Read about Lauren Weinstein's close shave with an MTV reality show.
Excerpt:
A few weeks ago, I got a call from a producer who identified herself as being with MTV Networks' "The Debate Project" - -- who wanted to book me onto a new debate format show in production, to be taped a few days hence. She described the show (which she never actually specifically named) as oriented toward young people about important topics, with guests who were experts in their respective fields. They wanted me to debate a known spammer (who they wouldn't identify at the time) regarding the scourge of spam. It would be fun she implied, since the audience would of course be on my side...
Not really a debate at all, the show is actually a program for Comedy Central (yes, an MTV/Viacom network) called "Crossballs" -- and its sole purpose is the embarrassment and humiliation of the expert guests who are brought on expecting a legitimate discussion program.
Other places to read about this include:
Lisa Sarrach's column, a Tattoo forum, a blog discussing NASA costs and a gun rights guy's site.
Amazing how far a TV network will go to get ratings.
