The Fabulous Life Of...

Hawkeye · #1 05-05-2004, 09:09 PM

Does anyone else just DESPISE this show. I do. I can't believe there's a show dedicated to showing how unbelievably rich some people are, and the incredibnly ridiculous things they can afford to do. And the announcer guy makes it sound like we should all be jumping for joy and just be so happy for these celebrities. BLANK BLANK has 40 cars, 5 2 million dollar houses, and a jet to fly him to Paris from New York just to get a sandwhich BLANK BLANK wants.

seteca · #2 05-06-2004, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Does anyone else just DESPISE this show

Yes.

I find that show, along with "Cribs", absolutely disgusting.

I've been fortunate enough to have travelled all over the globe. I have come across people who sit on the side of a road by the agonizingly hot desert to earn the equivalent of 2 dollars a month by selling wild vegetables to other villagers and passing travellers - if they don't sell for more than a few days, they will starve to death. The greatest luxury they will ever experience is a few dollars tip from a passing tourist.

It makes me sick that on the very same planet, we have these two shows which glorify the fact that Cameron Diaz bathes daily in Evian water, how Britney Spears' haircut costs $12,000, and how Mariah Carey has one floor of her tri-level New York penthouse serving as a showroom for her shoes.

I know 100s more episodes of these shows have been made, but I've never managed to watch any further than the first 10 minutes of a few of them without wanting to throw something at the TV.

The very sad fact is that if my view was one shared by the majority of TV viewers in the U.K. and U.S.A., then ratings for these shows would drop and they would be cancelled. I do believe that the majority of the people living in the Western world are benevolent...the problem is that we are having ideas like "it's good to have a garage that looks like a Ferrari showroom" shoved down our throats by various media, and no matter how much good sense people have, when such ideas are everywhere you go 24/7...people start buying into this crap to the extent that there are 14 year old girls sitting there watching a celebrity spend $3,000 on a manicure and saying to themselves: "Cool..!!"

strandinthewind · #3 05-06-2004, 09:36 AM

I do not want anyone judging the way I live my life - so I try and not judge the way people live their lives. I mean, some people would look at spending $125 on a FM concert ticket or tickets as frivilous when their are starving people in the world - after all I could feed a lot of people on $125. I mean where is the line drawn - at a bath of Evian or a $125 concert ticket? At buying a Buick instead of a Chevy? At going out to a nice rest. instead of McDonalds? I cannot answer these questions because it is a different answer for everyone. So, I never really get into the whole "I cannot believe they are spending their money this way when there are starving people in the world" kind of argument. I mean for all we know Cameron Diaz or whomever could have a charity that feeds hundreds, etc. In any event, the lack of taste in housing and furnishings offends me far more on these shows

seteca · #4 05-06-2004, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I do not want anyone judging the way I live my life - so I try and not judge the way people live their lives. I mean, some people would look at spending $125 on a FM concert ticket or tickets as frivilous when their are starving people in the world - after all I could feed a lot of people on $125. I mean where is the line drawn - at a bath of Evian or a $125 concert ticket? At buying a Buick instead of a Chevy? At going out to a nice rest. instead of McDonalds? I cannot answer these questions because it is a different answer for everyone. So, I never really get into the whole "I cannot believe they are spending their money this way when there are starving people in the world" kind of argument. I mean for all we know Cameron Diaz or whomever could have a charity that feeds hundreds, etc. In any event, the lack of taste in housing and furnishings offends me far more on these shows

Yes, I absolutely agree 100% with the statement that there is nowhere specific to draw the line, but there is a difference between living someone else's idea of a luxurious life and doing so whilst openly "sticking it" to their face. I'm sitting here with about $10,000 worth of guitar equipment a few feet away from me. I bought it because I can afford it and I enjoy it very much. However, when I know that there are teenager guitarists saving up pocket money to go out and buy their first Fender Strat, I will NOT invite a camera crew into my house to come and broadcast to the whole of the U.K. my expensive guitars and equipment, because I KNOW that in doing so I will be making 1000s of younger fellow guitarists jealous.

Another example: you and I both attended the Dallas FM show last year (pleasure to meet you in the Crescent Court Bar btw!) and spent $125 each on the tickets. There is a 99.999999% chance that somewhere in the USA, someone who is just as big a fan as you and I, wanted to see FM in concert but couldn't afford it. Assuming this to be true, would it have been right if we had a national broadcast of you and I waving about our section A tickets into the camera?

My problem is not with who is spending or how much they are spending on whatever, but with the certain media companies (not just MTV) who are creating an image (targeted mainly at younger audiences) that these lifestyles are "THE" thing they should be aiming for and comparing their own lives to. To put it simply, (and even the tone of the presenters and celebrities is suggestive of this), they are saying "Look what I have and you don't....nah nah nah nah!!". Might just be a coincidence, but I notice that none of the celebrities (actors/musicians) who I would personally say have some class/elegance have ever taken part in any of these shows.

strandinthewind · #5 05-06-2004, 10:25 AM

Touche' Seteca Touche'

BTW - I hope we meet again on this leg!!!!!!!!

gldstwmn · #6 05-06-2004, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Does anyone else just DESPISE this show. I do. I can't believe there's a show dedicated to showing how unbelievably rich some people are, and the incredibnly ridiculous things they can afford to do. And the announcer guy makes it sound like we should all be jumping for joy and just be so happy for these celebrities. BLANK BLANK has 40 cars, 5 2 million dollar houses, and a jet to fly him to Paris from New York just to get a sandwhich BLANK BLANK wants.

