BB OCD HYPE - 2007/04/13 18:16 Wow, this really is a lame drawcard for their opening, I've gotta say.
But I noticed you mentioned, Aaron, that you suspect there may be no real OCD contestant, at all. That'd be good, but surely there must be or it wouldn't now be confirmed. Either way, it's a sick stunt.
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aaron Admin
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Re:BB OCD HYPE - 2007/04/13 19:21 I just think you may find that it's perhaps a deliberately planted hype rumour without the weight we think it could have. Once you plant the seed, the media will run with it, people will run with it, and we'll turn up to the show, driven by the scandal of the "new low". But notice this press commentary from Gretel: "I need to find out more about this obsessive compulsive disorder before the show starts.
I don't know what the parameters [are] because I know a lot of people who would refer to themselves as that, but have not been diagnosed.''
Now, that is honestly one of the most stupid statements I have ever heard come out of anyone's mouth. It makes no sense - this idea that people refer to themselves as OCD sufferers on a self-diagnosed basis (and who is Gretel hanging out with, if she knows lots of people who walk around calling themselves OCD for no apparent reason?!).
I mean, c'mon. Are we to believe that someone on that show, having gone through the most unbelievably rigorous check ups and interviews (including medicals and psych tests - and I can tell you from first hand experience, this includes disclosing any psychological conditions) has flippantly referred to themselves as OCD, and the show is yet to decipher whether they are or not??!! Because, you know, perhaps they're just saying that, like the millions of Australians who would go through an auditions process and just declare a self-diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? And they're all just sitting around going, "Gee, I wonder if they're right? I wonder if they've actually been diagnosed? Gee whiz, we better start reading up on OCD"????!!!!
Or are we going to have it passed off that Kris Noble (who I believe started this) made the comment without substance - you know, as if it's okay to pigeon hole a contestant at a press conference as suffering from a mental disorder. "Gee," says the rest of the crew, "I wonder if Kris' diagnosis is right? We better check." Yep, don't worry, turns out his diagnosis is wrong. Everyone forget this ever happened, and enjoy the show. Never mind how utterly insulting that is to not only people who suffer from REAL OCD (and who, you know, have their conditions diagnosed by doctors, not tv producers). It's actually quite normal for everyday people to diagnose others with the disorder - some people even diagnose themselves. We know this because Gretel told us so - lots of her pals call themselves OCD, all the time.
It's almost funny. Almost.
But the thing is, it sets them up to conveniently turn around, after the deliberately created controversy has served its purpose and generated hype for the opening, to say, "Oh, no, it turns out they don't have it. Don't worry, we're not exploiting OCD, everyone relax, and enjoy the show we've now hooked you into".
The other reason for this ridiculous press from Gretel could be that there is indeed an OCD contestant, and now that mental health experts have run in and, oops, this could all be a problem if the audience buy into a concept of immorality around it, they're trying to set up the idea that they committed no sin because they didn't know until, gosh, this housemate just suddenly announced he/she was OCD.
So let's just be careful of these possibilities. Otherwise, yes, we'll follow the case of the OCD housemate.
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Bubblesofnothing Platinum Boarder
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Re:BB OCD HYPE - 2007/04/13 22:06 I just saw that Gretel is on Rove, this Sunday! I imagine we'll get some more of the "story" then
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aaron Admin
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Re:BB OCD HYPE - 2007/04/13 23:38 Yes, because by then it would have died down, and she'll need to use something to generate the interest. That's the thing, the lead up to this is actually quite flat, considering how close we are. There's a distinct lack of interest out there, at the moment, and they still haven't really come up with anything "new", nothing that grabs you. That ad with Gretel is "cute" and all, but ultimately lifeless in terms of generating suspense - as with the mystery man campaign, which doesn't offer enough clues to really translate into meaning anything at all. And I'm not really going to sincerely be whipped into too much suspense, anyway! But I can pick it when I see it, and I think it's yet to "arrive" through the marketing. They could have really repackaged it and teased us with the promise of something really interesting. But admittedly, the problem of that kind of advertising is that it pisses people off, once they get there to the show and it's not as interesting as the ads have promised (a big problem with last year's). We'll see, though - it should get a reasonable opening, regardless.
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jimmy Gold Boarder
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Re:BB OCD HYPE - 2007/04/14 00:03 My predictions for the opening show
It will run over time (by maybe a billion hours)
Gretel will look like shite
The first commercials for stuff like Lynx or some coloured tampons in a handy pocket pack will begin approximately 18 seconds after the program begins and run for about 7 minutes. (this will be reprised many times during the broadcast)
There will be too many crowd shots
The 'profile packages' of each housemate will be absolutely ridiculous. Words like 'hot' and 'sexy' will be used by the girls and the boys will all use hair product, primarily to simulate the look of not caring about their hair. The 'packages' will have many tilted camera angles
Only 2 out of the 12 housemates will have the ability to string a coherent sentence together on stage. At least 8 contestant will more than once look out at the audience and yell "WOO HOO!" whilst raising a fist or arm into the air
The value of plasma screens on and about the stage will be equal to that of the GDP of many small African nations.
The morality of the program will be inversely proportional to its carbon footprint
Jimmy
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Katiefor free Expert Boarder
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Re:BB OCD HYPE - 2007/04/14 07:47 It's hard to even get my head around BB this year. My partner is suggesting that I don't watch it. I know if I watch the opening night I will be hooked. Do I have the time for the dross that is served up? Where have live feeds gone? I was hoping that Gretal would be gone this year but I see she is doing bad adds that says BB is taking itself a bit too seriously. The rest of my household has given BB the flick (two teens here) but who knows if I will be there to enjoy the highlights and the lowlife that it brings. Game on moles.
THE MIC 
