‘I’m a Celebrity’ makes pro wrestling look like Shakespeare
I watched the first two episodes of NBC’s I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here back to back late Tuesday night, and at times it was more excruciating than watching a 60-minute Iron Man match between The Great Khali and Vladimir Kozlov. I nearly tapped out about 15 minutes or so into the first episode, but because I like Torrie Wilson, I decided to stick with it.
It’s amazing to me that there are people who watch this stuff but turn their noses up at pro wrestling. You would think that reality show fans would appreciate wrestling since a lot of those shows take their cues from it – they have heels, babyfaces, conflicts and people cutting promos. The big difference – at least in my humble opinion – is that wrestling’s scripted conflicts are much more entertaining that reality TV’s obviously contrived ones.
I think my colleague Sarah Kickler Kelber, who writes a reality TV blog for baltimoresun.com, best summed up I’m a Celebrity when she said, “I feel dumber for having watched it.” However, I am going to try to keep watching the series as long as Torrie remains on the program. So far, the former WWE diva has made a good accounting of herself on the Survivor-like show, although she could be voted off as early as Thursday’s episode.
In one horrifying challenge that took place in something called the “trauma tank,” Torrie and her fellow celebrity contestants laid down in a basin full of cockroaches, tarantulas, snakes and other crawly things. The object was to stay in the basin longer than everyone else. Torrie made it to the final three (out of nine) and was the only woman to do so. At one point, she had a snake slithering across her face. That had to be the creepiest thing she has experienced since her father and Dawn Marie tied the knot in the ring in their underwear.
Torrie was one of the winners in the obligatory eat-something-disgusting challenge, as she managed to woof down a serving of cow intestines faster than Stephen Baldwin. I just had a thought: If Marty “Boogeyman” Wright was on this show, no one else would stand a chance.
People eating bugs doesn’t really do much for me, but the gross-out stuff isn’t what really bugs me about reality TV. The main reason I can’t tolerate these shows is because the majority of the people on them are incredibly annoying (my wife watches a lot of them and I catch glimpses before ultimately having to leave the room). What’s worse is that the cast members on the shows work very hard at being incredibly annoying because they know it will get them noticed and they can squeeze every second out of their 15 minutes of fame.
The heels on I’m a Celebrity are the married duo of Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag. Before doing a little research on the cast after hearing that Torrie was going to be on the show, I had never heard of them and didn’t really know anything about The Hills, either. Words cannot possibly describe how unlikable these two are, especially Pratt, who, incidentally, has had talks with TNA about making an appearance at the Slammiversary pay-per-view on June 21. Think The Miz times a hundred. The couple’s villain act isn’t the least bit entertaining, as they have go-away heat, not I-love-to-hate-them heat.
And speaking of going away, Pratt and Montag seemingly left the show at the end of the second episode. Something tells me, however, that, just like the cockroaches they lived with in the jungle, getting rid of them for good won’t be easy.
Comments
i missed the first episode but after seeing tues show i realize i didnt miss much. this show is horrible. hopefully torrie wilson does well, besides that who cares
Posted by: jason | June 3, 2009 6:57 PM
"The heels on I’m a Celebrity are the married duo of Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag. Before doing a little research on the cast after hearing that Torrie was going to be on the show, I had never heard of them and didn’t really know anything about The Hills, either. Words cannot possibly describe how unlikable these two are, especially Pratt, who, incidentally, has had talks with TNA about making an appearance at the Slammiversary pay-per-view on June 21. Think the Miz times a hundred. The couple’s villain act isn’t the least bit entertaining, though, as they have go-away heat, not I-love-to-hate-them heat."
Couldn't agree more Kevin, I've never watched an episode of the Hills and couldn't tell you anything about them to save my life, but this guy takes X-Pac heat to another level entirely.. correction: we like X-Pac more than that. This guy's an ass.. err in a heel heat class all on his own.
Do you ever look at your wife when she watches these shows and say out loud: "And you think wrestling is bad?"
RESPONSE FROM KE: Yes, all the time.
