You’ve all probably seen an episode of Man v. Food. If you haven’t, stop reading immediately, go to the Travel Channel website, and soak it in…. Done? You’re welcome.
Now let me be clear, this is in no way an attack on the entertainment value of this show. Rather, it is an open question about what it means for us as a people that it’s so popular.
I myself happen to love this show. As disgusted as I am by the fact that it exists, when I see it pop up on my channel guide I just can’t resist. There’s just something so alarmingly engaging about watching Adam Richman fill his shapeless body to the brim with quantities and forms of food that simply shouldn’t be stuffed inside of anyone. The real problem is, I can’t tell if my interest is piqued by how he will finish an 11-lb. pizza, or if it’s something much darker, like the morbid curiosity of what it’s like to watch a man slowly die.
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| “Why have none of you people stopped me?!” |
Now in season four, I can’t help but wonder how much time could possibly be left on Mr. Richman’s cardiac clock. And when he inevitably croaks with a gullet full of Dagwood sandwich, aren’t we all kind of to blame? Jumping from challenge to challenge has had a noticeable effect on Adam’s girth, and there’s no denying that in those inevitable mid-challenge moments when his breathing slows and the pallor disappears from his face, that he looks like he’s in the early stages of a massive heart attack (they should seriously consider changing the name of this show to Man v. Mortality, because I swear if you look closely back at the 5-lb. cheesesteak episode, somewhere around minute seventeen you can actually see Death sitting at a table in the corner reading a newspaper). I know, I know, it’s impossible to change the channel when Adam is plowing through “The Devil’s Butthole” hot wings challenge, with his sweat beading so heavily you just know it’s covering every last inch of his weird, lumpy body (that dude must have to wear Sham-Wow underwear), but by staying glued to the screen, aren’t we all just helping to murder him? I think we are, and frankly, I don’t know if I can live with this on my conscience.
As a people, I think it’s crucial that we band together and refuse to watch this program. As fun as it is, I just don’t want this guy’s impending demise falling on me, and neither should you.
My first and only reaction to this show is “Eeeyyeewww! Gross! Bleah! This makes my stomach hurt!” The only time I will ever watch it is when someone else is with me and that person has charge of the TV remote control.
I wouldn’t call this indirect homicide as much as indirect suicide. In order to make tons of money from this show, the guy is putting his health on the line. Of course, he would have no incentive to do that if he didn’t have an audience.
Double posting to say that I am a person of a pretty hefty size myself, and I like food, but the idea of chugging down a room-sized cheeseburger or some other such gastronomic monstrosity really does make my stomach hurt! 😛 😛 😛
Ha.. your take on this just made me laugh. I guess it really isn’t funny watching someone slowly kill themselves for entertainment value. I’m not a fan of the show, just as I’m not a big fan of most eating contests, but you still made me laugh.
I’m guessing the show producers would argue that a season of this is no worse than a MMA event is on those participants. Then again I’m not a MMA or boxing fan for that matter.