Thursday, January 31, 2008

Truth or Dare

You know, every fall and winter, I enjoy seeing the new crop of shows that the networks bring us. I like the whole process of watching the commercials, debating on whether or not I'm going to try watching this one or that one, and then giving the show(s) a full 5 minutes of my attention before deciding "oh, this is garbage" and moving on.

Occasionally, however, there comes a show with such an ingenious premise that I simply must watch...if only for 10 minutes instead of 5. The latest show to hook me like this is Moment of Truth.

It seems like it should be the easiest game in the world. It really does. Prior to the live airing of the show, the contestants are given a polygraph exam. They are asked 50 questions during the exam. 21 of those questions are chosen to use on the show. If you answer a question truthfully (compared to the results of the polygraph), you win money in ever increasing amounts, all the way up to, I think, a million bucks...or half a million...something like that. As long as you tell the truth, you're okay. If you lie, you walk away with nothing. Sounds simple, right? It is. There is a problem however.

All of the questions are of a personal nature. The higher up the dollar amount goes, the more personal the questions become. Questions like, "Have you ever stolen money from your job?" and "Have you ever made a pass at one of your wives friends?" to "Do you really love your wife?"

The thing is, you want these people to be telling the truth. If they say that they DID steal money from a job and they DID make that pass at the wife's friend, you want that to be true so that they will win all of this money. HOWEVER, if that is the case and the answer is truthful and they win that amount of money....what kind of person does that make them? and us?

What are some of these people admitting to? Yeah, I think my wife is ugly....I'm cuter than my sister....yeah, my mom IS fat....no I don't love my husband

The audience applauds like mad for each truthful answer....but I wonder if they realize AT THE TIME what they're applauding? A man stufffing his pants to make himself look more well endowed, a woman who thinks her husband is lousy in bed? Yeah, it gets that personal.

When if first came on, about 15 minutes into it, my husband and I both looked at each other and said "You should go on that show"......halfway way through the sentence we both stopped and said..."Never mind."

Because although the truth is great and the truth will set you free, there are some truths you really should keep to yourself...or at least not spew out on national television.

However, it's hard to look away from a train wreck.

Will I continue to watch? I don't know, to tell you the truth.

Peace alllll...............

2 comments:

Oh great One said...

I watched this show for the first time last night. I find it to be very conflicting. Sure you want to win the money but at what cost? The guy last night admitted that he let some one else take the blame for stealing at work.....in front of his CURRENT BOSS! Then got applause for it! I don't know. It seems pretty hurtful to those around you. I wonder how many rifts have been created already.

Granny Annie said...

The previews for this show did not even tempt me. Reality TV shows are not my favorites but my kids (your ages) love them. I'm afraid my habits have often been to embellish the truth so that Moment of Truth show really creeps me out. However, I'd like to put my husband in the hot seat. He always brags about how honest he is and gloats when he catches me in some elaborate tale of shaded truths. He always says, "Honest people never have to feel guilty." Well rooty-toot-toot! LOL