I've gotten very tired of the onslaught of these types of shows on television. It's really in poor taste, IMO.

Pisces Queen · #7 05-06-2004, 11:20 AM

OK ~ Maybe it's because I adored "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" but I love this show. It's the announcers voice ~ very Robin Leach. Call me crazy!!!

ryan8472 · #8 05-06-2004, 12:10 PM

I think this show is extreamly tacky. Seriously, this and Cribs and Celebrities Uncensored all need to be cancelled. Quickly.

darklinensuit · #9 05-07-2004, 01:07 AM

I haven't seen the show, and for some reason nobody has contacted me to be on it. Why'd I even pick up that gold leaf toilet paper.

- Jake

littlelies7 · #10 05-08-2004, 03:07 PM

I really don't think shows like this should exist. All it implies is having lots of money is the key to happiness.

What a shame such trash ends up on TV.

golden braid · #11 05-08-2004, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I've gotten very tired of the onslaught of these types of shows on television. It's really in poor taste, IMO.

I totally agree. This show is on vh1 right? It seems like the only type of programming on vh1 now is all of these tabloid shows. Don't we have enough of Access Hollywood and ET on regular stations? Can't vh1 be about music? I much prefer watching Behind the Music than all of the crap vh1 shows now.

littlelies7 · #12 05-08-2004, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golden braid

Can't vh1 be about music? I much prefer watching Behind the Music than all of the crap vh1 shows now.

Speaking of which, BTM seems nonexistent.

And music videos.

Yeah, they show them... rarely!!!!!

Janet · #13 05-09-2004, 12:40 AM

I don't know. I actually enjoy cribs, I love looking at people's houses.

As for "Fabulous Life of" I feel it's rather fake. I bet these people make up half the crap. There seems to be no substance or truth and I wonder if these artists being totally exposed as ruthless spendalholics are seeing this???

I get mad at Britney for having SO much for doing so little. I think even *I * can sing better than her yet I work for nothing and couldn't be more poor.

I have rich granparents and friends who make good money and I even envy them..these beyond rich people, I can't even IMAGINE.

But again, it's all in fun. Its a glimpse how the other side lives. I never mind it, it's just annoying that all this money could help people.

Before they were rich, they took normal baths and got their hair cut for like $20. What changed? I hope if I ever got famous, I'd not just start living like a whore and remember I was satisfied for getting my nails done for $15, not like $1000 like J-LO does or whatever ( Jenny from the Block my *ss. She doesn't spent under a grand doing ANYTHING)

GardenStateGirlie · #14 05-09-2004, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janet

I don't know. I actually enjoy cribs, I love looking at people's houses.

As for "Fabulous Life of" I feel it's rather fake. I bet these people make up half the crap. There seems to be no substance or truth and I wonder if these artists being totally exposed as ruthless spendalholics are seeing this???

I get mad at Britney for having SO much for doing so little. I think even *I * can sing better than her yet I work for nothing and couldn't be more poor.

I have rich granparents and friends who make good money and I even envy them..these beyond rich people, I can't even IMAGINE.

But again, it's all in fun. Its a glimpse how the other side lives. I never mind it, it's just annoying that all this money could help people.

Before they were rich, they took normal baths and got their hair cut for like $20. What changed? I hope if I ever got famous, I'd not just start living like a whore and remember I was satisfied for getting my nails done for $15, not like $1000 like J-LO does or whatever ( Jenny from the Block my *ss. She doesn't spent under a grand doing ANYTHING)

I really don't think they make up stuff on The Fabulous Life. I can tell you first hand that where I work, celebrities come in and some have dropped $11,000 and up this year...and we're only in May. Over-indulgence isn't a word in a celebrities vocabulary and how could it be when they have an unlimited supply of money coming in? Hell, being an actor today means doing television, films, albums, touring, and of course, endorsements. With so many means of income, no wonder why they all role in dough.

At the same time, I can't really begrudge them of having what they have because if we didn't support their films, buy their albums, see their concerts, etc. then they wouldn't be living as they do, would they?

EveryHour · #15 05-09-2004, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I do not want anyone judging the way I live my life - so I try and not judge the way people live their lives. I mean, some people would look at spending $125 on a FM concert ticket or tickets as frivilous when their are starving people in the world - after all I could feed a lot of people on $125. I mean where is the line drawn - at a bath of Evian or a $125 concert ticket? At buying a Buick instead of a Chevy? At going out to a nice rest. instead of McDonalds? I cannot answer these questions because it is a different answer for everyone. So, I never really get into the whole "I cannot believe they are spending their money this way when there are starving people in the world" kind of argument. I mean for all we know Cameron Diaz or whomever could have a charity that feeds hundreds, etc. In any event, the lack of taste in housing and furnishings offends me far more on these shows

I totally agree with this statement, and the lack of taste comment=

!!! The thing I hate most about Cribs is that I can't stand the expression "cribs"!

It is a bit sick to have a whole show based on it, but we all enjoy things that are pointless, mindless or unworthwhile sometimes. And these people did not ASK to have all of these things put on TV afterall, so it comes down to the network and the public's desire to see such things IMO. I don't like that it may make some youngsters feel like money is everything, but like anything else controversial, I feel the responsibility ultimately comes back the parents to *talk* to their children.