Career day
-- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/5/2001
"Quiet down, class. Next, Miguel's father will tell us all about what it's like to be a reality TV producer."
"Well, kids, lately I've been offering lots of money to real people just like your mom and dad so that we can manipulate their minds and emotions for the entertainment of a mass TV audience. Some people say it's a dangerous game to be playing and that we are pandering for profit. Pandering is a big word that means giving people what they want, no matter what that is. We think the folks who say that are old sticks-in-the-mud. Besides, if we don't do it, someone else will anyway and then they'll make all the money.
"Many of you probably heard about the man on the show a couple of weeks ago.. No, it's not our show, but we have one very much like it.who stabbed the pig to death and smeared blood on his face.. Yes, you with your hand up in the back."
"Was it real blood?"
"Yes, but it was only a pig. Well, last week the man passed out and fell into a fire, screaming in agony. Agony is when something really hurts and you wish you hadn't done it. But he got to ride in a really neat helicopter. I haven't seen the ratings for the show yet, which tells us how many people watched and whether we can feel successful in the TV business, but I'll bet they were super D duper."
