Does this Japanese Reality TV Sniper Prank Cross a Line?

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Seriin

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Jun 4, 2009
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Finally a hidden camera show that was funny. I'm not going to call anyone out as liars for saying that this crossed the line because I understand how one may come to that conclusion. Despite understanding, however, I disagree with you as I found this to be the funniest thing I have seen in some time.
 

xscoot

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Sep 8, 2009
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I've seen stuff this bad on American television.

For example: one guy thought he was on a hidden camera show to prank this random woman. The "host" of this show was going to pretend to be a werewolf and scare her. She pulled out a gun and shot him. However, this was all staged to prank the original guy.

Or when a few people in a truck where rammed by a group of bikers with guns. That was probably very scary for them.

The show was Fear Tactics, I believe. In fact, it's worse than this show; this whole thing only took a few minutes, it was much more prolonged and drawn out on Fear Tactics.

Seriously guys, get over yourselves.
 

Thedutchjelle

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Mar 31, 2009
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That's crossing the line by like 200 kilometers. The poor guy thinks he's about to die, it's not cool to induce people to such absolute terror just for your own amusement.
 

brighteye

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Feb 5, 2009
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Actually they made a fake execution of the guy at the end, i really think that is against human rights and the Geneva convention.
This was way over the line... but the funny thing is Monty Python Flying Circus made a sketch about television going this far one day, 35 years ago where a guy comes home to find his brutally butchered wife, only to find out that it only was a "prank tv show".
 

Therumancer

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Nov 28, 2007
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Hmmm, well it all seems to be in good fun to me. Just an extension of a lot of other "caught on camera" shows.

To put things into perspective:

I think Japan and the US are similar in of the fact that you can't just record someone and put them up on TV for profit at random. Disclosure agreements and everything else being nessicary.

What this means is that after this happened, the guy doubtlessly agreed that it was funny, and agreed to have it put on TV. He probably got paid a decent sum of money as well, and might even have been sitting on stage (or whatever) when the clip played.

It also means that they tend to carefully research who they are going to "pick on" since they don't want to waste the time and effort going after someone who is going to be all upset afterwards and not let them use the footage. Most reality shows of the type I've seen going so far as to enlist the aid of friends, family, co-workers, etc... to set the victim up at the right time.

So ultimatly asking "do I think this goes too far" I have to firmly say "no". At least not unless your going to argue against all hidden camera shows, which some people do, especially with the current "reality TV" interest.

Now truthfully, I think to some extent Japan is a lot truer to the idea here than we are in the US for the most part. Our reality shows having become jokes and satires of themselves. Largely because of the investment at risk (more than you might think, considering the value of network air time). Safety and not really wanting to push anyone to the edge making them rather predictable, even in cases where they put someone on a reality show with the understanding it's a differant kind of reality show.

Personally I've always wanted to do like a few horror novels, and take the "haunted house" variations to their logical extreme as opposed to cheeze factor. I mean like get someone to sign a contract and then trap them someplace truely freaky for a week or two on camera, especxially if they believe they were on a show but everything went wrong and all the crew members died or disappeared or whatever.

Of course it's not likely to ever happen, and I am generally speaking an evil twit. :p
 

ReverseEngineered

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Apr 30, 2008
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That is way, WAY over the line. Just seeing a person be shot -- especially somebody you know -- can be a traumatic experience that stays with a person for life. But having a sniper come and hunt you down and take you away? Wow. Many people would be bawling by that point, while some would have heart failure. That's one of the most traumatic experiences I could ever imagine.

But it was just a joke, right? Yeah, right. You tell that to this man when he wakes up in the middle of the night screaming, or jumps to the ground when he hears a car backfire. Ask war vets with post-traumatic stress disorder what it feels like, even though they haven't seen a war in decades.

And for what, a joke? My god. In most countries, the perpetrator would be charged with a crime. Just look at the recent story about Toyota's failed marketing campaign that saw a woman pursued by a pretend stalker. The marketing company is being charged over it and will no doubt be found guilty (or at least settle out of court).

It pains me to think that people would subject other people to this kind of torture just for their own entertainment. Isn't that what the Roman gladiators were all about? We all get a good laugh out of it and he gets to live the rest of his life with a traumatic experience behind him. That hardly seems fair.

This man better be awarded enough money to live the rest of his life in bliss. I can't imagine any other way of making it up to him.
 

Harvey_Danger

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Dec 11, 2008
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I wish I could say, but I honestly can't form an opinion on this.

I didn't laugh, but I didn't find it appalling, either.

Shit, have I become desensitized again?
 

the jellyman

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Jul 24, 2008
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Japanese tv appears to be on a totally different standard definition of 'sane' to the rest of us.
EDIT-although reading the other comments on this post, I realize that 'us' is also a relative term.
 

Eykal

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Apr 17, 2008
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Yes...it went too far. First off, real people don't shoot sparks, fix that.

Second off, props to him for staying on the ground...props immediately lost for A.) Going to a door that was in the direction of the supposed gunman, and B.) not leaving when the people came to "rescue" him. Or maybe that's not what they were doing, but they shot at the supposed gunman, so whatever.

But no, this IS going too far. Hilarious face, but this can cause some serious trauma, even after he knows it's fake, he could still develop PTSD.
 

MarsProbe

Circuitboard Seahorse
Dec 13, 2008
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I laughed heartily, though I will agree they did drag the joke on a little too far. The scenario with the gunmen running in could probably have been cut, or as was previously said, have the first gunman be the presenter of the show coming in to announce it was all a joke. But at the risk of sounding liking a boring old grump: did it go too far? Hardly!

I guess this is just Japanese TV for you. Things are different over there in that regard. So, even if it may seem going too far to some uptight western sensibilities, in other cultures some things are just fair game.

Though to quote, on a perhaps suitably related note:

It'd be like picking off bystanders with a sniper rifle: fun at first, but it would quickly become a depressing chore.
 

Canid117

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Oct 6, 2009
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Normally I hate reality TV but Japan has given us some true gems

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vtUSeNAvts