How is this a thing?

[Tal]

A thread for stuff that is apparently popular you can't fathom for the life of you.

I'll open with an easy one.

Lip Sync Battle

Concept: two celebrities go head to head, taking it in turns to mime to famous songs in front of a live audience. There's usually some level of costume and dancer accompaniment.  

It started in the US with a ten minute sketch on Jimmy Fallon in 2013:



OK, harmless enough and there's a bit of fun in a 7 foot tall middle aged white bloke wiggling to Beyoncé and Joseph Gordon-Levitt demonstrating his knowledge of Nicky Minaj.

Fast forward 2 and a half years. There's a regular show on US TV with it.

This has now made it to Channel 5 over here with Mel "Surely I've sold too many records to have to be doing this?" B and Professor "Surely I'm still talented and current enough not to be doing this?" Green.

Here's Carol Vorderman, facing off against Martin Kemp, where she delivers some needle (remember, it's a battle) by performing to Spandau Ballet's Gold.



Good people of blonde...

How is this a thing?

[TightEnd]

it's so bad, but its a thing because the vapid of the US gave the US show high ratings and it got spun off to the UK, same format


How is this a thing? Surely, as a nation, we can do better for entertainment formats than a derisory rip off of gladiators featuring a very out of place chris kamara and a couple of professional presenters just taking the cash, such is their disinterest in proceedings?

I present, ninja warriros

Click to see full-size image.

[Woodsey]

Hard not to me impressed with this on ninja warrior in fairness....

http://youtu.be/RTbSFbkuNuc

[Graham C]

Had to endure Ninja Warrior followed by Take Me Out this evening.   Well, when TMO came on, I did leave the room.

[Marky147]

Hard not to me impressed with this on ninja warrior in fairness....

http://youtu.be/RTbSFbkuNuc

This was pretty slick, too.

[AndrewT]

So this is just Night Fever without the singing?

[bobAlike]

So this is just Night Fever without the singing?

You're telling me that there's a chanel 5? I don't think I've ever watched it. How is this even a thing?

[EvilPie]

I never watch any of these things but I understand how ninja warriors is impressive from the clips on here. I guess these are the needles in an otherwise pointless haystack though so watching normal people fail at the first obstacle could be a bit annoying.

One thing that does annoy me is when the presenters talk about them "making history". WTF?!?!?

[HutchGF]

I find myself thinking this about the majority of reality TV to be honest, with the exception of the glorious, Alan Sugar inspired 'The Apprentice'.

I find the great British Bake off particularly bemusing. What on Earth is going on there?

[celtic]

Strictly come dancing.

[TightEnd]

Strictly come dancing.

come on, if you are going to blaspheme you need to justify with your case

on this, you are wrong.

[Tal]

Strictly come dancing.

I see what you did there...

Nando's?

[Nakor]

Strictly come dancing.

come on, if you are going to blaspheme you need to justify with your case

on this, you are wrong.

A niche pastime on mainstream primetime tv, where "experts" judge celebrities ability to be trained by professionals only to be eliminated by public voting as to the quality of each weeks performances.  And its survived and thrived over a decade or more.  Remarkable really - can't believe its a thing either.

[Graham C]

Strictly come dancing.

With you on this

[RED-DOG]