, go ahead and make comments like this; but then don’t say something like “we sincerely hope that any judgement will be reserved until the show is produced” (actual quote) and expect people to listen to you.

(via the Guardian: Amish reality show provokes outrage)