While channel surfing tonight, I came across a show on TLC called I Can Make You Thin, an ostensibly self-help show where some pretentious Brit gives you techniques that you can use to fight off the root causes of overeating. Tonight's show was on acupuncture, apparently, and tapping acupressure points to relieve stress (and hence, the desire to overeat - I think). I didn't watch the whole show and I haven't seen any other episodes, so I can't really comment on the content in a meaningful way.
However, coming back from a commercial break, there was some disclaimer by TLC to the effect of "any weight loss program should be under the strict guidance of a physician and this show is for entertainment purposes only." Entertainment purposes only? Come on, TLC...you can't have a show called I Can Make You Thin whose host says that he can make you thin "through your tv" if you follow the techniques he outlines in his hour show, and then say that it is for entertainment purposes only. That's like putting a big 'ol bowl of wax fruit in front of a starving man and telling him that he can pick it up, smell it, look at it, desire it, but if he tries to eat it, it will not satisfy. What is entertaining about a show where several guests come out who have lost weight using these techniques, the people in the audience tearfully recount stories of their own inability to overcome their weight problem, and the host speaks to some qualified individuals in the field of whatever technique he's employing any given week to accomplish some weight loss? You're crafting a show that people will watch (and you want them to watch, TLC) because they want help and this man is spreading a message that he can give it to them with little work, and you can't just slap a "oh, this is for entertainment only" sticker on it because that clearly goes against the very essence of the show. Look at the title, for cryin' out loud. Honestly, do you actually expect an overweight person to hear "I can make you thin" and think to themselves, "wow, that sounds entertaining but I certainly wouldn't try anything like that." You might as well have a sister program called I Can Make You Clean and see how many drug addicts find that "entertaining".
Putting your lame disclaimer after the commercial break is weak. Just stand behind your programs, suck it up, and deal with the aftermath of someone watching this show. Otherwise, change the format of the show such that the host isn't claiming to be able to do something that you don't want your audience to try (or you don't want to be blamed for if something goes wrong). Who watches this kind of thing for entertainment? It's not the psychic hotline, for the love of mike...if this show was hosted by Mistress Cleo, I'd have more understanding of the entertainment only disclaimer.
Personally, I think those people are crazy, what with all the face tapping and stuff. It was slightly entertaining, in a "wow, I will never try that because it's stupid" way.
Sure, and that's pretty much why I flipped past it once I saw what the big secret was. But still, I think it's lame for TLC to put up a disclaimer which basically states "this show is full of crap" on the backside of every commercial break just so that someone can't sue them and say, "Your show I Can Make You Thin didn't make me thin at all! False advertising!"
I love America and all, but many times I find myself asking, "have we really come down to this?"