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AIBU?

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Original poster

to not understand the hatred for the Jeremy Kyle show?

133 replies

ThereWasOnceAGirl · 01/12/2013 13:48

Lazy Sunday with a slight hangover and watched a couple of repeats.

I really don;t understand the criticism for the show. I mean you might not like Jeremy Kyle himself but the show?

No one is forced to go on and they seem to provide excellent aftercare for people. I saw one where a guy made the choice to go to rehab straight after the show (funded by them) and he came back on and had got his life back together.

OP posts:
AmberLeaf · 01/12/2013 13:52

Making entertainment out of peoples inadequacies.

It is a point and laugh thing to make people feel superior.

Taking advantage of people having problems under the guise of 'helping' them.

From what I've heard the aftercare is shit.

Morgause · 01/12/2013 13:53

It's the modern day equivalent of going to Bedlam Hospital to point and laugh.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 01/12/2013 13:59

If you read things by people who have worked on the show, there are some pretty disturbing stories - guests being told they will get picked up from the hotel at a particular time, but actually picking them up an hour earlier, so they mightn't have had time to shower and dress in their 'best', then rushing them through to the studio, so they look unkempt.

The person who sits with a guest whilst they are waiting to go on getting in their ear, winding them up so they are already at explosion point before they go on.

The way JK shouts in the faces of people who don't have the wit or emotional maturity to stand up to him, or the way he asks a question, interrupts the answer so the guest gets confused, then has a go at what they say.

In the main, the guests are people who are just put on show, for the rest of us to mock and judge - it is the modern equivalent of watching the lion tear apart the gladiator.

All that said, I do watch it - it is a bit of a guilty secret (less of one now I have told all of MN, of course). [tchblush]

basgetti · 01/12/2013 14:05

The aftercare is reportedly non existent. You should read about the case of Rebecca Langley who was bullied into doing a lie detector test by her abusive boyfriend. They both failed, the counsellor spent 5 minutes with her then sent her home with him where he beat her to a pulp and put her in hospital.

Alisvolatpropiis · 01/12/2013 14:10

What Morgause said.

It is utterly vile.

everlong · 01/12/2013 14:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SummerPlum · 01/12/2013 14:16

YABU. And have appalling taste in hangover TV.

MrsRajeshKoothrappali · 01/12/2013 14:18

Jeremy Kyle lack manners and looks down on his guests.

Fair enough, some of his guests are rude and make poor choices, but he's far worse.

He must be the angriest man on telly. Why is he not in therapy for his rage?

Mumof3xx · 01/12/2013 14:18

I am also guilty of watching jk

MrsRajeshKoothrappali · 01/12/2013 14:18

Jeremy Kyle lack manners and looks down on his guests.

Fair enough, some of his guests are rude and make poor choices, but he's far worse.

He must be the angriest man on telly. Why is he not in therapy for his rage?

Groovee · 01/12/2013 14:24

Oh yes, "want a free holiday?" They get you there, make up issues by talking to you, ply you with alcohol, get the chaperones to start winding you up meaning texts get sent or arguments start.

My previous work place had a timetable for staff to record and and sit through the show to see if there were any clients on the show.

Many colleagues had spent months working with families, only for them to go on "holiday" and then come back and all the hard work was undone! It was one family who admitted what happened and told us what had taken place.

He promotes taking the piss out of vulnerable people. Very few people actually phone the show. They target deprived areas by leafleting and going round the doors.

After care is non existent. As soon as you leave the studio, you become another past guest!

quesadilla · 01/12/2013 14:25

They take advantage of extremely vulnerable people to provide entertainment. Yes, you can argue no-one is forced to go on there but these are people who by and large have nothing in their lives and see this as their one shot at fame. Its not like the X-factor where despite the catty remarks and laughing at those who can't sing there is a degree of allowing the talented to shine. This is the modern day equivalent of a circus freak show.

And I don't know about the aftercare but unless its very long-lasting its not going to be enough to support the people whose lives have been torn apart by having their dirty laundry aired in front of millions of chavs viewers.

NigellaLaw5on · 01/12/2013 14:28

Whenever I'm feeling low I switch on the JK show and I soon realise that things could be a whole lot worse.
It should be prescribed as an aid to battle depression IMO.

KerwhizzedMyElf · 01/12/2013 14:29

It takes advantage of vulnerable people. The aftercare isn't as good as it is made out to be either apparently. The staff also provoke these people backstage to try and get them as angry as possible before they are on the main bit of the show. I don't know how anyone can watch it really.

daisychain01 · 01/12/2013 14:30

No other words for it than vile, unenlightened car crash TV.

Haven't we moved forward an iota in our thinking, that makes it OK to ridicule unfortunate people who lack the ability to see they are being used and exploited for the entertainment of others.

There, I've said it, no point putting sugar coated words round it. I don't own a TV anymore because I wont support all this pumped-out shite.

Upcycled · 01/12/2013 14:38

I didn't know it was so bad and I thought after care was somehow good.
I used to watch it when dd was newborn and I was at home. It was my 3rd year in the UK and I never had time for TV before....

mrsjay · 01/12/2013 15:34

I used to watch and probably scoff and laugh at them and be a bit snooty I dont understand why people go on it but i realised it is in the guise of helping they are not helping anybody and it is all bloody shouty these days, i have not watched it in a long time,

shrunkenhead · 01/12/2013 15:49

I didn't realise people got paid to go on here, surely people don't think being on JK is a claim to fame, and I always assumed watchers of the show weren't ridiculing the guests but rather thinking "thank goodness I have all my teeth/don't have a drink/drug problem/know the name of my kids' father/trust my friends and family/know how to dress according to my shape/wash my hair daily/use contraception etc etc" I thought the aftercare must be great, JK always speaks highly of Graham and he must be a genuine counsellor/psychologist surely?

puntasticusername · 01/12/2013 15:50

What everyone else said.

But at least so far, no-one has said what my colleague did when we were discussing the show - I was saying how heartily I disapprove of it for and she said "yeah, but it hardly matters, does it? I mean, they're only chavs".

Relationship-ending moment, right there.

KerwhizzedMyElf · 01/12/2013 15:52

I always assumed watchers of the show weren't ridiculing the guests but rather thinking "thank goodness I have all my teeth/don't have a drink/drug problem/know the name of my kids' father/trust my friends and family/know how to dress according to my shape/wash my hair daily/use contraception etc etc"

Is using these vulnerable people as a "thank fuck it's not me" moment any better than ridiculing them? Hmm

Morgause · 01/12/2013 15:53

My regular Big Issue seller was on it 5 or 6 years ago. He told me to look out for him and his girlfriend. They were put up in a hotel and paid generous expenses. Just the thing to give two substance abusers.

He did not come over well. He returned to Scotland shortly after it was screened, never to come back.

grimbletart · 01/12/2013 15:58

The human equivalent of bear baiting.

shrunkenhead · 01/12/2013 16:18

But are they really "vulnerable"? And if so, I'd like to know why. They have a choice, they have many choices and if every time they choose the wrong path how do you help them?

BabyMummy29 · 01/12/2013 16:23

I used to watch it during holidays but gave up as I just couldn't stand all the shouting and arguing.

When I was young nobody would have dared admit to such problems/failings. I agree that these sorts of things should be discussed, but not on TV

mrsjay · 01/12/2013 16:27

He promotes taking the piss out of vulnerable people. Very few people actually phone the show. They target deprived areas by leafleting and going round the doors.

really ? wow that is terrible the organisation i work for also monitors who goes on jeremy kyle there has been none from our branch (yet) but from other parts of the country there has been a lot on,

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