Jeremy Vs Morality

 To glorify the ‘Jeremy Kyle’ Show is morally wrong. 

Is this statement fact or is it just a misunderstanding of its participants, a trying case of ‘us’ higher beings trying to avoid the under-class altogether? This could be described as an under-class show; without trying to stereotype an audience, it plays at a time when most would be at work, thus illustrative of the target group. Perhaps it is not the case that it is immoral for the middle classes to watch, just an excuse of avoidance in wanting to enjoy a show that is not intended for them. The show is entertaining, it allows the viewer insight into a person’s life. As you can see from any reality TV programme, no matter how mundane the subject (Big Brother), obscure the content (Any real life documentary on channel 4) or factual (BBC 4) people will watch because they are interested in people. The immorality comes from The Jeremy Kyle show team, who do use participants as contestants- they wind them up with phone calls and allow those with obvious mental disability destroy their lives on the show for ratings and then provide a lack of aftercare (A session of counselling cannot heal public humiliation) . However, now this show has left its mark on society as something that abuses the disabled and disturbed, should it be destroyed? Because actually it does appeal to an audience that does not actually gain much consideration, the deed has been done and to take away from the disadvantaged any aspiration would also be immoral. Catch 22.

To conclude, it is not immoral to watch ugly people on TV, it’s not immoral to think that they are ugly either- ugliness is subjective and not surface deep and I’m sure those that watch and aspire to the Jeremy Kyle show do not find those on the apprentice attractive- either way, my point  is that ugliness should not be hidden to sweep a whole class of people under the carpet, if it is morally wrong to watch ‘ugly’ people, then in a different subjective class it is immoral to watch ‘attractive’ people. Jeremy Kyle owns his own style of Airbrush.

My Girlfriend Broke A Plate! (For Jeremy)

My Girlfriend Broke a plate is a piece of work based on the immoralities o f the Jeremy Kyle show. Centred on the aspirations of the contestants and the behaviour of the backstage staff, there becomes a strange juxtaposition in the confusion of unlikely contestants becoming what they imagine the real show contestants to be.

 This work also challenges the roles of authority within a minority influence – if spoken to abruptly, will a participant become defensive or subservient. The Host to the backstage of this publicity shoot is ‘just doing their job’ in her actions, and is un-amused by the participants that she would have to deal with everyday.  Only praising those who make her life easier, those who moralistically choose not to argue are given a hard time. The subservient succeed by arguing and imagining ‘over-the-top’ situations to fit with the shows identity. Unlike the actual show, this is just a publicity shoot, therefore realises a different standpoint to the show- those who ‘want to’ participate.

There are quite sinister themes also appearing in the context of this backstage show, people can view what is happening through a internet link up in the main exhibition space which encourages them to want to be involved, yet the lack of sound indents the knowledge of what they will be getting themselves into. It also uses voyeurism to expand on the thoughts of the immoralities of watching the unknowing participant- suggesting that if they watch, enjoy and ‘want to be involved with the show’ then they deserve to be belittled, embarrassed and confused backstage as well as being watched themselves by the audience.  It can also be noted that the themes of each show are quite dull in comparison to the issues usually raised in Jeremy Kyle- this is to correspond the ability for people to argue over the slightest of things- and even the detrimental action that this can provoke. Domestic issues that are not noted on the show are explored here as issues that are not addressed in reality,  and the imagined aggression between the participants can indicate the lengths of how these circumstances are addressed at home, backstage.

Susan Hillar and my forthcoming performance

I was just writing a couple of sentences that i will be using on Wednesday as part of a performance and i realised how much the Susan Hiller exhibition has effected my work and thought processes. I was thinking about the Jeremy Kyle show and all of the crazy situations the contestants are in when they get there. We  (When i say we, i mean the majority) imagine, as the viewer, that we are the 'The type' that would not be a custom to these bad situations- however it is probably more the case that we just wish not to advertise in this way. The Punch and Judy piece by Susan Hiller is a thought provoking and disturbing installation built up from the 'Punch and Judy' shows that litter the countries seaside. It builds up the image of violence and sounds of screams from the shows, but it is quite obvious (unlike watching a 'funny' seaside show) that there is domestic violence going on. How does this relate to your work?! I hear you say... well.
I was thinking of less obvious ways of using the title bands in the Jeremy Kyle shows, and decided i should use mundane sentences, like 'i fell over and broke my foot'- however this wasn't really saying anything and Jeremy Kyle titles are always more directional and abusive so i decided to think about things that were less directional but in everyday circumstances could be taken out of perspective to create an argument. Hopefully, the titles i will use on Wednesday will have the same subtlety that Hiller's work has in showing the gap between the Kyle 'contestants' and themselves. In the fact that we are all only human, and these bad situations could in some ways be better let out on the kyle show as opposed to being Britishly hidden- If not only for the limeted aftercare of the show.

Jeremy