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Four Rooms
by thedevilinme
Four Rooms is Antiques Road Show meets Cash in the Attic, but for modern art, here the emphasis on the experts not only trying to date work but offering to buy it, the twist being the work may not have any real value or could be worth a bomb. There are four expert/dealers and four rooms in the studio- hence the title-the idea being that ... after the dealers have jointly looked at the art work or curio on offer, and the seller has described the history of the object to offer authentication, the dealers return to their prospective four rooms and await a visit by the seller to see if they can come to a deal to buy it. The rules are that the dealer must make an offer for the piece and if the seller turns down the deal he or she move to another of the rooms. The negative is they can't go back and accept an old offer. The dealers are Dragon Dens style cagey and shrewd and can offer what ever they like, regardless of the perceived value of the art work, body language and Delboy skills the key here. The seller can refuse all offers and leave the show with their piece, however cumbersome. When a price is agreed the other dealers leave the rooms and we find out, from a sexy female compare, what they would have offered so to see if the seller got a good or bad deal.
-The Dealers-
Gordon Watson
recognized as one of the worlds leading authorities of 20th Century Design, the ex lawyer chose Sotheby's for his career. Calm and incisive, Gordon is a confirmed bachelor and a touch camp when he negotiates. He knows what he likes but not very good at subtly putting that across to the seller.
Jeffrey Salmon
The self-style maverick of the pack, Jeffrey fancies himself as the mean Simon Cowell of the pack, making decisive but showy offers, gimmicks and wild and random negotiations his forte. Jeffrey, like the winner of The Apprentice, would like his own show and media career.
Andrew Lamberty
The less flamboyant of the team our Andrew just wants to buy the stuff at the right price, not one for posturing and gesticulating, but dressing more like a stand up comic than a stand up guy. He is the sort of guy who would get on those ghastly modern art documentaries.
Emma Hawkins
Emma is young and sexy and her beguiling eyes and long legs gets the guy's attention, her flirtations in the negotiations somewhat advantageous and so unfair, her fingers always playing with her mouth to draw you there. Emma likes to buy the Gothic and macabre stuff and probably wears tiny underwear. She is not the token totty of the show though and a great dealmaker.
-Those Deals-
The objects on offer are a real mixed bag, from stuffed bison to 19th century human body parts in jars... gaudy Brit Art and genuine curios of centuries of old. The people that bring the stuff are as equally eccentric. As with Antiques Road Show they tend to have a good idea what the stuff is worth and no what they want for it. Whereas Fiona Bruce's show is mostly about pensioners showing off by humping their heirlooms to the show, knowing exactly how much it is worth, there is an element of desperation and tension added to this show as the people seem to want to sell to pay the mortgage, or in one case, get a boob job.
The obvious flaw with the show is the sellers and the dealers know exactly what the stuff is worth and very few deals go through. One chap bought in a guitar used by the lead singer of the Ramones, given to him personally, and was offered two grand tops but didn't sell. It later transpired that it sold for ten grand in a big auction at Christies. I suspect that's the case for most of the items. The dealers wanted it dirt cheap and the guy knew they were trying to stiff him. Some of the stuff, though, may not have any value and it's the dealers themselves who will make it art with a decent offer.
The second flaw is if the dealers maybe tacitly working together to get the best deal for them, offering a silly price early on if they hate it but know the other dealer wants it, making sure it doesn't leave the studio, so the buyer takes a bigger price in another room but never a fair price. The third flaw is if when the dealers come out of their room and one of them has bought the item, say for five grand, and we hear from the big reveal that another dealer really wanted if for double that price then he can sell it to him or her after the show. The format is stacked too much in favor of the dealers.
Any good?
With a pretty compare to distract from the shows failings it just about gets away with it. The dealers are encouraged to be obnoxious by the production team and a clear attempt to brand the show so to syndicate it in other countries, like Dragons Den, the real earner from production companies these days. There is a Douglas Banatyne in every country of the world now. Irish and Canadian Dragons Den are on Freeview right now and the Dragons are almost identical in attitude and humor. I expect Four Rooms to be on Freeview in America next year.
Four Rooms has just finished series one and was on at 9pm on Tuesday nights on C4. The only thing missing from the show was a skip to put nost of the junk in offered for sale.
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MTV Jersey Shore
by retroqueen1
Okay so Jersey Shore, the summer home of Americas Guidos and Guidettes. You will have probably heard about this controversial programme. Most people say it is tacky, rubbish even offensive and yes they may be right but I can guarantee Jersey Shore is well worth a watch.
The show revolves around 8 twenty-something's who spend their ... summers in New Jersey who throughout the day GTL ( gym, tan, laundry) and all night get pretty wasted and generally have fun. Of course this fun then leads to numerous drunken fights, at least 1 per episode and often with each other. As ridiculous as it may sound the fights are possibly the best part of the show. Snooki, one of the most famous characters is a four foot something young woman who frequently fights with just about anything that moves. The sight of this tiny woman telling her friend to 'hold my earrings bitch' as she begins to yank the hair of another girl is actually quite entertaining.
The show is turning into quite cult viewing. Words used in the show, particularly by the guys are beginning to creep into everyday life. When you hear someone calling a girl a grenade or telling a friend they are going to GTL then you can pretty much guess they are Jersey Shore fans.
Obviously the show has its downsides, it is tacky, it may be half acted and not reality as MTV tries to sell it as but who cares? When you want a good laugh, a bit of entertainment at someone else's expense then tune into Jersey Shore because really it is actually quite brilliant!
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