Larvatus Prodeo

I gave up on the farce that is Big Brother 2008 almost before it started. But it’s been worth keeping an eye on commentary about the show, because, like it or loathe it, this particular piece of reality tv is a very good barometer of all sorts of cultural and social trends, good and bad. (The actual potential for good not evil of user-led and non platform centric content is something we have never seen leveraged in this country.) Despite all the claims that the housemates are somehow representative of “Australia”, the show has for far too long been far too much an exercise in minute by minute manipulation, and the “characters” reduced to dupes willing to play one-dimensional stereotypes or face the consequences, for it to fulfil a role that’s ritually claimed for it in op/eds published in newspapers which are also complicit in hoovering up revenue from the franchise - broadening the mind of other publics through exposure to a snapshot of youth culture or whatever. What it does reveal - in excruciating detail because the cracks can’t be papered over fast enough - is the attempt to manipulate particular demographics through their media of choice (including all the blogs, fora, “fan sites” and other intertubes spinoffs). The construction of the narrative of the day and the arc of the week always has an eye on public reaction, or better, reaction from particular and identifiable publics - and it is supported and underpinned by semi-detached “independent” “celebrities” who have a key role to play in spinning the story because of a putative relationship of trust they have with segments of the show’s audience (which should be understood to include a huge hinterland of those who don’t even watch - because our “reactions” are also important to shaping and honing the show’s brand).

Discussions of the ethics of what goes on in “the House” are actually solicited and encouraged, though the show doesn’t care tuppence for any actual ethics. The scandal is the story, and what should actually be called into question is the meta-ethics of framing incidents which are almost wholly confected as if they did pose genuine ethical issues (for “Australia”). Here, the role of the trusted “independent voice” comes into play. And one of those voices is “Lefty” Tim Brunero, whose quasi-journalistic activities and “independent” commentary are actually all about public relations of the most naked and transparent kind, existing as he does as a sort of outsourced, contracted out spinoff persona himself. If you had the idea that all this has broken down, you’d be right. The PR-isation of everything can’t be too obvious. One can only wonder how the whole thing would look if the crew from Absolute Power, or their real word equivalents, were in charge.

In the context of the “crucifixion of Terrence”, Eye on Big Brother does a fabulous job of unveiling the role Lefty Tim plays while wearing his “commentator” hat, and how transparent and - in the final analysis - futile this particular set of moves are:

However, this left five days of public voting, and the strategy was not left to this episode of Big Mouth - its desperate pleas - alone. The other prong of this two-pronged plan was, alongside the assassination of Terrence, the restoration and promotion of Rory. While Wilson spent the next five days talking up Terrence as the dirty old man, someone had to be given the task of addressing the public backlash against Rory’s shower escapades. This was given to a rather unlucky Tim Brunero, who, as usual, did as he was told.

Brunero is functional in such instances, because he is paid to essentially communicate propaganda to the “lefties”. It is the lefties who are increasingly dangerous for the show, who, while BB battled the “wowser” right-wingers, started getting… well.. vocal about their distaste for the programme. Brunero had struck a deal with LiveNews.com, where he would carry out his tasks for the show, under the pretense of objective journalism. This included such gems as his bizarre attempt to persuade lefties out of criticising the involvement of Corey Worthington, by digging up the Children Overboard scandal (?!), and this week, includes comments “from fansite OHBROTHER.com”, without enlightening his readers that this is… well… his own fansite. If I ever write an article for a paper that discusses “readers on fansite eyeonbigbrother.com”, you have my permission to shoot me. However, last week was, by far, the most bizarre piece of weekly BB “journalism” he’s been paid to deliver, yet - one that would ultimately backfire for him, briefly - when out he came with this little gem, tentatively titled, “Surely Rory’s Shower Gaffe Won’t Cost Him.” I mean, surely?!

This article would become complex for Brunero, ultimately, for it would begin with the line;

“It’s hard to believe Big Brother housemate Rory would be punted for something as normal as having a shower.”

This article - which called for the “incredibly irritating” Terrence to be evicted in Rory’s place - thankfully proved to be sorely underestimating his readership’s intelligence, and received quite a backlash, both on the comments for this Livenews article and on that fansite, Ohbrother.com (you know, that one that just happens to be his). Within 24 hours, Brunero returned to a potentially harmful reaction (which the show would have panicked over, considering how “readers’ comments” are now used all through the press for BB hatchet jobs), and - as if by magic - Brunero offered the same carefully written response on both the websites it was published on. Now, we were to believe, Brunero had been forced to “re-think” his view, and had been struck by lightning - although, that never led to him making any actual negative comments in regards to this change of heart, one that surely implied he now saw what was so wrong with Rory’s actions. He even went as far, on his own site, as to “thank” his readers for enlightening him - but would it be enough? Brunero’s function as king of the lefties was now in serious jeopardy. Something would need to done about that, no less.

Elsewhere: More on Tim Brunero’s latest performances from Lauredhel at Hoyden.