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reality tv

Culture

The Pitfalls of Facebook Live Feed

I started using Facebook shortly after I entered graduate school in 2003.  I was a Myspace user, but often lamented Myspace’s messiness.  It was limited.  Some of my college friends began to use Facebook and I saw it as a way to stay in touch with people.  Facebook looked clean, but it was confusing why I could see everyone’s business: who they talked to, what they posted, what they said, etc…   We have seen Facebook evolve from a “college only” website to a global network of all ages.   Facebook is ubiquitous.  My parents, who are retired, even have a Facebook page!  Some bloggers have even commented how “uncool” Facebook has become since so many people are using it.  (You are still cool Mom and Dad.)

Facebook has played with the concept of the “news feed” and the “live feed” for sometime.  Currently, through the news feed you get the basic updates from people on pictures, posted links, and comments on your profile.  The live feed does much more.  It documents almost everything you and your friends are doing right now.  You can always change what information you share in the Facebook security settings, but things get ridiculous.   It can get annoying to see tiny details about your friend’s habits, especially if you have a large friend list.

In getting past the annoying nature of reading every minuet detail of your friends, we fall into the trap of Facebook live feed:

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Jon Gosselin, Please Stop!

As I mentioned before, I was very hopeful that Jon and Kate Gosselin would patch things up, but things have certainly gotten worse since Jon and Kate have split.  The media circus has heighten the tension of the conflict between Jon and Kate.  Despite Jon’s disclosure of seeking a “higher power” the relationship between him and his family is almost at a point of no return.  The girlfriends of Jon, other “reality celebrities”, and the media have virtually wrecked any chance of reconciliation.  I cringe every time Jon says, “I’m just here for my kids… I love them.”  If he truly loved his kids then he would not engage in activities or conflicts that bring the worst out of the couple.  Kate has admitted to her own issues, but Jon’s are more public.

In a strange development, Jon was planning a show with “Octo Mom”:

There were terrible, terrible rumors going around that Jon Gosselin and Octomom Nadya Suleman were going to have their own reality show entitled, Jon – Kate = Jon + Octomom. However, Jon has had time to have a long, hard think about this career decision and has come up with the surprising decision to opt against famewhoring.

You got to be kidding me. I think it is a little late for cashing in on his family’s publicity.  However, one silver-lining could be the fact that Jon now has “spiritual advisers”:

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Culture

5 Reasons Why We Love Angry Outbursts

The recent outbursts of congressman Joe Wilson, tennis star Serena Williams, and rapper Kanye West strikes a note within our own anger and need to be heard.  Congressman Joe Wilson has now become famous for shouting out “You lie!” during President Obama’s speech to a joint session of congress.   Wilson has faced addition criticism for the way he has handled his apology to the President.

Serena Williams made waves during a Grand Slam match in which a line judge called her on a serve violation.  Williams then cursed out the line judge, shouted at tennis officials, and was finally suspended from the match.  She was quotes saying, “”If I could, I would take this …… ball and shove it down your …… throat”

Kanye West  recently grab the microphone away from Taylor Swift, who just won the award for Best Video at the MTV Music Awards, and told the crowd in an outburst that Beyonce Knowles should had won the award.

We love to watch when this type of drama unfolds.  Why?  Here are 5 reasons why we like these angry outbursts:

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Why I am Going to Watch Jon and Kate Plus 8

UPDATE: Jon and Kate filled for divorce.  I wonder if they tried counseling.  From the looks of the editing in the episode, Jon and Kate cannot come to an agreement.  It seems that ” trying to do the best thing for their kids” does not include trying to save their marriage.

I have resisted blogging about “Jon and Kate Plus 8“, which is the show about Jon and Kate Gosselin and their 8 children, because it has been the “hot” celebrity news item.  I try not to give any attention to “celebrity news” because it is not real news.   The Jon and Kate story is news worthy on this blog because they are professed Christians and their situation is putting Christianity to the test in the eyes of secular viewers.   Part of the show contains scenes of the family going to church, memorizing scripture, and reading Bible stories.    Recently, the couple has gone through a dark time in their relationship, which has made news in just about every news outlet.  Allegations of infidelity have plagued the show since the start of season 5.  Questions have been raised regarding  the couple  staying together.

Tonight’s episode is billed as TLC’s most shocking show announcement, which many think will include the couple divorcing or ending the show.   Many of my friends who are Christians have found themselves in conversation about Jon and Kate and wondering, “What would I do if I were in the situation.”   News outlets have also been talking about how America is watching this train wreck but cannot look away.  There have been reports that Jon has been looking for an apartment in NYC. This show has gone from entertainment to the guilty pleasure of watching a family being torn away from each other.  This family does not need to go through anymore drama, but that is what you sign up for when you do a reality show in your kitchen.  Their children will no doubt watch the show when they are older and be changed for it.

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