Want to see a critic cringe in fear? Force me to watch Dina Lohan’s narcissistic celebreality atrocity, or another hour of Mark L. Walberg presiding ghoulishly over the Moment of Truth’s hot seat. By comparison, ravenous vampires, sadistic ghosts and spectral serial killers are almost welcome and charming company.
Not that charm has anything to do with the grisly stories told on Fear Itself, a horror anthology that should represent a welcome break from network TV’s summer reality obsession. Too bad watching the show is so oppressively unpleasant. I wasn’t so much scared by the three episodes I’ve seen as ultimately repulsed.
Suspense should be nerve-tingling fun, not necessarily punishing, and most of what I’ve seen so far has been about as enjoyable as taking a sledgehammer to the temple. And just about as cheesily predictable.
On the plus side, the show looks great, even when gross, and watching familiar TV faces get
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While conceding that Moment of Truth isn't "doing God's work," host Mark Walberg refuses to let the Fox series absorb undeserved blame. "Quite honestly, the 'wrecking-your-family,' evildoing rap we get, I think it's crap," Walberg said in a conference call promoting Truth's May 27 return. "No family gets wrecked unless they're wrecking it anyway." To make his case, Walberg notes that only one married couple from the show has since split — and they were on the skids to begin with.Walberg says Season 2 will branch out to include more questions outside the realm of infidelity and illicit sex. Example: "Did you really vote for Archuleta?" What's your take? Do the Truth-tellers know what they're getting into and thus should be prepared for any fallout? — MWM
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Question: Your most recent column included a complaint about Moment of Truth and its immoral premise. While I agree with the reader, I put more culpability on the competitors. If readers really want to get mad about the show, they should be angry at the complete fraud the show perpetuates. The questions are asked in advance, not at the time of the show. I hate the fake waiting time as the contestant waits to answer, but the really dumb part is that the contestants already know the questions that are coming, yet act surprised. Why would a contestant not prepare his/her family in advance? Play for the cameras to get your money, but don't tell me anyone is surprised by the answers! That's what makes this show truly stupid. It is not even honest with itself. This is why I didn't watch it after a test viewing. It is truly for the dumb.
Answer: I got several letters complaining about one aspect or another of this dreadful show in the wake of the last column, so let me just say one last time
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Think Fox's controversial quiz show The Moment of Truth (Wednesdays at 8 pm/ET) is nothing but hype? TV Guide's own Joe Rhodes strapped himself in for a revealing polygraph test to find out. Here, he gives us his first-person account.
I'm not really nervous until the rubber tubes are strapped across my chest, the cuff is fastened to my left arm, and the metal plates are attached to the first and third fingers of my right hand. Until that moment, I assume, as most people do, that getting hooked up to the Moment of Truth polygraph machine and answering a few questions will be the easiest thing in the world.
It isn't.
Even with nothing at stake — no chance at the show's $500,000 prize, no loved ones sitting just feet away wondering what horrible things I'm about to reveal, and no jeering studio audience — there is still something unsettling about sitting in a basement ro
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Question: I would hope that in your position of some influence over television content and its value to the community, that you will do your utmost to remove one of the most contemptible and crass shows ever created: Moment of Truth. It's unfortunate that the American public and the network involved have seen it necessary to further reduce the ability of a family to sit and watch a program together. A promotion of that contemptible show was aired many times during American Idol. Consider the irony of that situation: American Idol gives hope and focus to the thoughts of hopefuls that they may achieve amazing success in life, only to have that level of inspiration decimated by the unmitigated vilification of the American family unit as perpetrated by other network advertising promotions. I watch little TV for this very reason, so perhaps I am not your normal audience, but I have been so incensed by this promotion, that I feel obligated to do something about it. This program must be ...
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