Endemol is producing a show in the Netherlands (debuts Friday night) which will feature contestants competing to receive a donated kidney. The donor is terminally ill and will make the selection herself:

There are words I want to say about this show, but it'd probably get me banned. So I won't.

I heard about this show on the news this morning. While it probably looked good on paper,

Stay classy, Endemol!

I fail to see any scenario where that even looks good on paper.

How long before one of the US networks tries to pick this up. (rolls eyes)

Heh...I'm thinking of another Ron Burgundy sign-off for Endemol.

/The one that got him fired.
//And hated by most of San Diego.
///Scotch-scotch-scotch!

But garbage like this is a wholly different animal - this isn't some harmless little game where the winner goes home with a wad of cash and the loser gets Turtle Wax and Lee Press-On Nails - this is giving the winner a kidney transplant, and possibly condeming the losers to death. There are so many things I could call this concept of a show, but for the benefit of those who abstain from the profane, I'll simply say - it's sick. Absolutely sick.

Fox hasn't had an Endemol production yet, have they?

Hey Endemol, what's next? A game show where the losers are shot?

Hey Endemol, what's next? A game show where the losers are shot?

Endemol is producing a show in the Netherlands (debuts Friday night) which will feature contestants competing to receive a donated kidney. The donor is terminally ill.

What's the big deal? It's the donor's kidney and "Lisa" can do with it as she pleases.

There, Fixed That For Ya!

If it gets big ratings, Endemol and other production companies could revise some classic formats for the medically desperate

The Lung Connection
Break The Blood Bank
Eye Rollers
Wheel of Dialysis
I've Got a Seizure (one for my wife...)
Win Ben Stein's Liver
and the All-New Pancreas Hunt
and one won't have to re-name itself - Change of Heart

I'm sure no one here underestimates the total depravity of packagers and nets.

Eye Rollers

Win Ben Stein's Liver

...I thought that [Endemol] couldn't sink any lower. I was wrong.

I'm really, really tempted to open a special no-holds-barred subforum for venting at Endemol.

/No match, organ goes back. Over to you, Bob.

Queen For A Day doesn't seem so bad now.

Don't give them ideas:

"Dialysis for a Day"

The Lung Connection
Break The Blood Bank
Eye Rollers
Wheel of Dialysis
I've Got a Seizure (one for my wife...)
Win Ben Stein's Liver
and the All-New Pancreas Hunt
and one won't have to re-name itself - Change of Hearts

I read the article as well as watched the videoclip. This is rather appalling.

If anything comes of this, I hope some viewers will contact Endemol and offer their own kidneys to the other two contestants who didn't win.

-

One I definitely don't want to play:

Seizure's Challenge

...The show started, and it showed your typical emotional moments of the contestants who all wanted to receive the kidney (lasted about 90 minutes). At the end, 2 of the 3 candidates remained, and when the donator wanted to call out the final name when the show suddenly stopped and the presenter interfered.

Turned out it was a big HOAX to gain attention to this subject, and it was awesome. Nobody showed big interest in this subjec before, and in the course of 2 weeks, it had become worldwide news and the main issue of our goverment. Millions of people voted for contestants showing support, wanting THEM to receive the kidney. The ending line of the show was that its quite easy for them to get one, just sign the goddamn donor donation form.

The show ended with clips from our goverment who said "How can we stop this program" and "how is this possible". I'll bet they feel pretty stupid now. Our prime minister was not happy with the image we send out to the world with this television program, but this program showed it is even worse that we are a country who doesn't put enough time and energy into this problem...

A tacky infomercial PSA.

Eh. I find that the intelligence of the stunt is balanced out by the idea that anyone ought to feel foolish for having denounced this show.

As quick as I am to call out Endemol when they foul things up, I also have to give props when they're due. By carrying this prank out, the company that gave us over-produced, drawn-out game shows that give away far too much money has brought an issue to worldwide attention that really needs it.

On the other hand, they are the people responsible for "Big Brother," so maybe they deserve everything they get.

True, but it's Les Moonves who keeps it running in this country despite middling ratings and the exclusion of anything titillating.

By the way, I think the kidney things was brilliant, except, as others noted, for the laugh at the end.

True, but it's Les Moonves who keeps it running in this country despite middling ratings and the exclusion of anything titillating.