Monday, July 23, 2007

Don't Put Your Child On The Stage Mrs Worthington.....Please


Junior Masterchef, Junior Mastermind, Junior Ballroom Dancing, I hate the lot. The idea that some parents want to put their children on television to make up for the fact that they didn't quite cut-it as a child prodigy appals me.

The new series that features Junior Ballroom Dancing just fills me with disgust, it's televised paedophilia. Look, don't get me wrong - if you have a child that has talent then encourage them, let them express themselves but please, please remember that they aren't little adults, they are children, they must develop as children first.

Do you really want to see 10 year old Giles from Chipping Sodbury discussing his receipe for Creme Brulee or gawp as Joshua, aged 11, from Brentwood amazes us with his knowledge of Dutch Navigation Systems 1770-1825. Do you? I just can't stand this, schedule clogging crap. Children amaze their friends, parents, Grandparents - I should know, I was an obnoxious child who could recite the teams from every FA Cup Final from its beginnings up to 1972 when I was 12, and the goalscorers! I was like poor bloody Barnstoneworth from Ripping Yarns but I wouldn't have wanted to inflict it on the general public.

I would have liked to have illustrated this rant with a photograph, but the thought of actually tying one of the programmes into the google image index makes me feel dirty.

4 comments:

Span Ows said...

I agree, I remember you liked the film 'Little Miss Sunshine', as I did. The show at the end was almost unbearable. The gross indecency of what parents do to their children never ceases to amaze me...mainly for the parents benefit which makes it all the more abhorrent.

The Great Gildersleeve said...

I won't be watching either. When it first came up this was I believe thought to be on the BBC but as they have Dance X and the US version of Strictly Come Dancing or whatever it's called on Sundays...I think I saw this was to be shown on ITV, oh dear I thought...I'd say that whoever broadcasts it.

For all the reasons you mention.

Paul said...

Span, the thing about Little Miss Sunshine was that Alan Arkin's character subverted the whole showbiz charade making the end, as you rightly say, almost unbearable.

Gildy you summed up my feelings exactly, 'oh dear'.

Span Ows said...

...but he was dead by the time the show actually took place :-(

I hope a lot of US mums watched, recognised themselves and have changed their attitudes accordingly...some hope!

P.S. Have linked you in a post re the floods (unfortunate timing for my new header image!)