Viewers find 'Joe Millionaire' poor choice [Freerepublic mentioned and posters as well]

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | Oct. 21, 2003

[yonif]

Now for the good news: Monday's second-season debut of Fox's "Joe Millionaire" came in fifth in its time period - trailing even the WB's "Seventh Heaven."

This is the meanest of "reality" shows, about a poor guy who's presented to a gang of gold-diggers as a multimillionaire looking for a wife. Since Fox thought it would be hard to find American women who didn't already know the lie, the network found 14 oblivious European gold-diggers.

The lack of interest in the opening installment starring not-so-bright cowboy David Smith comes despite Fox hyping the heck out of it during baseball playoff and World Series coverage. "Joe Millionaire" drew fewer than 7 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research numbers.

Remember, this is a show that peaked at 40 million viewers during its first-season finale in February.

CHANNEL SURFING

Fox has ordered five more episodes of "The O.C.," which returns to the schedule Oct. 29, for a total of 27. The standard network show has had 22 episodes in recent years. . . . FX's "Nip/Tuck" wrapped up its first season Tuesday, but the gory plastic surgery drama has already been renewed for next year. . . . Tennis star Serena Williams makes her acting debut on Showtime's "Street Time" at 9 Wednesday.

RATING MARK WISN-AM (1130) talker Mark Belling subbed for Rush Limbaugh the last two days, while Limbaugh is off in drug treatment.

Those of us who have listened for years already have opinions about Belling. But here are some instant critiques from longtime Rush listeners/first-time Mark listeners - using their online monikers - at freerepublic.com:

Conservativeman55 - "Mark is the most entertaining guest host so far."

Steely Tom - "He's pretty boring. He's giving the audience his opinions, which are not information. The contrast with Rush couldn't be clearer. Rush tells you how things are, and gives reasons for his view."

weegee - "I tuned out after his opening monologue when he said something like how conservatives tune in to hear the conservative take on that day's position on the issues. I listen to hear one man's take on the issues, not a party or movement's take. It wasn't just his 'day's talking points' bit, it was just the way he carried the show and his voice. . . . No need to talk down to the audience."

Yardstick - "I can tell that I'm getting information, not just opinion, when the time flies by, and time was not flying by as I listened to Belling. . . . Belling spent the entire first hour speculating on the best course of action with North Korea, and he had a bunch of mediocre callers give their mediocre opinions on it. Who cares!"

tsomer - "Callers hardly had time to say hello before he was interrupting them. It was a series of one-way discussions."

Call Tim Cuprisin at (414) 224-2397. E-mail him at tcuprisin@journalsentinel.com

[yonif]

Ping.

[GeronL]

If they saw the long thread on why TV stinks... darn, I wish they would have quoted us about that

[autoresponder]

SeeBS may be tanking but FreeRepublic was busy tonight!

High traffic noted tonight!

Congrats FReepers!

[Fledermaus]

40 million for last episode of Joe Millionaire last season? That's hard to believe since the #1 show this season is CSI with a weekly average of 16.1 million households.

Was that 40 million calculated as people or households?

I know why it's not selling this year...it was done already. It's not a novelty any longer unlike something like Survivor (which I've never watched) which changes things every year.

These "reality" shows will soon be history. I give them maybe two more years. They are by far more scripted than fiction.

[GeronL]

I noticed FR had a burp a little while back, I actually had to go do something else for a while... *((((shivvers))))*

[ChiMark]

This time around people realize this is about sleazy euro-trash scoping out an American millionaire. The novelty is gone as you've said.

[angcat]

It is nice to see dumb European woman for a change. The way American women look on these shows is desperate and stupid. Not that I watch but they bombard you with the coming attractions it's enough to drive you nuts!

[Leisler]

"No one goes to Free Republic anymore, it's too crowded." Yogi Berra.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I do miss the early days of FreeRepublic when Yogi used to post.

[Ax]

Everytime I think that Fox can't sink any lower, they come up with some new form of rubbish. What's really shocking is, is that there are people who actually watch this tripe. I fear for our republic.

[Treebeard]

Lines from the Fox promos that make you want to throw something through the TV and listen to the Series on the radio:

Bad Cherman Accent ON/ "Ant now for the best paht, he's reech! /bad cherman accent off

"His FATHER is the DISTRICT ATTORNEY!"

Seriously, though, if you sat through the JM II thing, the guy is a real dim bulb, and the Eurotrash women are unbelievable. They bitch about having to get up at 8. ("Ve ah from Europe, ve don't get up this early!"), they drink like fish (bigtime sunglasses at breakfast), smoke like chimneys, and made fun of the "cowboy" until they found out that he might be worth 80 mil.

First it was "In Europe, saying you're a cowboy is a joke, to a European", or "I wonder if ve vill haf Ranch Dressing on the ranch?" or "What do zey do on a ranch, do zey go clubbing?"

Excruciating, but worth it if one's hatred of Europe and Europeans is beginning to wane.

[Stallone]

Best part of the show is the revealing lack of both values and intelligence of the Eurotrash women.

Worst part is the Woody Harrelson dickwad. He's a fool, not a man's man, and he is boring.

[Stallone]

Best part of the show is the revealing lack of both values and intelligence of the Eurotrash women.

Worst part is the Woody Harrelson dickwad. He's a fool, not a man's man, and he is boring.

[Stallone]

Best part of the show is the revealing lack of both values and intelligence of the Eurotrash women.

Worst part is the Woody Harrelson dickwad. He's a fool, not a man's man, and he is boring.

[invoman]

I hope it makes everyone here feel good that a FReeper owns the #1 website for Joe Millionaire...:>)

[Jhensy]

Watching this postseason has me rooting for several painful deaths, besides members of the Yankee roster:

1. Anyone associated with the aforementioned Joe Millionaire.

2. That castaway getting the messages in the beer bottles in the Bud commercial.

3. That moron eating the sandwich being videoed on the cellphone. Especially this guy.

4. The guy in the limo who launches the poodle. ENOUGH ALREADY.

5. And of course Tim McCarver.

I've been switching during commercials lately. For those of you with a zillion channels, I highly recommend VH1 Classics, which shows nothing but vintage videos going back to the 60s, with NO veejays, no clutter, and amazingly few commercials. Last night between innings I saw the Clash doing "Clampdown", and Eric Burdon & War doing "Spill the Wine". Cool!

[Jhensy]

Watching this postseason has me rooting for several painful deaths, besides members of the Yankee roster:

1. Anyone associated with the aforementioned Joe Millionaire.

2. That castaway getting the messages in the beer bottles in the Bud commercial.

3. That moron eating the sandwich being videoed on the cellphone. Especially this guy.

4. The guy in the limo who launches the poodle. ENOUGH ALREADY.

5. And of course Tim McCarver.

I've been switching during commercials lately. For those of you with a zillion channels, I highly recommend VH1 Classics, which shows nothing but vintage videos going back to the 60s, with NO veejays, no clutter, and amazingly few commercials. Last night between innings I saw the Clash doing "Clampdown", and Eric Burdon & War doing "Spill the Wine". Cool!

[Aquinasfan]

What's really shocking is, is that there are people who actually watch this tripe. I fear for our republic.

Have you ever seen "Network"? What was far-fetched in 1976 is now reality. It's a great movie to begin with, and even better considering its prophetic nature.