verging_on_random

It’s all one ‘Big Brother’ now

January 20, 2007 on 3:58 pm | In Uncategorized |

This is just plain weird.

You probably heard about that kid in the US who was kidnapped four years ago and got discovered by accident when the cops were investigating the kidnap of another boy. Anyway there’s been a lot of interest in it in the USA because the kid wasn’t locked in a cellar or anything and people are curious about why he didn’t just go up to a cop or ring his parents and tell them what was going on. He was only discovered a week ago and he hasn’t told anyone what happened to him yet.

Anyway I reckon he and his mum and dad (step-dad I read somewhere, whatever) have a certain amount of private business to go through for a while. But they got an invitation to go on TV … with Oprah no less.

So they agree. Guess what? Oprah, being the iconic investigative reporter that she is, asks probing questions like “Did you get sexually abused?” The parents say “Oh yeah we reckon he was,” even though in the same breath they say the kid hasn’t told them anything yet.

Now half the country’s got its knickers in a twist because the kid’s life is likely to be ruined by this stigma of being labelled the victim of a pedophile (or a willing participant, according to the innuendo of at least one slimy grub of a right-wing commentator in the TV show that he presents from under his rock). And guess whose fault it is? Oprah’s.

Yep, Oprah shouldn’t have asked such personal questions. Apparently she should have asked the kid if he was into emo music, and what he thought of Bush’s Iraq strategy, anything except what happened during the four years he was living with this guy who allegedly kidnapped him. Cos that’s the secret to a successful talk show, not asking the questions that all the viewers are curious about.

Read the comments on the story … it doesn’t even seem to occur to half the commenters that the moronic parents could have - should have - refused point blank to go anywhere near a TV studio or a reporter. Or that they could have - should have - told her the sexual abuse question was out of line. Nope, in the USA an appearance on Oprah is a Royal Command, you don’t say no. And if she asks you a question, you sure don’t tell her to go to hell, you answer it. You front up without a thought what it might mean for your son and you spill your guts to the American people because it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream. Having that live audience hoot and holler at you might finally give meaning to your miserable existence.

The kid’s name is Shawn. He must have learnt a thing or two about surviving on his wits over the last four years. Run, Shawn, run!

What a fucked-up country.