TV SHOWS

[Ledkr]

I keep seeing quiz or chat shows with guests all socially distanced in a studio. Why then can i not see my family and friends in the same set up? 🤔

The Last Leg has cardboard cutout people

In their audience

I know dramas have also gone back because I saw how different making Greys Anatomy is now (the head of cardio did a YT video of a typical day on the COVID set).

I am enjoying things like Michael Palin's travel documentaries (I had seen some later ones but not the earliest before). And some reruns of old comedy shows.

But these people are doing a significant service to keep the spirits of the nations up - yes nationS, because it's not just the UK watching them and not just the UK who are locked down at present and need distraction.

They do have cardboard people

It's a good question how these workplaces are different to gyms. Both are workplaces, both provide employment. One is likely to help people lose weight which we know is a good thing to do in terms of covid.

I can see hairdressers requires much closer contact (unless you have a hairdresser with arms 2m long) but personal trainers in gyms and gym classes? Surely the latter should be more important both in terms of impact on public health and in terms of employment and the economy. If the gym is well ventilated and covid secure why is one not allowed and the other is (I'm guessing 'influence' or something).

I can see the news being essential but not much else.

The Masked Singer had a (masked) audience.
It was filmed over the summer I believe.

They are allowing tv shows to be filmed simply because they need to entertain the plebs whilst we are in lockdown.

Only a 'pleb' would think it was primarily about entertaining people in lockdown.

@casper2017

I have often wondered this? What makes the entertainment industry more important than say gyms or hair salons etc

Nobody is saying they are more important. They are just able to operate in a COVID secure manner.

Only a 'pleb' would think it was primarily about entertaining people in lockdown.

You’re absolutely right! I’m a pleb! Thank you for making me see the light! I’m just off to cry into my cornflakes..

So why can't a gym operate in a Covid secure manner?

I get it OP. We've had a film crew filming around here for a few weeks. Loads of them filming scenes here there and everywhere for a major tv series.

It is unfair and the rules are arbitrary.

@casper2017

So why can't a gym operate in a Covid secure manner?

I don't know? I don't have the benefit of all the evidence used to make these decisions.

I suppose with a gym it is harder to control what the public get up to. People at work have to stick to the rules. The trainers may be operating in a covid secure way, but can the really stop the users from chatting to each other etc

Lots of people in all kinds of jobs are still going to work, it's no different to that. The people in the news studio would probably rather see their family and friends too, they are not really benefiting from sitting there with strangers 2 metres away... (and are unlikely to forget to distance and spontaneously give each other a hug like you would with your best friend or siblings).

They’re probably testing as well as being in a huge ventilated studio and thank goodness! I can’t imagine anything worse than being stuck at hime with nothing new to watch 🙄

@casper2017

So why can't a gym operate in a Covid secure manner?

Because it’s proven that if you give people an inch they’ll take a mile. Also if they open gyms someone else will be along saying “well if they can open gyms why can’t they open A, B and C”. And on and on it goes.

At Christmas I think it was pretty clear that it wasn’t safe to mix yet because the government said it wouldn’t be illegal to do so, people are now blaming spread at Christmas on the government.

They will have done the most epic risk assessments, which will involve regular testing of many people involved, and also some roles (such as make-up and hairdressing) scaled back or stopped. They are at least giving some employment to people in the entertainment industry which has otherwise been really badly hit, with many people unable to claim furlough or freelance grants. The comedians on "Mock The Week" will have earnt remarkably little money over the last year, as will most of the camera & VT operators, lighting & sound technicians etc etc.

@MaudesMum

They will have done the most epic risk assessments, which will involve regular testing of many people involved, and also some roles (such as make-up and hairdressing) scaled back or stopped. They are at least giving some employment to people in the entertainment industry which has otherwise been really badly hit, with many people unable to claim furlough or freelance grants. The comedians on "Mock The Week" will have earnt remarkably little money over the last year, as will most of the camera & VT operators, lighting & sound technicians etc etc.

I understand why and how the entertainment industry is operating. It just seems like they have been given special treatment in order to operate. No other industry seems to have been treated in the same way.

I didnt mention audiences. I meant guests and production teams.

@casper2017

So why can't a gym operate in a Covid secure manner?

To compare it with my non-essential job (performing arts) that has not been shut down where I live, it’s because the measures we’ve had to adopt to stay open and make us Covid secure, would be impossible to adopt in a gym.

PCR tests every 48 hours.
Obligation to report any travel in and out of our city.
Obligation to use contact tracing app.
New HEPA or whatever they’re called filters, which means we have 100% fresh air in the working spaces at all times.
Millions of euros in funding to make up the shortfall between what normally comes in (4000 people attending events twice a day at let’s say £50 per head) and what we currently produce (£0, only 150 of us allowed in at one time, all employees).

That costs more money than a gym would lose by staying shut. The UK doesn’t give out that kind of funding. And you can’t ask people to pay for their own PCR tests and you definitely don’t get to police where customers go in their free time. It can be a condition of employment, not of accessing a service.

I suspect the TV industry is working in a similar way. Lots of testing and lots of measures that only big organisation can afford/are given money for.

It's work. People are allowed to work. It's services which rely on clients where those clients are not allowed to attend which have had to close. The gyms owners could go to work if they but no customers/clients because no one is allowed to go to the gym so there's no point. My hairdresser isn't seeing clients but has been doing paid for zoom hair tutorials so although the salon is closed to customers she's still 'working'.

Entertainers can work but as people aren't allowed be a part of an audience live performances are pointless. Quiz shows with contestants being currently shown were filmed in the break between lockdowns but only 'celebrity' versions can be filmed now because the rest of us won't get paid for it so not an 'essential journey'. Celebrities get paid so it's still work

They will be being tested very regularly. My best friend is a make up artist. Tested every other day. The production company are spending a fortune on it. They can afford it. Doubt a local gym can. Don't begrudge people their employment.

They’re probably testing the presenters etc before they arrive on set too.

I can kind of see why indoor gym might not work - but outdoor gym classes? They're still not allowed, and I can't see why. The risks so much lower than indoors - people could easily be 3m plus apart and so beneficial for people's health.

Outdoor PE for kids not in school at all too.

There's no middle ground with this government unless you are rich, in which case you can do as you want, seemingly.

UK in a nutshell. For the 1%.

And fine, if entertainment companies can do endless testing that's good. But what kind of country do we live in where this is possible because - basically - they're rich - while no testing in schools, no ffp2 masks for medics while infections are sky high?

The comedians on Mock the Week will not be hurting financially from a year off. Most of them have books, dvds, downloads, all of which will have done better this year. If they were employing struggling unknowns in the entertainment industry I'd be all for it but they don't.

Both The Last Leg and WILTY clearly have Covid measures in place.

The Last Leg keeps everyone more than 2m apart from each other. WILTY uses a combination of distancing and plastic screens.