Well well well....... (The Jeremy Kyle Show)

Member Name: excelsior81

Product:	The Jeremy Kyle Show
Date:	15/08/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None at all

Disadvantages: Far too many to list

In my student days way back in the 1990's there was nothing I used to like better than getting up for 9:20 am and watching 'The time, the place' a topical yet informative early morning discussion show. Over the years there have been different chat show formats at this time of day on both BBC and ITV, I would assume that the logic of this is that parents have taken their kids to school and can then watch a lively chat show before they start the business of the day.

I had heard a lot about Jeremy Kyle before watching his show and was aware of his reputation as a formidable 'Shock Jock' challenging people who did not make a valuable contirbution to society as he saw it, particularly focussing upon unmarried parents and people who did not work, yet claimed excessive benefits that he as a taxpayer had to fund.

The format from his radio show has on the whole been translated to the television. Jeremy invites peopl onto his show who have an ever recurrent set of issues.

1. Paternity problems - ascertaining who is the biological father or mother

2. Drug abuse and how it impacts upon family and friends

3. Alcohol abouse and how it impacts upon family and friends

4. Cheating partners face the lie detector tests to discover if they have been cheating or not

Jeremy does not have a chair, instead he usually perches himself on the stairs of his set, giving himself the air of a 'man of the people'.

After watching the show for a number of episodes I have been able to understand how it works.

Jeremy usually meets the perceived 'victim' first and listens to their plight, the audience are consumed with this and offer their supoprt and sympathy by listening intently to Jeremy's every word. Next the villain appears, almost in pure Pantomime mode...I honestly half expect the audience to start shouting and jeering like they are children shouting at widow Twanky.

Jeremy confronts the villain and usually shouts at him (they are in the majority male) with the same questions, do you work? Why do you not provide for your baby? Where do you get the money for drugs or alcohol?

Much to the delight of the audience who revel in this, it is telling that audience participation is limited in this show to applause and boos, it is clearly all about Jeremy and his vulgar approach.

There then follows the results of whatever test has been carried out and the confrontation part of the show, there are two phrases that accompany this part of the drama...

'well well well....'

and

'The last time I looked this was the Jeremy Kyle show' - particularly used when people start shouting.

After this takes place, Jeremy then offers help to the victim, usually in the guise of the shows resident expert Graham, who is clearly capable of solving all of the worlds problems in five minutes, he should really be working at the United Nations.

Jeremy then goes onto offer support to the evil doer... they can change with his help and the support of the team. His demeanour changes and he moves in. The confrontation is over, like a Messiah, he is there to help you.

I would probably like this programme more if I did not feel that it was all about Jeremy and that it was genuinely setting out to help people. He has an air of arrogance that I really distrust. he is clearly not interested in helping people, who are generally at their wits end, instead he is all about the shock of the show and cliche.

I watched a show last week where he visited a centre on a huge council estate that set out to help people and Jeremy and his team set out to transform it and renovate it. there was a brilliant scene where Jeremy was helping construct something and you could just see in his eyes that he felt this was below him and he hated every minute.

A comedy show on BBC3 'Tittybang bang' has a main character whose ambition in life is to appear on the Jeremy Kyle show and sets her family up all of the time so that they appear disfunctional...I fear that this parody is now becoming true in homes up and down across the country.

I hope that people wake up to his show soon and realise that the only way you will ever solve your problems is to talk about them properly with professional people or trusted friends and family. Life cannot and never should be compartmentalised into seven minute show segments.

Shame on you Jeremy Kyle for taking advantage of people when they are at their most desperate.

Summary: Avoid and do something with your life instead.