http://www.bigbrother2000.com ...

[Otto Sell]

"This is cheapness here..." (Frank Zappa)

So this time Germany has been the test market - we're through with it and I
admit  that I've seen it two times. In fact, I didn't wanted to be called a
critic who is a critic only by ideology. I couldn't figure out what really
attracted the people. It had absolutely no effect on me, I felt it just a
silly waste of time and could never forget the name and its origin.

What I've seen was absolutely boring despite the fact that they'd got
cameras in the showers and bedrooms too (he, he). This will cause some
trouble in the USA I guess. Much advertising around small units of
conversations, discussions and silly "tasks" the people had to perform. And
it's absolutely cheap (as a tv-production) cuz it wasn't even a house but a
simple "container" somewhere in the area of Cologne, beleaguerd by the fans.
They really made a hype of it, people who were voted out became popstars
immediately (Zlatko) despite the fact they cannot sing, perform or speak a
single sentence in German correctly. Because the crew had been chosen by
illiterate tv-people they chose good-looking, advertising-fitting
illiterates. After a while they brought *Sabrina* in cause they needed some
sexy female. She made the press immediately, cuz she had trouble with the
courts (money-stuff). The people who got money from her were lucky cause it
was paid by the broadcasting station. Now that the one-hundred days are over
they send "Specials" - enough material left, the ads wasted so much time.
They had planned perfectly to stop before the soccer contest began, very
clever.

But the hardest thing was how all the people me around were attracted, even
my girlfriend. There was talk on it all the time, long-distance phonecalls
of this type: "and then Jürgen said ... and then Sabrina said ... and John
answered..." (forgot the other names), disguised as psychological or
sociological discussion.

This will be brought to you by Endemol-Productions, some Dutch idea. John
Endemol is a master of cheap tv-entertainment for the masses (*Dream
Wedding* moderated by his ex-wife Linda was a big hit too).

Maybe only people are infected who are already tv-addicts, cannot miss a
single sequel of *Emergency Room* (to name one of the best).

If just being on screen makes you a star, no matter if you've got something
to say, stardom doesn't matter anymore, becomes boredom. Maybe we are lucky
and stuff like this will drive the people away from the tube on the long
run.

Otto

I'm the Slime

I am gross and perverted
I'm obsessed and deranged
I have existed for years
But very little has changed
I am the tool of the Government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you  (...)
You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don't need
Don't go for help . . . no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold

That's right, folks . . .
Don't touch that dial

(FZ 1973)