War, just another reality show

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:10:00 +0000

NBC’s controversial, Nobel laureate-detested reality show “Stars Earn Stripes,” which premiered last night, is “Dancing With the Stars” gone militaristic. But when grenade launchers, automatic weapons and war games substitute for salsa and swing dancing, the results are less wholesome entertainment and more armed-forces propaganda.

The premise of the show is as follows: Eight “celebrities”— Dean Cain, Nick Lachey, Laila Ali, WWF “Diva” Eve Torres, Terry Crews, “Biggest Loser” trainer Dolvett Quince, Todd Palin and Picabo Street — team up with eight military professionals. The pros include a Green Beret, a Delta Force member with a Fu Manchu, a Navy SEAL, and the greatest sniper in U.S. history, a guy who calmly explains to the camera that it’s estimated he has killed 160 people, among others. Together, they perform long, detailed, explosive missions.

Stars earn stripes, dupe audience

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:25:00 +0000

Stars Earn Stripes is a freshly pressed NBC reality television series which debuts its two-hour premiere on August 13, or 'Monday after the Olympics at 8/7c!' as its promotional spots blared all throughout the station’s Olympic Games coverage. The emphatic promise of militarytainment—a real NATO ex-general, real ex-Navy SEALS, real ex-Delta Force commanders, real ex-Green Berets, real celebrities, etc.—outranks previous shows of its ilk. It also makes the Pentagon Channel look like the army version of the perpetuated congressional yawn that is C-SPAN.

Here is the show's self-description:

Salon.com > Stars Earn Stripes

War, just another reality show

Stars earn stripes, dupe audience