In an effort to get to know my new home country, I’ve been diligently checking out German TV. On of the shows currently on is The Next Uri Geller, a show in search of Germany’s top mentalist.
I can’t bear to watch this show. It’s just too stupid, even for my relatively low standards. All the tricks are basic and banal, and none of the contestants can hold my interest. But the lamest part about the show has to be Uri Geller himself. In case you’re not familiar (as I wasn’t before I saw this show), Uri is an internationally-famous self-proclaimed mentalist who has been around since at least the 60s, and whose greatest power appears to be his ability to bend spoons. The main difference between Uri and, say, David Copperfield, is the fact that while David calls himself a magician and fully admits that he does “tricks”, Uri insists publicly that he really does have some mystical power (and this despite the fact that he’s been exposed as a fraud multiple times).
OK, so let’s suspend our disbelief and say that Uri Geller really has special powers. Why is it that he hasn’t come up with a more useful or impressive application of these powers than bending spoons in the past 50 years? I mean, come on. Spoon bending? How does that a show make?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Y7QR314xA]
mentalist? tee hee.
“How does that a show make?”
OMG! You’re speaking English like a native German speaker!
That show is SO awful. A few of our (German) friends just love it, but I tuned in for a couple of minutes and thought no thank you. Ugh.
I remember Uri Geller from the 60’s and 70’s and really wonder why he’s trying to make a comback this way. Kind of pitiful.
(And just as an aside, you may notice that most of German TV just isn’t worth watching, unfortunately)
Also, I find my spoon-bending needs are better met by those dangly appendages at the end of my arms than by telekinesis.
(My wife and I have a running joke in our house, whenever one of us leaves a window open or neglects to put the dishes away, that Uri Geller did it. I can’t, for the life of me, remember why).
Crap, maybe Uri Geller is making me speak English like a native German speaker!
Well, this show was already broadcasted in the US before it came to Germany. And originally it is a format from Israel.
@Christina:
While living in the US I had enough time to spend with American TV, and – most of it wasn’t worth watching, unfortunately. I love to watch 3SAT, Phoenix, Bayern Alpha here in Germany – and when it comes to information the news here are much better than in the US. Plus: it is not constantly interrupted by commercials. And in addition most of the good shows from the US are aired anyways sooner or later here…
If this is going to become a discussion of who produces the lamest TV, I’m going to have to nominate the Italians.
@jul:
On friday I was in a hotel in Dresden and I we went through the TV channels. I made a bit that on the Italian Channels we will see a show with blonde girls showing their long legs no matter if it will be a talk show, a game show or whatever. And so it was. Also next day by the way, similar girls, young females smiling and older men talking about something…
Something else: don’t miss the Starkbierfest in all decent beer places in Munich. For the craziest crowd go to Nockherberg… but I recommend to pick a sunny afternoon and enjoy the beer outside in the beer garden…
So you’re a fan of Italian TV, then?
🙂
I am definitely drinking my share of Starkbier these days! Good stuff.