I Get That a Lot

I love to judge a book by it's cover, or in this case, a TV show by its promo. As far as I'm concerned most of the shows on TV are total garbage. I'm not a TV hater, I do watch TV, just selectively for the things I like. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see ads for a new show that I'm convinced I'd hate, as 1) It simplifies my schedule, as I don't have to try to watch or record it and 2) I get to complain about it. Things get complicated when someone else in the house wants to watch the garbage, though. One member likes a few of the reality competition shows, and they drive me absolutely nuts, as with few exceptions, I absolutely detest everyone on them, or at least, I detest the way they behave on camera. When I wind up watching these shows, I typically wind up spitting vitriol and obscenities at the TV, and it doesn't make me feel any better, since those people are going to keep on being morons who make the viewers even dumber.

So, I've seen the ads for this new show "I Get That a Lot", in which celebrities take a "normal job" and then get filmed on hidden camera interacting with people. Apparently, the "humor" of the show comes from the celebrity denying that they are the celebrity, and mocking their true self. Then they admit it, and everyone has a good laugh.

WHO DO THEY THINK YOU'RE KIDDING WITH THIS CRAP?

The point of a hidden camera practical joke show, like the original Candid Camera, is to film people reacting to truly odd situations. The point of the practical joke shows, originally, was to have people pull jokes on other people THEY ALREADY KNOW. Like Harpo and Chico Marx going on "To Tell the Truth" and fooling Groucho as to their identities. Having a "celebrity" pretend they're someone else, to people who've never met them before, is not particularly interesting. Especially to me, since it's very unlikely I'd recognize any of the people appearing in the ads.

The scenario would run like this:

Incompetent dry cleaning clerk: Here's your tux and receipt.

Me: Thanks.

Clerk: I'm really Rachael Ray, and we're filming this.

Me: Good for you, see you next time I throw up on my tuxedo.

If the "celebrity" were doing something interesting, that would be different, but all the clips are of them being unconvincing at an uninspiring job, and responding to questions about who they "look like" with, are you ready, "I get that a lot". Hi-larious.

Just because someone's famous doesn't make them comedy gold when you point a camera at their interactions with people. Just watch any talk show and that point is abundantly clear. Tune in to see an actor/actress you like on Leno or Letterman and odds are you'll find out they're dull as a sack of rocks.

To sum up:

Reaction of man/woman on the street to bizarre situation, a stampede of penguins down main street, for example - humorous
Friend pulling prank on friend/relative - humorous
Famous person delivering pizza to home of person DEMONSTRATED to be a fan of theirs - possibly humorous
Gene Simmons saying to complete stranger, "I'm not Gene Simmons, really, I'm not. OK, you got me, I am." - Cancellation.