Resisting Project Resisting Project BrainwashBrainwash

Meet Mike DarnellMeet Mike Darnell ““may be the most influential may be the most influential

man working in television”man working in television” On February 15, 2000, Darnell On February 15, 2000, Darnell

ran the ran the Who Wants to Marry A Who Wants to Marry A Millionaire?Millionaire? special on Fox. special on Fox.

With executive producer Mike With executive producer Mike Fleiss, he brought 50 brides-Fleiss, he brought 50 brides-to-be to Vegas, where they to-be to Vegas, where they were auctioned off to a were auctioned off to a complete strangercomplete stranger

The groom, Rick Rockwell, The groom, Rick Rockwell, was hidden as he and the was hidden as he and the audience determined who audience determined who deserved the biggest prize of deserved the biggest prize of all!all!

Nurse and future playboy Nurse and future playboy centerfold Darva Conger, got centerfold Darva Conger, got her first glimpse of her fiancé her first glimpse of her fiancé moments before they were moments before they were legally wed—on air.legally wed—on air.

Nearly 23 million viewers Nearly 23 million viewers tuned intuned in

Conger annulled their never-Conger annulled their never-consummated nuptials after consummated nuptials after she found out Rockwell had a she found out Rockwell had a history of abusing women.history of abusing women.

A former girlfriend filed a A former girlfriend filed a restraining order against him restraining order against him after he vandalized her car, after he vandalized her car, broke into her home and broke into her home and threw her around, slapped threw her around, slapped her and threatened to kill her.her and threatened to kill her.

http://www.youtube.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OCarcC8N8Qwatch?v=-OCarcC8N8Q

When this news came to light, When this news came to light, Darnell was bashed as a Darnell was bashed as a chauvinistic, manipulative ratings-chauvinistic, manipulative ratings-whore whore

He was full of fake apologiesHe was full of fake apologies Fox was criticized by newspapers, Fox was criticized by newspapers,

magazines, broadcast and online magazines, broadcast and online media as sinking to a new low.media as sinking to a new low.

The network cancelled a planned The network cancelled a planned rebroadcast and promised to back rebroadcast and promised to back away from such exploitative TV in away from such exploitative TV in the future.the future.

Fleiss has admitted that the first Fleiss has admitted that the first thing he and Darnell thought when thing he and Darnell thought when they heard about Rockwell’s violent they heard about Rockwell’s violent past was, “Great! More publicity! past was, “Great! More publicity! Absolutely! It’s a restraining order! Absolutely! It’s a restraining order! Let’s get an interview with the girl. Let’s get an interview with the girl. We’ll put in on as part of the We’ll put in on as part of the special!”special!”

So Darnell’s partner Fleiss took their desperate-to-be-So Darnell’s partner Fleiss took their desperate-to-be-housewives premise to ABC, masked its misogyny as a housewives premise to ABC, masked its misogyny as a “fairytale romance” and launched the landscape-changing “fairytale romance” and launched the landscape-changing franchise franchise The BachelorThe Bachelor in March 2002. in March 2002.

Three years after Millionaire, Fleiss told reporters that “In Three years after Millionaire, Fleiss told reporters that “In retrospect, I don’t feel like we did anything wrong on the retrospect, I don’t feel like we did anything wrong on the Millionaire show, when you see that hey, on Married by Millionaire show, when you see that hey, on Married by America they had somebody who was already married…we America they had somebody who was already married…we were just there first.”were just there first.”

Consider that the producer of reality TV’s longest running Consider that the producer of reality TV’s longest running “fairytale romance” franchise sees no harm in wedding a “fairytale romance” franchise sees no harm in wedding a woman to a violent stranger.woman to a violent stranger.

By February 2003, Fox was By February 2003, Fox was devoting 41% and ABC 33% devoting 41% and ABC 33% of their sweeps offerings to of their sweeps offerings to reality shows.reality shows.

Instead of firing their Instead of firing their previously shamed Darnell, previously shamed Darnell, Fox promoted him to Fox promoted him to executive vice-president of executive vice-president of alternative programming.alternative programming.

He then created such shows He then created such shows as: as: Temptation Island, Joe Temptation Island, Joe Millionaire, Married by Millionaire, Married by America, Bridezillas, America, Bridezillas, andand The SwanThe Swan..

http://www.youtube.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JIT0uZ3D9Ewatch?v=7JIT0uZ3D9E

NOTHING—not creative quality, NOTHING—not creative quality, not social impact, and certainly not social impact, and certainly not accountability to the publicnot accountability to the public—matters to corporate media —matters to corporate media companies other than MONEYcompanies other than MONEY

So here is the secret to guys So here is the secret to guys like Darnell being successful: like Darnell being successful: no matter how stupid his no matter how stupid his concepts, no matter what concepts, no matter what twisted new fantasies he twisted new fantasies he dreams up, he will have free dreams up, he will have free reign at Fox as long as he reign at Fox as long as he remains a cash cowremains a cash cow

It can cost an average of 50 to It can cost an average of 50 to 75 percent less to make a 75 percent less to make a reality TV show than a scripted reality TV show than a scripted program.program.

ALL REALITY SHOWS EMPLOY ALL REALITY SHOWS EMPLOY WRITERSWRITERS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbIxszpx4ZAv=jbIxszpx4ZA

(weird shows)(weird shows)