TIM BELFORD

Reality TV has got to go

Now, I reckon I'm pretty well as tolerant as the next guy.

As a matter of fact, I've been accused by those who know me well of being so far left on the political spectrum I pop up on the other side and appear to be on the right.

As confusing as that may sound, it merely means I give a whole lot of latitude to individuals to indulge in whatever they want as long as they don't hurt anyone else in the process or ask me to join in.

But enough is enough.

Survivor was as bad as it gets.

For endless weeks, perfectly good prime time was taken up by a collection of misfits whose sole purpose was to stab all the other misfits in the back.

All the while smiling blissfully and professing their basic honesty, integrity and openness.

And millions of viewers bought it.

Week after week they tuned in like voyeurs at a summer camp for the socially challenged.

The ultimate winner, of course, could have been the poster boy for deviant behaviour.

Anyway, after that the genie was out of the bottle.

Survivor Two succeeded Survivor One.

Temptation Island threw together four incredibly attractive couples, added two dozen even more attractive singles and told them to examine their relationships.

What they managed to do was examine each others anatomies in detail and prove once and for all that beauty really is only skin deep.

Big Brother packed a bunch of people together in one house and then filmed them twenty-four hours a day proving that everyday life is just as boring as you thought.

Even Russia got into the act.

Where people once listened to classical music, went to the ballet and read Puskin, they now watched the Slavic version of Big Brother.

You would have thought the average Russian would have had enough of being watched by the state twenty-four hours a day. But no.

Millions tuned in to Za Steklom and watched as Margo showered with - in quick order - Max, Alexander, and Olga.

Even when Margo and Max were filmed live doing what Mother warned you about, ratings soared.

My biggest fear is that CBC or Radio-Canada is going to get into the act.

The next thing you know, Da Vinci's Inquest will be gone, replaced by a Canadian version of that old Jack Paar favorite.

Just drop the "Kids" and call it "Premiers say the funniest things."