Archive through July 27, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: ARCHIVES: Big Brother USA 2003 General Discussions Part 1: An Open Letter to the Producers: Archive through July 27, 2003

Diacritical

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It was recently pointed out by someone more sage than I that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for placing the house under a major runway at a busy airport. Speculation in our offices has been rampant. Perhaps the producers want to alienate much of their Internet audience. Perhaps they need a loud noise every few minutes to calibrate their equipment so that the theme song is delivered at a similar dB. The consensus, however, is that the producers are being blackmailed. It's the only solution that makes sense (though it must be said that the calibration excuse had an ardent, if minority, following). Given the relatively low cost of land in the greater Los Angeles area and the extreme ratio of acreage that is not affected by direct and low-flying jet traffic to that which is not so affected, the location is obviously the result of some form of coercion.

If that is the case, please contact the appropriate authorities. The audience will forgive whatever piccadillos the blackmailers are holding over your collecitve heads if only they do not have to put up with airplanes taking off and landing every few minutes.

If the location is meant to aid in the calibration of the theme music, then it has been most successful. We would like to share our discomfort. It is not so much the theme song itself, or the fact that it consists of a bare few bars (though it must be said that the length of the theme song and its mechanical repetition does lend a certain cumulative measure of despair in every listener every single moment it plays); it is the volume. We have to adjust our systems to play the Internet streams faily loudly given the tendency of the House Guests to whisper (and sometimes because the sound on the stream is not coming from the most advantageous microphone). When the feed switches to the front of the house and the theme music plays, the effect can be jarring. In fact, I have several wounds on my face due to the reaction of what has otherwise always been a fairly sedate feline.

One other aspect of the Internet feed merits attention. It came as some surprise to us that there are dozens of cameras from all over the house that operate concurrently. Every indication from the Internet feed is that there is one or (sometimes) two producers who cannot find more than two things happening at any one time. We recommend using all four feeds or chopping the subscription fee in half. One tyro in the office opined that the producers were trying to find different angles for the telivised show. Imagine his embarrassment when it was pointed out that there is no need to subject the Internet audience to any particular camera in order to to use footage on the TV show. Perhaps your producers are similarly confused?

As for the house itself (beyond the ludicrous location) -- we are impressed with the addition of the bath tub. It is a shame no one will use it because it affords little privacy. You should allow a small enclosure where at least two people can talk with one or more in the tub without being overheard. There is no excuse for allowing the House Guests to use the bathroom for privacy. The Internet feeds should not be blocked from their conversations and activities in there when they get together as long as they are not actually using the restroom for bodily functions. One small mistake -- the clock. The loss of time was important in early shows and adds a now-missing sense of detachment from the world. Get rid of the clock. It's a real intrusion into the show. It also tends to make the House Guests stay up later and get up later. The large chessboard in the back yard is a bit of a distraction and it's a shame you had all that exercise equipment to start and not as a luxury. The House Guests have too many luxuries. There should be no reading material either. The addition of the Book was a bad move.

Progammatically, the X Factor probably sounded better on paper than it has worked out. I would suggest that in the future you more carefully screen your potential house guests for prior abuse and alchoholism -- especially if you are going to put them in an enclosed environment with people that have been victims of said abuse and/or alcoholism. Enough has been said about that. With better casting next year you will avoid the current "sausage-fest" phenominon. You *must* find a way to cast so that the more appealing (not better looking -- more appealing)people can outlast the psychotic house guests. Perhaps by avoiding the psychotic ones in the first place, this might be mooted.

Laisey

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:27 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Perfect, absolutely perfect.

Monkhead

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Where to sign??

Bbfanatic

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
its only a tv show, whatever!!!!

Xarph

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
My thirty years in senior management taught me many things. Among others:

Never cover more than one topic in a memo.

Seanflynn2003

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
The house is about 5 miles from Burbank airport, which has steady traffic throughout the day, but it is hardly adjacent to a runway.

Traffic from LAX, which is a bit further away and a lot further away,never, never, ever passes overhead

They are located where they are because CBS has facilities there.

Diacritical

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It's only a TV show that I am paying cash money to see. It's only a TV show that can wake the neighbors everytime someone starts to hum a Rolling Stone's tune. In fact, it is amazing how well they can watch for potential copyright problems given their inability to find more than one area of the house to broadcast. If last year is any indication, they will discover this latent talent when there are only two people left in the house. At that point, they will strat playing will all those nobs and show the Internet viewers endless shots of an empty house.

As for memoranda... they are not open letters. More specifically, memoranda are usually informal internal notes on one event, idea, transaction or the like. Since I do not work for the producers and am not privy to their ruminations, there is literally no way for me to write a memorandum to them.

An open letter, from a paying subscriber, is something quite different. My (admittedly shorter) sixteen years in senior management has taught me the difference.

This post is, of course, neither a memo nor an open letter.

Faerygdds

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read...

