What the Shed Looks At

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Steve Wilkos

I watched this episode of The Steve Wilkos Show the other day with Mike. I probably didn't explain the episode too well to James the next day, because I was surprised to hear James take a hard line on 16 year old liars. Maybe bullshit in Washington has gotten everyone in a dark mood. Sorry about the rants on the last post btw.

Anyway, here is the episode. If you have time take a look.

2 comments:

  1. Steve wasn't exactly wrong about anything he said, but what a massive dick. He looms over people and gets up in their faces and he ambushed that mother. Not that she was right, but jeez what a dick.

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  2. I've had a conundrum about this episode and others for a week now. I watched this again with James. I was originally in your camp Andy, but lately I've been changing my tune. I believe Steve is accountability personified. Unfortunately he is human, and in being so cannot be perfect. A person wielding that kind of influence has to be very careful. Mistakes in his line of work do permanent damage to people. It is also possible that he relies too heavily on tools like the polygraph. In this case the test was administered to two people halving the odds of a false negative (assuming the questions asked were mutually exclusive).

    When I watch an episode of Steve Wilkos I come out of it with questions and points of discussion. I don't feel like I have enjoyed an old fashioned Victorian freakshow like I did with Jerry Springer.

    As for him being a dick to people... Fuck them! They went on a friggen talk show! They need only look as far as basic cable at 9:00 AM, and again at 1:00 PM, to understand what they were getting into. The mom chose to confront the sister. She did so by bull rushing her. As long as Steve reserves his dickishness for those that truly deserve it (this is very important). Then I have no issue with him on that front.

    My main concern was with the little sister, who was obviously traumatized by this experience. Did her crime fit this punishment? James has put it in perspective for me though. She obviously had plenty of time to fess up before showing up on the show. In a way this was all her choice.

    In a society that does not give minors the right to give consent, we sure don't mind outing their mistakes on national TV. Especially when their mistake is giving consent.

    In the end it was the lie, not the mistake that got her. I just hope that this experience doesn't turn her into a monster, and I hope Steve feels the same way. The last scene was left very open ended though. It could have ended in any number of ways (steve gets them counseling all the way to Steve assrapes the both of them behind the dumpster in the backlot), and that uncertainty bothers me. I want badly to believe in what Steve is doing, but my cynical mind keeps reminding me that he is probably a scumbag. Either way I will still enjoy this shit, just in two completely different ways. This is the conundrum I face.

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