Reality Kills......

[sunkarma]

Reality Kills: The “Extreme Makeover” Suicide



When a television production tells a woman with painfully acute self-esteem issues that they’re going to give her a smile like Cindy Crawford, then backs out of potentially life-changing surgery at the last minute because the “extreme makeover” wouldn’t fit their schedule, what’s the worst that can happen? For ABC, how about a tragic suicide and a million dollar lawsuit?

The suit starts with the blunt description: “Deleese Williams is considered ugly” and says one doctor promised her “a Hollywood smile like Cindy Crawford.
To prepare for the show, the producers sent a crew to Texas in January 2004 to interview Williams and her family.

The suit claims the “Extreme Makeover” crew manipulated Williams’ sister, Kellie, into making cruel statements about Williams’ looks.

The night before Williams was to begin her makeover, the show’s producers told her it would take too long for work on her jaw to heal. They canceled her appearance and sent Williams home where Kellie, distraught over what she had said about her sister, eventually killed herself, according to the suit.


The suit’s outcome will inevitably ripple through the entire exploitation-makeover genre, and may cause Fox to scrap its plans for a new installment of The Swan, in which the runners-up in the show’s climactic beauty pageant are unexpectedly asked to pay the bill for their surgical procedures or returned to their pre-makeover state.


For more on the story...

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/20/ma...eut/index.html

Who the hell wants to be perfect anyway...and who would do this to a sister? What is this damn world coming to?

[keiko]

I knew this reality tv/ make over show thing would end badly. No one ever listens to me...

[the_darkness_calls]

those reality makeover shows make me sick.

[Vitorro]

...and who would do this to a sister? What is this damn world coming to?

it seems some people will do anything for their 15 minutes of fame, and it dont matter who it hurts, but maybe this will be a wake up call to let people know, it is perfect to be You and not what others think you should be

[killerkat]

in which the runners-up in the show’s climactic beauty pageant are unexpectedly asked to pay the bill for their surgical procedures or returned to their pre-makeover sta

how the hell do they do that,Reverse-cosmetic sugury?...


and they have a name the those shows,"exploitation-makeover genre "

that's pretty fucked up....

[KilLAtomiK]

they wanted reality and they got reality

[Vitorro]

Reality shows are sometimes, way over the edge, like these talked about here, but some I do like, esp Fear Factor and the amazing Race, but they dont do the emotionally damage I think ones like Extreme makeover, Swan and American Idol do( and a few others too numberous to list) I caught a rerun of Fear Factor, and lo and behold, Masuimi Max was on it, wow, I cant remember seeing Her in Blonde short hair before, but.. WOW

[Morning Glory]

this is a case of chicken and the egg syndrome. sure it's fucked up that Tv shows would tell someone that they were ugly, or that they can't sing.. but whose responsible for promoting a sense of self-worth were "beauty" and "celebrity" are considered so important that not having thse things is emotionally devistating? probibly TV as well, but I really don't think that they can be blamed for "pushing the envelop" when it's the masses that are buying into thier bullshit and begging for more.

[Ashender Wraithwalker]

Man reading that made me sick..I am so glad that I don't watch TV, let alone Reality TV which is poisoning this society in my opinion. People watch that garbage full of idiots and think that is how they are supposed to act...You want a GOOD reality show? Why not do a real Survivor---

As in put a group of people on the island who where RANDOMLY selected from people that signed up (not just the "beatiful" ones). Place a way to get in contact with the outside world if something goes wrong/when someone wishes to quit. Have cameras everywhere they can't see, sit back and watch. No games, no stupid content, just see how insane people will really act without any outside stimulus. Hell to make it really fun tell them this is the audition and whoever survives makes it to the show, basically make them believe there are no cameras...yah now there is a show for you...

or you could be like me and just watch The Family Guy =)

["Chosen"]

Personally I think the law suit is a bunch of bs. The chick killed herself and its her fault not the shows. Ive said things in my life that after I look back at them I say to myself man I shouldnt have said that but its never caused me to kill myself. So if she would kill herself that easy well chances are she already had problems to begin with and more than likely wouldve did it at some point anyways.

[DARKGYM]

I personally don't like 99% of the reality tv genre (only exception is fear factor) I think it's a waste of time. All of these shows are scripted to a certain degree, so it truly isn't "reality" tv.

[Toe Cutter]

I don't have cabel, so when I want to watch TV I don't get much of a choice. It's either law & order, CSI, (which both seem to be on all the time) or reality TV. Although watching people act stupid makes me feel superior to the morons on the shows. I'm like 'thank-goodness I'm not that stupid'.

[evilassmaster]

unexpectedly asking the runners-up to pay the bill?

THAT's a brilliant show, I'd watch that.

[RobLongshot]

maybe one day creativity will return to both film and televison and we can have well written entertainment instead of this tripe.