Friday, September 17, 2010

BREAKING. M-Net asks for ''privacy'' for a show in which none exists, after Big Brother Africa All Stars housemates turn violent and fight.


Oh the irony. In a just released press statement about Big Brother Africa All Stars M-Net uses the word (gasp!) ''privacy'' for a show based upon the premise that actually, no privacy exists. The pay broadcaster and production company Endemol SA had to intervene when Big Brother Africa All Stars housemates Hannington Kuteesa and Lerato Sengadi became involved in a fight that turned violently physical. Hannington Kuteesa hit the female housemate Lerato Sengadi during a violent assault and rights groups have been up in arms about the TV assault the past few days.

Hannington Kuteesa is being evicted because of his violent fighting on Tuesday night while Lerato Sengadi is also being punished. '' Hannington Kuteesa will be offered support and treatment on exiting the house,'' says M-Net. Then the pay broadcaster turns completely ridiculous by asking for privacy after not just exposing the contestants to a hungry audience but by actually making money out of this voyeuristic reality show. ''The details of this treatment will be revealed once Hannington has completed the process and we ask for his privacy to be respected in this matter.''

Apparently a psychologist was called in to assess the situation who conducted interviews to assess the mental and emotional state of the housemates. ''Big Brother also wishes to note that this was an incident that could have been avoided, through discussion and a mature approach to conflict,'' says the statement that would be laughable if it wasn't that it was a serious incident. Big Bother housemates are not chosen for their maturity. Do the producers of this reality show really think or expect ''mature'' behaviour when they select a group of egotistical, fame motivated, self aggrandizing, extroverted and spotlight hyperventilating people to be under camera surveillance 24/7 as part of a TV show? Thought not.