First of all... the house is where it is because it is on the CBS studio lot. Not because of "blackmail" or anything alse as ridiculous! The planes are not a form of sabotage or anything else.. just happens to be where they are in Burbank. Orginially when they built this house on the lot they did so because HGs went from the house to a small sound stage to be interviewed. Then AS took over and they kept the house. It's a NO BRAINER!

As for the bathroom privacy... when they do something interesting in ther (crying, cleaning toilets with toothbrushes, etc.) we DO see it on TV, but those cams in there are not hooked into the net, I believe, as I have NEVER seen them. As far as the clock... even the BB1 cast got a clock -- the potato clock. It worked... the following year the group used the timing of the pool jets to set the clock on the stove. Last year there was the whole sundial thing... etc etc... the HGs have always figured out a way to tell time. And BTW... before the clocks were given on the first show.. the HGs stayed up all night... so they were up later without them -- nice theory though.

Your last paragraph is so ludricrous that I can't even go there-- suffice to say they do background checks... people get through and hide things -- such is life. They are human (producers)... I know.. real shocker.

Whit4you

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:56 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dia - don't worry some of us have a sense of humor, I 'get it' :)

Xarph

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lesson number two:

When given advice by senior management, never argue. Ask questions, clarify but never argue. You do not have take the advice by never argue against the advice.

Diacritical

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 02:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Faerygdds needs to get out more... find a sense of humor... read the New York Times. If the house is where it is without any coercion then the producers really do have problems. One would expect them to know that filming outside under a great deal of jet traffic coming into and out of BUR is a problem. One would expect them to have facilities that are not similarly impaired.

The restriction of the potty-cam goes against what they advertize for their internet feeds. That's a fairly simple issue.

The clocks that the guests had to work on were much better for the show. It caused them to have to concentrate on getting something done and added to the show. Giving them a clock, and work out equipment and a microwave and book(s) all takes away from it.

As for the last -- yes, people do hide things and get through the checks. That's still no excuse for allowing them to continue once they have been found out.

Laisey

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 03:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Has Dave being put on the block caused a loss of perspective? This is the most enjoyable thing I've read all day.

Bastable

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 03:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Today's turmoil has finally brought the real fans out of the woodwork.

Idolworship

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 03:17 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dia, I seldom read long posts, but thoroughly enjoyed your very witty missive. Thank goodness
I never made top management, before my retirement; I would miss my sense of humor, as it is apparently ripped out and shredded, as part of the initiation to the "good ol' boys" club.

Faerygdds

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 03:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Nothing wrong with my sense of humor... I just found your post ridiculous rather than funny. It seemed to go more in line with all the other whining I have heard this season. Only it took it to the Nth degree...

My overall perception of your post come from the general tone set by the posters this season... either way.. if this is your attempt at humor.. I find it more droll than witty... JMO...

Therlin

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 03:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
The bath tub has floor to ceiling curtains on the side that can be closed at any time. It won't provide as much privacy as the toilet, but at least they can bathe, or whatever, in private (minus the cameras.)

Penpoint

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 03:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Xarp, two great lessons.

Faerygdds, you're not the only one that found it lacking in humor.

Twiggyish

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I get your humor and agree on a few points. I find myself frustrated with the cameramen when they focus two or more cameras on the same person. ho hum.

Bleubull

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
OK- BREAK IT UP. For a minute there I thought I was on a board with the BB4 houseguests.

Xarph

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lesson #3:

When you are trying to convince someone of something, make sure any humor you use will be seen as funny by the parties you are attempting to convince.

Sanfranjoshfan

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It's 4:03 pm, BB time...at the rate this thread is going I expect it to vanish within 20 minutes.

Maris

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:26 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
20 minutes Sanfran, that much??? I give it ten.

Costacat

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Yesterday, I tried to start a thread that I thought was humorous. Within a minute, two people posted and instantly put down my thread and it's intent. My thread was intended to be humorous and was not a name-calling or bashing exercise aimed at the houseguests or other posters on this board.

The thing that I find most enjoyable about this board is its diversity. However, it is precisely that diversity that causes some people to find amusement in the antics of the houseguests, and others to feel frustration.

If you see a thread, or a post, that you so strongly disagree that you have to respond in a critical manner, why do it? Why not exit that thread and move to one that is discussing something that is more to your liking?

Personally, I found Diacritical's post amusing. I particularly found it amusing as I have often had to deal with agitated cats after having the feeds switch from a whispered conversation to the FOTH.

It was *humor,* people. It was not a real letter sent to real producers. This is Big Brother! It's not REAL! It's "reality!"

Fuzzyb

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Normal BB watchers would think this was funny stuff.
Like I said we are in bizarro world this year.
I got a kick out of it by the way. And I have no management experience.
Good point on the tub too.

Hamsterlady

Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 04:32 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I thought Dia's post was funny as well. And I agree that the hamsters shouldn't be able to tell the time so easily. :)