Embarrassing Bodies on Channel Four – Can They Show This on TV? Too Far? Do People Watch This?
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010
by Connor Davidson
Ah, Friday nights don't we just love them? The one day in the week that most people can justify lying on the floor and the day that gives your brain time to replace the fuse you blew on Monday. Friday nights have now taken on a whole new dimension. Now you can sit down in-front of the television and watch someone have a backdoor (literally) operation. You can look at balls, boobs and bottoms. You can watch surgery in action and look at things that would mentally scar anyone of an, even remotely, nervous disposition. The idea behind embarrassing bodies is (as I understand) you think about that really embarrassing condition or illness you have and then somehow- decide that going on national television to show it off is a good idea. I've considered looking up embarrassing in the dictionary to check the meaning has not changed- it hasn't! Seeing is one thing showing is quite another.
Lots of incontinence
Swollen, bent and disfigured penises (or Peni?)
Loots of boobs
Watching toenails being ripped off
Anal operations
Group showers
Piles
Smear tests
I could go on and I could have included lots of pictures for you. If you would like more information on what each looks like try Google image search at you own risk.
The thing I wonder with Embarrassing Bodies is whether they are deliberately trying to push the limits of television? I wonder if the produces are going to great lengths to make it as gruesome as they possibly can. I find that the nastier the condition is the longer they spend talking about it.
But, I guess the British must be a sturdy lot. The show recently reached an astounding 3.6 million viewers. Perhaps this will not be too amazing when compared with American TV show ratings, but as far as Britain goes that is damn good. It got about one fifth of the viewers the Oh Gosh not Again Factor (some people call it the X-Factor) gets.
The other question that I would like to answer is: should this be allowed on TV? I mean it is pretty heavy stuff and quite stomach churning I suspect many aspiring doctors may have been put off by it. However, all of the "oh gosh that is horrible" arguments are countered very easily: don't like it don't watch it. The show is not putting people through unnecessary pain for viewer pleasure and nor are they being unethical. All they are doing is showing what real doctors, surgeons and nurses see all the time. It's nothing new and nothing to be scared of and should be shown on TV.
Apart from being generally disgusting it is also informative. You get all the medical names and they give some fantastic and useful advice. On one episode Dr Christian looked a pain tolerance with a psychology professor and showed that swearing can increase pain tolerance. Fascinating.
I personally love the program. I find it highly interesting, different and can tolerate the disgusting. I thing we, in this country, have become too touchy about human processes and the body in general. I mean have you ever tried saying the big bad word in a supermarket? You know the word. That one you know? It, err, rhymes with, emm, moo you know? Yes that one. Can I really use it in an article? Well of course I can poo.
The last thing I would like to ask is that you give it a shot at nine O'clock on Fridays, Channel four. Oh and Channel Four please stop plugging the bloody website. I know you have one.
Connor Davidson is a UK based writer. He writes on wide variety of topics with his main interest being science, maths and engineering.
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Feel free to reprint these articles on your website by using the reprint button. If you have any questions or comments please post them below - I read all comments.
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Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)Very interesting. I have seen enough in real life to last me, though, at least the incontinence!Thanks for the comment.
Good article! I think Embarassing Bodies is great - yeah, there's stuff on there which is quite unpleasant to watch, but the main point of the program is to educate and to encourage people to visit their GPs with their "embarrassing" conditions and get them treated. Too many people literally die of embarrassment, too embarrassed or ashamed to seek the treatment that can save them or change their lives massively for the betterGood point. Perhaps it has helped people other than those on the program.Thanks for the comment.
I'd have to pass on this one Connor. I don't have a problem talking to my doc about anything but I don't need to have everything advertised. It always amazes me what people do. The only reality show I watch is survivor and the I record it so I can skip through most of it. Interesting article though.I'm happy to watch but could not go on it if I had anything wrong.Thanks for the comment.
And of course these are the truths of the body that we try to hide from in our delusion. Seeing the truth of the body is a prerequisite to understanding the truth of the mind, which is a prerequisite to going beyond mind.
Good article Connor.Interesting point.Thanks for the comment.
Interesting article which started to open up the debate about quality T.V versus reality shock / pointless ratings winning T.V but then sidestepped the issue and concentrated on one particular program which can be categorised with most other reality T.V shows and it comes down to an individuals opinion (and sometimes their I.Q as well)That is not what I'm discussing in this article at all.But, thanks for the comment anyway.
Thanks for sharing this. This is why I don't have TV.Thanks for the comment.
Interesting article. I had heard that European TV was different than the pap we get here in the good ole USA. If someone comes up with a dumb idea for a TV show, there will be no shortage of people waiting in line to appear on it. Hey, if anyone doesn't like a TV show, unless someone is holding a gun to his head, he can change the channel or turn off the TV altogether.Thanks for the comment.
I suppose, as ridiculous as this show sounds, it may help people find the courage to seek medical attention when faced with an embarrassing condition. It's good for them to know they're not alone. But I don't think I'd tune in. It's not my idea of fun on a Friday night and I think I'd be a little creeped out. Interesting article though Connor!Thanks for the comment.
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