How Is It That?-?-?

15 minutes of shame….

I guess I am not one of those people that would do anything to be on T.V. 

The fact is I have been. Back in the 1970s I ran a flea market in New Orleans for the Abba Foundation which was a commune dedicated to community service. We used the funds from the flea market to fund our crisis intervention center and to support us. Most of us also worked at a free clinic that we operated and some of us worked at a health food co-op that was under the same roof.

The city decided to tax the revenue of the flea marketers. And I knew the only way that I could stop this was to bang the drum loudly. That meant television and newspaper advertising that the city, that had already taxed these items when they were purchased new, were not trying to again tax the items a second time when they were being sold used. Back in those days the market was craftsmen and people cleaning out their garages. They were not mega marketers selling thousands of dell computers on ebay.

And it worked. The pressure got the city to back down. To leave us alone and to not follow up on double taxation.

Today the reality TV shows are full of people looking for their 15 minutes of fame. And some allow people to keep an air of respectability about themselves as they are portrayed. Some do not.

Who in their right mind would agree to have a case tried on one of the TV court shows? Seriously now, someone or both parties are going to come out looking totally foolish. Judge Judy is a great example. If someone was suing me and suggested that we settle on the show, or any show, I would probably pay them off immediately.

Today a woman had a man move in with her. She thought he was the one. And almost immediately she allowed him to be added as a signer on her bank accounts. One  had a line of credit based on her houses equity.

They had agreed to split everything cost wise 50/50. Where did the man get his money for his half of the bills? From the line of credit. He also paid off back taxes, and bought a vehicle. MONTHS LATER she finally threw him out. She was out sixty thousand dollars by the time he moved out.

When Judge Judy first read the complaint I felt sorry for the gentleman. I knew she was going to rip him a new one and she did. He even admitted on the air that all he ever contributed to the relationship was himself. I cringed and shifted in my seat as she started in on him while his 14 year old daughter watched.

Mercifully, and quickly Judy got the daughter out of the room.

I felt sorry for this guy. Not only is he a liar, a user, not the highest wattage of light bulb, but also not crucified in front of millions of people.  And when I thought it could not get any worse for him – it did.

He had countersued her for damage that she had done to “his vehicle”.  In fact she even left a hand written note. Judy smirked as he told the story.

Then she reminded him that he purchased the car using her money. So she owned the car. And she could scratch and paint all over any thing she owned. His case was dismissed.

The plaintiff got the full amount that Judge Judys court can award - $5,000.00.

So who looked stupider?

It was a close tie, but in my opinion it was the woman. She realized after the first month that he was using HER house equity to pay his share of the bills. Yet he was there for at least 10 months. And then instead of getting a full judgment against him in a civil court, she opts to go on Judge Judy where the most she can get is $5,000.00.

She allowed him to rob her of $55,000.00. Just so she could be on T.V.

Every day, every case, someone gets a puny settlement and someone if not both come out looking like a fool.

Do they not see it? Do the viewers that see the show and then go on it not have more sense than a peanut? Obviously not!

I love watching stupid people.

And with that said, what does that make me - A long with millions of others who indulge in this entertainment?

I always considered myself a bit of an intellectual. But now I wonder about myself as well. Am I that bored? Or am I not as smart as I think I am?

In my own defense most of the television I watch is Discovery, History, Animal and National Geographic Channels. Judge Judy is a recess from thought for me. I can surely live without it.

But why should I not watch people who think they are smarter than everyone else, getting reamed, and defrocked in public.

In fact I think every female student in the country in the grades of 6 through 12 should be forced to watch an show a day. For every show has at least one female suing a male for money she loaned him, or for bills that he did not pay. Rarely is there a male suing a female for the same offenses.

In the end the reality of it all is that love cannot be bought. And it should be a classroom requirement to help people learn that when one is in love, occasionally they need help. But for the most part, someone who loves, gives. And if one side is doing all the giving then it is not the stuff dreams are made of.