Reality TV Jumps the Dog Fighting Shark with Michael Vick Reality Show
October 7th, 2009
That’s not entertainment, I don’t care who you are.
That’s pretty much the universal gut reaction to the announcement that reality TV has managed to find a way to get even worse. This time it is jumping the shark by picking up a tv show apparently produced by Michael Vick’s own production company (How can a bankrupt person start a television production company?)
The show, tentatively if not creatively titled The Michael Vick Project, will follow the dogfighting ringmaster as he joins up with the Philadelphia Eagles, rebuilds relationships with his fiancée and kids and attempts to make amends—presumably of both the court-ordered and PR-advised variety—for his 2007 arrest.
"I just want people to really get to know me as an individual," he told the paper. "What I want to do is change the perception of me. I am a human being. I’ve made some mistakes in the past, and I wish it had never happened. But it’s not about how you fall, but about how you pick yourself up." E-Online
It would seem that Michael Vick’s assertion that ‘it’s not about how you fall, but about how you pick yourself up.’ is more wishful PR spin thinking as it definitely does matter how you fall and who you harm as you fall.
I guess that’s just one of the many reasons why Michael Vick never seems to get it. Regardless, even if you are a Michael Vick supporter, you probably groaned when you heard about this show. Visions of Whitney and Bobby, Ron James and Flavor Flav, Little People in a Big World and soap box dating game production wanna be reality match ups fizzling in the back of your brain.
If there was ever a time to save money to get out of the recession, dropping your cable package for the winter might be your best bet.
Regardless for those of you looking for yet another company to boycott, just add BET to your list.
More on similar topics:
- Dog’s Reality Show Could be Biggest Obstacle for Vick’s Return to the NFL National Geographic is going to feature 4 of Vick’s victimized dogs in a reality show. The show will cover the dogs that are the...
- There’s a Reason They Didn’t Have Hitler Tour Auschwitz on BET TV after WWII and Its Not Because He was Dead A few hours ago (Sunday evening 2-28) I watched last weeks episode of the Michael Vick Project. It was sick, and I’m not saying that...
- Another Bank, Another $2 million, default by Michael Vick Michael Vick was not only a quarterback, but apparently the Chief Financial Officer of a car rental company that borrowed and in August defaulted on...
14 Responses to “Reality TV Jumps the Dog Fighting Shark with Michael Vick Reality Show”
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It never ceases to amaze me what sick twisted things people will do for money. There are so many good men out there so why does anyone want to waste time on someone like Vick.
One thing Vick keeps saying sticks out for me:
“What I want to do is change the perception of me.”
Which tells me he hasn’t changed and doesn’t even want to change. He just wants people to like him again so he can get back to the business of making real money.
BET probably doesn’t care what wethink, but for what it’s worth, here’s a link to the contact page for BET:
https://bet.wufoo.com/forms/contact-us/
And if BET doesn’t care how we feel, maybe their parent company, Viacom will. Viacom owns a whole slew of companies:
http://www.viacom.com/ourbrands/Pages/default.aspx
When it was rumored in April that Vick and his people were shopping this idea around after his attorneys told a bankruptcy judge that he expected to earn $600,000 from the project, one of his reps said “The only reality show Michael Vick is interested in is straightening out his life and returning to the NFL. Any speculation of Mike doing a reality show is false.”
BET’s new entertainment chief, Loretha Jones, claims the Vick project, which will focus on his struggles since his release, fits into the network’s new strategy of promoting family values, cultural uplift and community pride.
If anyone else wants to contact BET to tell them their opinions about this show, here’s a link:
http://www.bet.com/Site/site_contactus.htm
BET saw the opportunity to capitalize on a train wreck. From their perspective financially, if Michael Vick creates more collateral damage, they win$$$. If Michael Vick does manage to change the ‘perception’ of himself while hiding his psychosis, they win $$$.
If after the television show runs its course, and Michael Vick gets into trouble with drugs or alcohol or dog fighting or anything again, they win$$ when they run the documentary and reruns and more.
The only way BET can lose if Michael Vick continues to be extremely average, which coming out of prison, coming out of a lifestyle of drugs, violence and criminal behavior is really what Michael Vick probably does need. Adding to the pressure of the NFL spot light with a TV spotlight on himself and his family, is just mean.
Can you imagine what his kids are probably going through with this?
Not only do they have to respond to questions about their dad going to prison, about their dad killing dogs for fun with his bare hands, they now have to do that on camera in front of the whole country, package it up and save it for their therapists when they become troubled teens.
Its just sad.
Disgusting that BET or anyone would put Vick in the spotlight. Everyone should contact BET Network, Viacom, NFL and Eagles to express disgust.
http://www.vickbook.com
I am interested to see this book when it comes out. As I understand it they are going through a few publishing delays. Having been involved in book projects myself in the past, this is all too common.
Interested to see when the book will actually be available. Nothing personal against the author, but as a rule of thumb, I never pre-order books.
HLN did a nice piece about Vick last night. There were three women on one guy in favor of Vick. They wouldn’t even let him talk. It was great.
Unfortunately BET and Viacom could give a rat’s patoot what any of us think if it is against Vick. It’s all and only about the money. From reading other blogs, blog posts, columns and readers responses to columns about this issue it looks like the Vick supporters are running ten to one. Goes right along with the Supreme Court leaning toward allowing dogfighting crush/snuff films as constitutionally protected.
Frankly makes me ashamed to be a member of such a violent and immoral society. Promoting evil to make a buck – I can’t wrap my mind around it but apparently the majority of people can and do.
That’s true, the only way to get their attention is to make an impact on their bottom line. That is possible, but it is not easy and doesn’t happen over night.
At this point BET probably loves all the publicity.
I agree with Doglover that if it hurts their bottom line they will care. It all depends on how far people are willing to go.
Viacom owns MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and TVLand (just to name a few), so if people started canceling their networks they would have to pay attention.
Viacom also owns Paramount Pictures so boycotting and/or protesting their movies might get some attention.
Viacom is spread over many networks, boycotting all will not really deliver the message (although nice enough if you want to do it).
My point is that they have more than enough analysts and accountants to review changes in viewership at BET.
Furthermore, the real target (for protest results) is not Viacom or even BET directly, but BET’s advertisers, especially those that will get dumped into the Michael Vick Likes to Kill Dogs & Improve his Image Later with His Kids In Front of a Live Camera Variety Hour.
The deal is done, decision is made, but that just gives Michael Vick more protest targets in the form of new sponsors and advertisers.
Or in football terms, we go on the offense against advertisers and not play defense against the mega corporations that are doing the deals with Michael Vick. Hit their sponsors after the deal is done, help the accountants see that the decision was a financial mistake (like the Eagles are learning) and before long the word will spread among the executives that Vick is bad for business and the numbers $$$ will be there to prove it.
There are so many people who think Vick is full of it. The blogs I’ve been on the people anti-vick are about 60% and pro Vick 40%. But I guess the NFL still wants to cash in on the overrated comeback. Let’s just hope he falls flat on his face Sun.
new petition
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/4/boycott-all-sponsors-of-philadelphia-eagles
I just read this article that claims Vick will not be back with the Eagles next year. It states this season was just a chance for Vick to improve his image and become a hot commodity to be picked up by another team next season:
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20091009_Paul_Domowitch__It_could_be_one-and-done_for_Eagles__Vick.html
Maybe it’s time to turn up the heat on all the other NFL teams so they’ll know what to expect if they decide to pick up a dog killer.