Good Afternoon;
So I stayed at my daughter Jenn's house last night while she and her husband Tom went to a friend's anniversary meeting. Between the lumpy couch and the cold,dry, and dusty A/C I awoke with symptoms similar to a hangover, without the benefit of the buzz or the blackout...lol.
I watched a show on the 'Green' network, Comcast, (Balto. City), channel 113 titled "Famous, Rich, and Homeless". It is a British production filmed in London, England, a "reality show", (note the quotes!!!!), that places minor or has been celebrities on the streets of London to live as homeless people, or as they call them, 'rough sleepers'. Of course their are camera crews with lights following them around and filming their every move. For the first few days they are on their own, and then are buddied up with real homeless folks. The show is produced by the man who publishes the "Big Issue" newspaper/magazine..(?), and who himself is a recovering alcoholic and formerly homeless.
I have only seen the one episode, so I will not pass a final judgement yet, but there is a certain 'UNreality' about some of the segments, mostly in the actions and attitudes of the celebrities, some of whom immediately tried to 'save' their buddies, and who had no concept of the actuality of living on the street. One celeb, the Indian(?) gentleman threw a hissy fit when some late night party goers woke him and his buddy Drax up to give them some cigarettes. He kept going on and on about their rudeness ion waking him up, whereas the REAL homeless guy was not only grateful that they gave him some smokes , but that they even stopped to see if he was alive and breathing.
The other male celeb, a soap opera 'star', tried to 'cure and reform' a 20+ year heroin addict in less than 2 days and got all offended and upset when he, (the user), did not immediately drop to his knees in gratitude and change his 'evil ways'....lol!
The show looks as it has potential as entertainment and as a way to open the eyes of the people who do not and can not 'see' the homeless right in front of them...(in England anyway, the worst they have shown so far is still paradise to what you can see in Baltimore on any given day!)...but as 'reality'......ahhhhh, maybe not!
The producer/sponsor, (I'm sorry I cannot remember his name), met with the 'contestants?' after a week and their were harsh words back and forth because some of the celebs did not 'get it', that they were supposed to be living the life and experiencing it at street level, NOT acting as social workers.
It looks to be as interesting as any other 'reality series', and I hope it can remain true to the ideals of the man who is backing it, (the 'Big Issue' publisher).
I gotta run now, I just stopped in to escape the kids awhile, (and grab a beer...lol), I am helping Tom with some things when he returns from a DJ gig soon, so it's off to the bus and back to Jenn's
Back Tomorrow................................Dave
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