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Big Brother

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Denise Caro
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41 views2 pages

Big Brother

Article

Uploaded by

Denise Caro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AUDIO

Those bloody brits


BIG BROTHER

BIG BROTHER
You may not like it, but reality TV is here to stay. There are all sorts of programmes to choose from
such as Popstars, Fame Academy, Survivor, Temptation Island and, of course, Big Brother. Big
Brother was the first of its kind, and is the most popular programme in most countries where it’s
shown. In fact, it’s so popular that stories from the show often get in all national newspapers. Why
is this? Is it the hint of sex? Or the non-stop drama?

A Winner Every Week Ordinary People


The idea of Big Brother is so simple: 12 people live in a house Others like it because of the contestants. “They’re just so thick,”
together and try to get on. There are video cameras rolling 24-hours said Lionel, a 32-year-old stockbroker. “But that’s what makes
a day that record just about everything; and there’s no escape. it fun.”
Every week two of the contestants are nominated by the other Most of the contestants are shameless exhibitionists who can’t
contestants; and at the end of the week the audience decides who keep their mouths shut. They come out with some ridiculous
gets kicked out. There are winners and losers, and there’s lots of things (see our page on Big Brother quotes for some examples
drama. The contestants themselves are forced to compete amongst of that).
themselves for attention and popularity both in the house and Psychologists also say that the show is popular because the
outside with the TV audience. And the great irony and contradiction contestants are just ordinary people. As we watch the show, we
of the show is that the group is supposed to work together on imagine that we could become celebrities too - “if those guys can
various tasks, but at the same time each individual is trying to do it, then so can I”. This is the message.
survive.
Fighting
Popular People also enjoy watching the show because there’s so much
So why is the show so popular? Many watch it simply because drama. Big Brother seems to bring out the competitive nature in
everyone else is watching it. “My workmates talk about it all the people. The contestants know that winning Big Brother means fame
time,” said Shirley, a 23-year-old accountant from London. “I used and possibly a job in television. And in order to get to the final,
to feel left out so I started watching it so I could have something they will do anything, including making friends, building alliances
to say.” and later betraying their “friends”, or attacking people in order to

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BIG BROTHER
Brighton. “Why do we give these inarticulate show-offs with no
talent a chance to talk on TV? There are far more intelligent people
out there, surely,” said a 33-year-old lawyer from London. “These
people are just nothing, but they think they’re the best,” said
a 36-year-old teacher from Manchester. “They’re just famous for
sleeping, talking, being popular, being unpopular or for kissing.”

Motivation For The Contestants


So why would someone want to be on this show? Most contestants
claim they do it for the experience. “I just wanted to see what it
was like,” said Luke, who was on the second edition of the British
show. But clearly the biggest motivation is exposure - the chance to
get seen and possibly get famous. Nicola, the 28-year-old freelance
artist from Bolton admitted: ”I applied for Big Brother because I
ensure their own survival. In one episode of American Big Brother, wanted to be famous and I want to be rich.”
the series ended with one contestant, Susan, stabbing her friend in And for some, it works. Many contestants, like Penny Ellis, are now
the back. Susan had to nominate someone to leave the house. There hosting other television shows. Viewers saw her in the nude after
were two choices: Mark and Mary. Voting for Mark would mean that she “accidentally” dropped her towel getting out of the shower
Mary could win. So, Susan acted in her own interests and nominated during the show. “It just fell,” Penny said innocently. Yeah, right!
her friend Mary, who was later evicted by the audience.

Emotional
The show is also full of emotion. It’s like a mini-drama and you can
laugh and cry with the contestants. There are tears as contestants
have to leave, traumas caused by having to choose between two
friends, and anger as the contestants become tired, frustrated and
tense with the constant pressure and attention. Psychologists say
it’s both relaxing and therapeutic to watch others in trouble as it
helps you put your own problems in perspective, or forget about
them altogether.

The Titanic
The show focuses on human dilemmas. The contestants are often in
difficult situations: shall I vote against my friend? Shall I help my
enemy in order to ensure I stay on the programme? It brings the
drama of real life into a controlled environment the same way that a
soap opera does.
And the audience love this and start to think about how they would
react in a similar situation. What would I have done? Who would I
have voted for? Who would I help? And the best thing is that you
can see the consequences without being directly affected by them.
GLOSSARY
Manipulation a hint of something n to come out with exp
Some people accuse programme makers of deliberately manipulating a suggestion of something; to say
to get on phr vb to betray vb
things. In one programme the contestants were invited to all sit in to have a good relationship with to do something bad against a friend
a hot tent for an hour to get money for food. After a few minutes someone or your country
rolling adj to stab someone in the back exp
some wanted to leave, but others wanted to wait and get more recording; working to do something bad to a friend
money. to kick out phr vb a tear n
to force someone to leave a place; to liquid that comes out of your eye when
In another programme the contestants were forced to choose expel you are sad
between food for lunch or more cigarettes. This caused a big to feel left out exp a soap opera n
to feel isolated a television programme about the lives
argument as the smokers wanted the cigarettes and the rest wanted thick adj of a group of people
stupid inarticulate adj
food. And in another, contestants could hear comments about a stockbroker n with no ability to talk fluently or
themselves that were supposedly made in private. This caused a person who works selling and intelligently
buying stocks and shares (company a show-off n
additional friction and tension. participations) a person who wants to show everyone
shameless adj how good they are at something
with no feelings of emba-rrassment nude adj
Critics to keep your mouth shut exp with no clothes
Others criticise Big Brother for providing poor role models. “They’re not to talk

teaching kids how to speak badly,” said one 27-year-old nurse from

For fantastic Video-Phone classes, e-mail [email protected] / www.learnhotenglish.com / 15

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