Posted by: Brian | June 3, 2009 7:19 PM
This is exactly why I don't watch any of these retarded "reality" shows. Why they are so popular is beyond me. And I agree, I'd much rather watch the scripted conflicts of wrestling...most of the wrestlers, both male and female, heels and faces, are much more entertaining and have much more charisma and presence then any of these "15 minute of famers" on Reality TV.
Posted by: Orangana | June 3, 2009 7:23 PM
the miz time a hundered thats a good one i watched it too I too will only watch it if torrie remains on the show
VOTE FOR TORRIE PEOPLE!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | June 3, 2009 7:37 PM
Well said...that show is unwatchable. You hung in 14.5 minutes longer than me!
Posted by: J Dubz | June 3, 2009 7:39 PM
Bring back " Fuji Vice " . Now that's television !
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | June 3, 2009 7:48 PM
Kev, is this the first time I'm A Celeb is being aired in the states, or just the first time you've watched it?
It's been over here in the UK for several years now, and it's been pretty painful to watch since the start.
RESPONSE FROM KE: This is the second season in the U.S., but first time I have watched.
Posted by: SamStrife | June 3, 2009 8:05 PM
Hey Kev, I have to say I do watch a few reality shows along with wrestling so I figured Torrie on a reality show would be cool.... boy was I wrong. I can also say I had no I idea who Spencer Brat..oops Pratt was but I thank god I didnt. Never have I ever wanted to see someone be covered in fire ants so badly, at least then he might be entertaining. I figured that after seeing the premise of the show, I would enjoy watching Torrie in a bikini and watching Sanjaya get messed with,but NO You get the "most famous couple in America" LOL. I hope that they get rid of "Speidi", but Im with you when Torrie is out so am I
Posted by: bigninked | June 3, 2009 9:00 PM
I *did* throw in the towel after 15 minutes. And if you'll pardon my being indelicate, Kevin, there's something incongruent about suffering through this "reality" garbage in the name of pro wrestling because Torrie's participating, while on the other hand you recently posted a review of a TNA PPV that you admitted you hadn't bothered to watch.
I felt a bit icky about the journalistic ethics of that blog post—and this one makes it even harder to understand. The only thing I could figure is maybe the Sun doesn't pick up the tab for your PPVs as a work expense...? But that doesn't seem likely.
RESPONSE FROM KE: I'm not suffering through it in the name of pro wrestling, I'm suffering through it in the name of Torrie Wilson. When Ashley Massaro was on Survivor, I didn't watch one second of the show.
Posted by: Stephen | June 3, 2009 9:07 PM
I have to disagree with you about Heidi and Spencer. they are the best part of the show or I should say WERE the best part...after tonight show it doesn't look like they are welcome back.
I think you either love or hate reality tv. you obviously hate it, so none of this is going to be entertaining for you. I on the other hand have enjoyed the episodes by seeing these celebrities outside of their comfort zones and seeing how they react with eachother and the environment they are put into.
Posted by: ndugu | June 3, 2009 9:08 PM
I don't like how loosely the word "celebrity" get's thrown around.
Posted by: Andre the Midget | June 4, 2009 1:25 AM
I’m a Fan of Entertaining TV … Get Me Out of Here. Brutal. Shows like this make me think TV execs don't have a very high opinion of their audience. Maybe if Torrie Wilson met Spencer in a TLC match I'd watch this show again ... maybe.
Posted by: run pmc | June 4, 2009 3:39 PM
I was listening to Spencer & Heidi on the radio this morning -- they weren't the guests, the hosts were just talking about the couple and how hated they are.
If WWE were looking for a mid-level celebrity crossover, then Spencer & Heidi would be perfect because for once the celebrities would be the heels, which rarely happens (although this obviously wouldn't be a first).
Also, it would generate solid interest because Spencer is so universally hated that so many viewers (not the wrestling fans, just avid TV viewers) want to see him get beat up, so I would bet they would pay to view it.
And if Spencer were allowed to win, then it might just be something he'd go along with.
Plus, meeting with Vince McMahon and watching how he operates his whole ruse would automatically knock Spencer down a peg or two. And Vince is one of very few men that could do that.
Posted by: Mr. Sarcasm | June 5, 2009 11:43 AM