Agreed. I like a few Office episodes, but I never really got into it. I’m also not a fan of self-deprecating humor, despite making a lot of self-deprecating jokes myself.
I watched all of The Office, but I had to keep actively reminding myself that those situations aren’t real and that they’re paid actors who are expecting everything that’s happening, in order not to wince my face inside out.
I used to love sitcoms (Seinfeld, King of Queens, IT Crowd, etc), but I guess it’s just not what I’m looking for anymore. If I want comedy, I usually go with stand-up these days.
I am the same way.
My husband loves I Think You Should Leave. I cannot stand how horrible and awkward it is. Like its not just not funny it’s actively uncomfortable to watch. Which makes it even funnier to him >.>
“Real” awkwardness is usually coming at someone’s expense. I don’t enjoy that. The same way true sadness is usually at someone’s expense.
But if it’s part of a story, fine. I’ll watch a sad movie or a show that has awkward moments. Those very real feelings explored in a fun way that hurts no one can be a good time. Just like no one really enjoys being genuinely scared, but a scary movie can trigger that emotion in a safe and fun way.
Awkwardness is incredibly cheap to film and turn around into content. Less that you find it entertaining and more that you’ll fixate on it as a clip in a long line of similar looking content. HBO / Discovery Channel love this kind of low-rent reality TV, because it gets people into watching the first episode purely on shock value. Also great for getting the name recognition of the show up among the critically lucrative “I’m too mature for cartoons but not mature enough to watch normal TV” 13-21 demographic.
Literally the only thing that matters is whether your cursor hovers over it or your scroll pauses for a second as you pass over it. The Algorithm will flag this as “We have your attention” and feed you an increasing quantity of the slop until you give in or you stop using whatever media service is delivering it.
Am I the only one who doesn’t find awkwardness entertaining?
It’s not just you. Second hand embarrassment is just as bad as first hand embarrassment for me.
It’s a wildly unpopular take, but it’s the reason I can’t watch most of Steve Carell’s stuff, including the office.
Agreed. I like a few Office episodes, but I never really got into it. I’m also not a fan of self-deprecating humor, despite making a lot of self-deprecating jokes myself.
We exist, but I think we’re in the minority.
I think I just found my tribe.
I watched all of The Office, but I had to keep actively reminding myself that those situations aren’t real and that they’re paid actors who are expecting everything that’s happening, in order not to wince my face inside out.
Seconded, second-hand embarrasment makes me want to jump at the TV
Fremdscham
I don’t like it, either. And I’m not a fan of the “obsessed with sex while shaming other people for being obsessed with sex” vibe of shit like this.
Shaming scumbags for harassing people is always OK.
Wanting to watch stuff like that is weird.
I don’t, but conflating it with sex shaming isn’t cool.
Did you upvote the post?
Including their moms?
I assume the moms would go on the show willingly and accept the shame that comes with it
Mom’s not going to wind up on a gameshow stage without being on board with the dunking
Not the only one, this is why I find sitcoms especially more or less completely unwatchable
Yup, haven’t watched a sitcom in many years.
I used to love sitcoms (Seinfeld, King of Queens, IT Crowd, etc), but I guess it’s just not what I’m looking for anymore. If I want comedy, I usually go with stand-up these days.
Nah, i feel ya. I actually get empathetic physical reactions to seeing on-screen awkwardness
It’s not art if you don’t feel anything
Oh i don’t mean to say they aren’t good, just not good for this cat.
It’s called Empathy and seems to be in short supply among TV execs.
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Call me overly optimistic, but I would hope that such a program would stop men from doing such creepy behaviour.
Call me overly pessimistic, but I would think that such a program would encourage men to make dms even creepier.
I don’t think they need that to make it even more disgusting.
I am the same way. My husband loves I Think You Should Leave. I cannot stand how horrible and awkward it is. Like its not just not funny it’s actively uncomfortable to watch. Which makes it even funnier to him >.>
I agree, but this wouldn’t be about awkward – it would be vengeance. Just rewards. Assholes getting their due.
I find it more entertaining if it’s fake, like with the office. I dislike real-world awkwardness if it was at the level those shows take it.
Random awkwardness can be fine, but like the example OP gave would be so cringey I couldn’t watch lol.
Reality TV gets to that point, so I never watch lol
I watched the first episode of The Office (UK), and the awkwardness was too much for me. I’ll probably give it a second shot eventually though.
This right here.
“Real” awkwardness is usually coming at someone’s expense. I don’t enjoy that. The same way true sadness is usually at someone’s expense.
But if it’s part of a story, fine. I’ll watch a sad movie or a show that has awkward moments. Those very real feelings explored in a fun way that hurts no one can be a good time. Just like no one really enjoys being genuinely scared, but a scary movie can trigger that emotion in a safe and fun way.
Bingo
I can’t stand it.
I like to think it’s because I’m empathetic.
So not a fan of “To catch a predator” either?
Awkwardness is incredibly cheap to film and turn around into content. Less that you find it entertaining and more that you’ll fixate on it as a clip in a long line of similar looking content. HBO / Discovery Channel love this kind of low-rent reality TV, because it gets people into watching the first episode purely on shock value. Also great for getting the name recognition of the show up among the critically lucrative “I’m too mature for cartoons but not mature enough to watch normal TV” 13-21 demographic.
Literally the only thing that matters is whether your cursor hovers over it or your scroll pauses for a second as you pass over it. The Algorithm will flag this as “We have your attention” and feed you an increasing quantity of the slop until you give in or you stop using whatever media service is delivering it.
empathy