Kid Nation, reality tv gone too far

[IRescue452]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/18/ar...ion/18kid.html

This is just way too far. What were the parents thinking letting their kids go on this show. This is why I'm so skeptical about reality tv, they get in bad situations or they do stupid/immoral/cruel things just to get a reaction from viewers.

[Sevaede]

Drinking bleach? Seriously. How many kids did it take to drink a sip and go, "Ew, bleach!".

[critter crazy]

Drinking bleach? Seriously. How many kids did it take to drink a sip and go, "Ew, bleach!".

Exactly, especially since most would be tipped off by the smell anyways!

[IRescue452]

I think they had to haul water in on their own, maybe the kid saw the bottle and took a big swig before realizing. In all honesty, we really don't use much bleach in our house, my 7 year old sisters might not recognize it. Either way, they are kids. Kids do stupid things. That's why we watch them.

[Taz_Zoee]

The article reads: Several children required medical attention after drinking bleach that had been left in an unmarked soda bottle, according to both the parent and CBS.
I'll have to agree with Wenisrubber on this one.

Also, weren't the parents informed of what would be expected of their children before hand? And if they were told nothing, why would they let their child go?
I did recognize a couple of the boys from an episode of Dr Phil. It was about mom's pushing their children to act and model and stuff. There was a family with three boys and they made up a song about their mother called 24 hour b!@#h. The youngest boy was maybe 5 years old. The two oldest boys were on this show. That led me to believe these children are potential actors. Not that that makes it okay or anything.
I actually only watched the last 10 minutes of the first episode. It just seemed silly to me.

[Blackrose]

I think if they work out the kinks (aka, the bleach insident. I wonder how OSHA let them get away with that one?), it would be a great show.

Although, I have to admit, the first thing that came to my mind when I heard of the show was the book "The Lord of the Flies". Kids left on an island without any adult supervision....two are murdered, one dies in an accident, and another is hunted like a pig. The nice officer who saves them tells them, "I excepted more from some British boys," and yet, there he is in a war of his own....hmmmm....nice thoughts to chew on.

Yes, they are children, but I think if more children can understand that life requires work and that life isn't all fun and games and how imporatant it is to follow rules and listen to those in authority, the better.

The children’s definition of work is somewhat different. “Everyone usually had a job,” said Mike, an 11-year-old from Bellevue, Wash., who participated in the show. Among them were cooking, cleaning, hauling water and running the stores, where, he said: “It was hard work, but it was really good. It taught us all that life is not all play and no work.”

And if the kids were running their own place, they didn't have to work. They could have sat down and said, "I quit, I'm not doing this anymore."

[Hellow]

Yes, i believe the show is stupid and dangerous. I mean, these are young kids we are talking about. They do stupid stuff. Me and my classmates in my assigned cooking class can probaly cook almost as good as the teacher. But she still supervises us because were still kids pretty much. Would the adults intervene if things started growing very bad (ex. no water/food, hurt kids, sick kids, etc...)?

[Karen]

We have watched the show, and it hardly seems like there's "no adult supervision" - there's obviously a film crew or three, there's the "host" with whom they interact every day, adults who must have set up the "tasks" and game-show-like events they participate in - and a "settler's journal" that is completely obviously scripted to dictate the action of the "kids" for each television episode.

It is a social experiment, sure, but it is hardly frontier living. The "outhouses" are actually portapotties, not deep holes they had to dig in the ground. They have toilet paper. They have their own modern clothing and parkas, they have electricity, food, and "goods" in the "store" that were trucked in by somebody ... and restocked regularly ... They are not farming at all or making any attempt at producing anything ...

[RICHARD]

It is a social experiment, sure, but it is hardly frontier living. The "outhouses" are actually portapotties, not deep holes they had to dig in the ground. They have toilet paper. They have their own modern clothing and parkas, they have electricity, food, and "goods" in the "store" that were trucked in by somebody ... and restocked regularly ... They are not farming at all or making any attempt at producing anything ...

I was wondering about the microwave.....

And if the only phone in town is under lock and key, so how did those pizzas get there?

I think it's a great program and those kids are pretty brave to stick with the 'program' (pun intended).

They could all walk out and go grab an ipod, cell or keyboard.


But, hey! I somehow get the feeling that these kids will be 10 times more humble than any other kids you'll meet.

It is a social experiment and I have no problems with it. I am sorry that any kids got hurt.

--------

Stupid me, I did the bleach thing too- when I was a kid-tasted nasty..

[cali]

the show is NOT that bad, I have watched it since the premier, there are camera men everywhere, directers, producers, animals handlers, medical personel, not to mention the host. there are loads of adults around, they just try not to interfere as much as possable. the town is a movie set, everything is cleaned up and prepared for them, they are provided with lots of food, water etc.. they even have a candy and soda shop. they have a book that helps explain things to them and everything. I never understood all the contraversy over it lol, its not like a bunch of kids were randomly abandoned in a real ghost town with no help whatsoever. if the kids hated it they could go home, they have the oppurtunity every 3 days

[ilovemypup]

I am really not a big fan of this show at all..

Poor kids.
The parents obviously want the money out of this..
And its really fake and all..

I don't know.. and it's unsafe!

But yes, there are adults everywhere!
But the bleach incident veered me away..

Although I did see the premiere.