Iraq has a reality show that is similar to our popular American program, "Punk'd", but it has a more serious tone to it. The overall theme involves accusations of terrorism and a planted explosive device.
Keith Olbermann featured the program on MSNBC's "Countdown" as part of his nightly segment called "Worst Person In the World". A bomb is placed in the trunk of a car belonging to an Iraqi celebrity. As the auto rolls towards a traffic check point, soldiers in full uniforms with automatic weapons strapped to them, indicate to the driver that he must stop.
After a routine check of the car, including a search of the trunk, the celebrity is asked to get out of the car and the stunt begins in earnest. He is informed that a bomb has been found in his trunk. Four or five soldiers surround the victim and before the poor guy knows what is happening, he is accused of being a suicide bomber.
To ratchet up the fear and pressure the actors inform the subject of the prank that he is going to be transported to Camp Bucca, a prison used the United States to house insurgents and suspected terrorists.
According to the report on "Countdown", the soldiers start interrogating the suspected bomber and ask such things as, "How much did they pay you to execute this?" In the video clip played by Olbermann, the celebrity starts going crazy. Even without sub-titles, you can just imagine him asking, "Don't you know who I am?"
Before it all goes too far, however, the celebrity is told to look in the direction of the camera that is filming his humiliating experience. Iraqi television knows how to bleep out vulgarity just the way American producers do and the bleeps start flying.
What is the lesson here? Nothing is safe from being the theme of a reality show. Nothing. The video clip from "Countdown" can be found, here.
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