[TV] Shaq's Big Challenge

[Mendorah]

Is anybody watching this?  Probably not.  It's not anything I thought I would watch or even thought about.  But last week I had it on in the background at the house and although it was kind of a boring show, it did have me intrigued enough to leave it on and actually attempt to watch this week.  Especially because Tyler Florence was trying to come up with a school menu for about $1/kid.  That's a HUGE challenge!

 

Anyways, I think the show's winding down to some sort of finale now and I didn't see what the kids looked like at the beginning, but watching where they are now and what they're saying I wish I had watched it from the beginning.  The show is more of a documentary and commentary on the childhood obesity problem in America than it is a token reality show.  And that, I think, amps the show up towards something that is worth watching and talking about.

 

I have to hand it to Shaq.  He's done a good thing.  Not only has he become a part of a plan to get kids to exercise in Florida, but he's also brought his plan and the results of the testing ground to America.  He's showing people that this Can work and it's Not the end of the world to just get up and Do it.  And he's not a friggin' annoying Denise Austin or Richard Simmons.

 

This week, one of the parents came to a workout session.  She was sick.  She was in a wheelchair and on oxygen.  They didn't say her illness was because she was morbidly obese, but when I worked in the hospital, I was aquainted with a lot of patients who were so sick because of the weight they've been carrying all of their lives and the toll it had taken on their bodies.  Her illness showed the same signs and it broke my heart to hear her words to the trainer.  She was so thankful for what was going on and she said that she had been obese all of her life and that all she wanted was for her child to have a chance to do the things she never could do.

 

Shaq started with Florida.  He was denied his 20 minute class exercises, but he was given PE, Home Economics, and Health classes to tie together to drive his point home to not only the kids on the show, but the whole school.  It's my hope that it will be successful and will spread not only to the whole district and state, but to the whole nation.  I know that most schools already have these classes, but maybe they'll be retooled in a way that will be more effective. 

[F Horn of Valere]

I saw the pilot, and while I wonder if a lot of the interaction is scripted, I still liked the show and what Shaq was trying to do.

[Mendorah]

oh yeah.  I'm sure some of it is scripted.  Like this week the girl who had not done nearly enough to get herself into shape was really speaking highly of the whole experience.  Too highly in my opinion for someone who hasn't done anything.  And I'm willing to bet that a lot of Shaq's participation is scripted so that he'll be clear when he's speaking.  I also bet that the network brains came up with The Wellness Wheel thingey the pricipal offered to incorporate for Shaq instead of the 20 minute exercise spots.  I mean, I don't know of many schools that have think tanks for ideas like that.

[Ozhammer]

The only reality tv show featuring a sports star is Mark Philipousis in "Look of Love"  ;)