Brainiac and its offspring
I don't like it. I've been ranting about this TV show many times over my coffee breaks - to the point the I think I've lost the attention (and r.e.s.p.e.c.t.) of my colleagues. Now before I go off on one about Brainiac and its test tube baby I think I'd better point out the following:
First of all: Jon Tickle. What a twat. How some big brother reject with a THIRD CLASS degree in physics is qualified to preach science to ANYONE is beyond my comprehension. Oh, and before you ask... no - I'm not jealous that he's using his (poor excuse for a) physics degree to net him wads of (undeserved) cash and (questionable) fame.
Next comes the complete disregard for standardisation of experiments. Does no one else ever see this program and think - "hang on, this is complete bollocks". For instance - the other day they tested which methods worked best for reducing tears when cutting onions: wet towel, lemon in mouth, or candles. Cool, interesting, and a different take on the whole onion cutting theme. So why for the love of God must they proceed to carry out the experiment in such a way as to make the whole thing pointless!?!? Testing each idea on a different guy is pointless! Surely they must realise that they're introducing all sorts of unaccountable factors - such as how one person will react differently to stimuli than another!?!
Lack of safety warnings. Ok - so they do have a generic "don't try this at home" disclaimer surrounding each 'experiment'. However, some things do slip past them. A popular theme on the show at the moment is to get celebreties to breathe in helium and say something funny. Ha ha. What they don't say is "oh, by the way - helium is a natural asphyixiant and can KILL you". A few minutes of pure helium use will suffocate you. Simple fact.
There's so much more I want to say. Most of it about the ineptitude of a certain Mr. Tickle. However, I guess the viewer ratings speak for themselves and so I don't imagine the show changing any time soon.
- Yes - I KNOW its just a bit of fun.
- I realise that regardless of the methods, it is getting people interested in science.
- It does try to look at the more quirky side of science.
- It does try to answer the more pub-like questions.
- There are a lot of cool and random explosions
- People get hurt in funny ways (hair pulling of test gimps, etc).
First of all: Jon Tickle. What a twat. How some big brother reject with a THIRD CLASS degree in physics is qualified to preach science to ANYONE is beyond my comprehension. Oh, and before you ask... no - I'm not jealous that he's using his (poor excuse for a) physics degree to net him wads of (undeserved) cash and (questionable) fame.
Next comes the complete disregard for standardisation of experiments. Does no one else ever see this program and think - "hang on, this is complete bollocks". For instance - the other day they tested which methods worked best for reducing tears when cutting onions: wet towel, lemon in mouth, or candles. Cool, interesting, and a different take on the whole onion cutting theme. So why for the love of God must they proceed to carry out the experiment in such a way as to make the whole thing pointless!?!? Testing each idea on a different guy is pointless! Surely they must realise that they're introducing all sorts of unaccountable factors - such as how one person will react differently to stimuli than another!?!
Lack of safety warnings. Ok - so they do have a generic "don't try this at home" disclaimer surrounding each 'experiment'. However, some things do slip past them. A popular theme on the show at the moment is to get celebreties to breathe in helium and say something funny. Ha ha. What they don't say is "oh, by the way - helium is a natural asphyixiant and can KILL you". A few minutes of pure helium use will suffocate you. Simple fact.
There's so much more I want to say. Most of it about the ineptitude of a certain Mr. Tickle. However, I guess the viewer ratings speak for themselves and so I don't imagine the show changing any time soon.
posted by ugli-stix at 19.9.06
3 Comments:
Perhaps you should write to Sky or whoever makes the program with your (valid) suggestions as it is obviously troubling you.
I would, but unfortunately they take serious comments and turn them into jokes. They often read out viewers comments and questions - and I can see that anything I said would be twisted around and made to make me look like a pedantic freak.
So..you are!
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