Who thought this would be a good idea? UPDATE 8/25/2012

Who thought this would be a good idea? 8/4/2012

http://www.nbc.com/stars-earn-stripes/

ACK! The above link is to the new NBC show, Stars Earn Stripes.  This show takes entertainment stars and makes them train in situations simulating military war situations.

 21 days ago, I wrote a previous Daily ACK concerning the NBC show "Stars Earn Strips".  I feel it is time to update the happenings about this show since then.  On 4 Aug, after I wrote that ACK, my wife and I sat down with our computers, logged into Facebook and both of us made a "Boycott" event (non event?) against SES, however, she typed faster than I did and posted hers first, each of us didn't know what the other was attempting to do while we were doing it until she was finished and looked at the screen on my laptop..."Oh," she said "I didn't know  you were making an event against SES,...I did too and I just published it"...I stopped what I was doing and she made me a host along side of her on her "Boycott" event and AWAY we went...

In 21 days, the Boycott event has 772 people involved right at this moment.  I also published the same ACK on my facebook page and a good friend wrote a comment on it stating: 

Way to piss me off for the rest of the day Johnny! I just spent the last 1/2hr flaming their F.B. page. Screw NBC until they get this crap off the air. Maybe they should kill siblings and other family members and tell the stars they can't go home for the funeral. Or they could make them stay for battle while their children are born...Damnit Johnny should have kept this one to yourself!

The  person who wrote that is a recent Navy vet who worked on F14's.   I then went on to post back to him that I couldn't keep it to myself. I couldn't grasp how ANYONE thought this show was a good idea. If you go to the SES facebook page, seems they have some people who like the show and seem to think if you haven't served/deployed you shouldn't have an opinion about the show.  They also seem to think if you haven't watched the show, how can you have an opinion against the show.  Someone, rightly, pointed out that he could have an opinion about cancer without having had cancer before.... I watched their ads tout SES as "Real bullets, real explosions and real danger".  It is none of those things because NBC's insurance wouldn't let them put the "stars" in harm's way, EVER!  I served and I deployed on 3 different occasions so according to their way of thinking, I get to air my opinion....  My wife, Randi, however, has been called nuts, crazy, a troll, moron (a huge moron), a hater and has been told "You are only a dependent, you don't deserve the time of day" from the Navy Corpsman who was made a comment directed to her. I'm glad to say we all have freedom of speech according to the U.S. Constitution and ANYONE can comment about this crazy show.

I have no idea how an active duty Corpsman can say that dependents don't "deserve the time of day".  He serves this country and this country, the U.S.A. is made up of the people in it and that includes dependents.  Without "We The People" this country is NOTHING.  It would seem that Corpsman has forgotten just why it is important to serve the United States of America. I feel very sorry for him.  I also feel sorry for Retired General Wesley Clark, co-host of SES and Vietnam War veteran.  He seems to have forgotten the horrors of war and the personal sacrifice it takes to go halfway around the world, lose your innocence seeing things you never thought you would see or be involved in.

It would seem that SES has lost one third of their viewership over a two show span, according to http://tvline.com/2012/08/21/ratings-grimm-stars-earn-stripes/  and The Washington Post Blog also seems to point to a downturn in the show.  The lone single comment on The Washington Post Blog states: 

It's not a glorification of war that's the issue, it's the whitewashing of the horrors of war. Gent's, you need to consider that the audience is a bit smarter them you give them credit for, and also take a hard look at NBC's own copy, the latest pic on their FB page talks about how 'real' the next episode is. Please, COPS has been on the air for years, telling the stories of the officers they followed. They didn't have to gin it up with fake shootouts or staged crimes, and I don't think FOX was ever accused of exploiting law enforcement. For a lot of people, the means does not justify the end. This whitewash of the horrors of war, the the trivialization of the training and dedication displayed by our service members are the reasons a third of the audience fled. “A lot of people who are criticizing this show a) have never served b) don’t know what it’s like to really sacrifice for their country, don’t know what it’s like to be shot or have friends die in their arms,” said Brent Gleeson. Problem is, in watching SES they still won't know what it is to have to deal with the agony Mr. Gleeson describes.

Nail....meet HAMMER.

The thing that gets me is this: Some one inside NBC is shaking their head because they didn't see the backlash they have gotten for this ill conceived show and is probably shocked at the reaction of the T.V. watching public.  This tells me that big time media is WAY out of touch with the viewing public's thoughts

I watch very little T.V. from the big 4 networks,  I have never liked "reality" shows because sitting there with a camera crew or two is the very thing that makes it UNreal.  It is human nature to act different while on camera and the camera being there is the very thing that makes it a staged "reality".....

I am very hopeful that "Stars Earn Strips" is off the airwaves, sooner rather than later.....

Thanks
J.