Skip to main content

Spot the stereotype

So, Channel 5 have got a new TV show (originally a Japanese game show, and then an MTV show) called Silent Library.

Can you guess what elements are involved?


  • Sexy-but-prim female Librarian: glasses, hair in a bun, in both human and cartoon form?
Check


  • Librarian standing behind an issue desk, piles of books around her?

Check

  • Irritated librarian shhhh-ing people in the library when they make noise?
Check

  • Large "Silence Please" sign?
Check

  • Librarian aggressively using stamp and ink pad?

Check


My, what an exciting and novel idea they have here...not.

The Production team had a similarly inspired approach to asking for contestants

"Do you think libraries are dull? Can you suppress your laughter and hold your nerve whilst all those around you are losing theirs? Do you want to win up to £2000 in cash? We are currently producing a new TV series for Channel 5 based on a cult Japanese game show. We are looking for fearless, game for a laugh, up-for-it teams of six mates for a TV challenge like no other... Do you think you can avoid cracking up in the face of physically challenging, irresistibly silly pranks in the one place where the universal rule of SILENCE applies - a library?"

The one place with a universal rule of silence, eh?  They've obviously not set foot in a library for a long time then!
I can think of other silent places, with a similar response of "official disapproval" when too much noise is made...why aren't they trying this format in a monastery? A church? A temple?
Oh wait: no chance to show an obviously-must-be-a-bit-repressed-but-she's-still-sexy female librarian for those places, eh?

I can understand this show being acceptable in Japan (gameshows there are notoriously sexist), or even on MTV (not exactly known for its highbrow programming), but what made Channel 5 think this'd be a wonderful show here?

Perhaps we should campaign to Channel Five for some equally patronising programme for other stereotypes... anyone want to make any suggestions?
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
Given who owns Channel 5 and the type of programming already run, I can't say I am remarkably surprised.... sadly.
20 July 2011 at 12:28
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The mysteries of cataloguing

Cataloguing: an arcane art, where each piece of punctuation is significant, and commas and semi colons are all-powerful. Well, they are in "proper" libraries, where in-depth research of esoteric points goes on, and the precise spelling of Christian names, and information such as when a person lived and died can be crucial in pinpointing obscure facts. Here, we have our own catalogue system. It doesn't have a name, but if it did, it would probably be something along the lines of "I need this book NOW, no I don't care about the precise spelling of the authors middle name, or their date of birth." I know, I know, it's not snappy, but it's accurate. Cataloguing demands are different in a commercial law firm: we don't care about much more than what it's about, who wrote, when, and what jurisdiction it covers. And what we really, really care about is "where the hell is it". Law books are amazing: they have the power to move themselves f...
12 comments
Read more

Careering along

When I look around at the activities of information professional groups, it seems that there’s a disparity. There’s quite often a lot of support and funding available for those who’re just starting out in the profession, but a desert of nothingness for those of us who’re “just getting on with it”. If you’re a new professional, you have lots of groups to support you as you progress in your early career, various prize funds available for essay and report writing, access to bursaries for conference attendance, eligibility for awards for being new and enthusiastic. But what do you get when you’re past that bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed first 5 years (5 years seems to be the approximate cut-off point for becoming “established” and no longer new). What happens when you’ve already received a bursary from an organisation earlier in your career and so wouldn’t be eligible for one now, meaning you’re not able to attend events or training? When you’re heavily involved in a project but not at ...
16 comments
Read more

UK librarian blogs - the list so far

I’ve pulled the previous entries into one alphabetical list, with a few categories. Will be back later with more detailed discussion of what I’ve learned by doing this. And, as always, if you know of other librarian blogs, let me know and I’ll add them in! Institutional Library Blogs / Professional Group Blogs aRKive Appears to be the blog of the Reid Kerr College library, or someone related to the Library, but unable to confirm as it doesn’t have any ‘about’ section that I can find. Lots of posts about library topics, books, IT… Brit Lib Blogs Google Group There’s a Google Group for British librarian bloggers! Unfortunately it looks to be pretty much unused at the moment. CILIP Blogs CILIP has various blogs by either staff, or links to relevant blogs, available from the Communities section. Varying levels of activity on these blogs – the PTEG blog has one post from November 2007, while Lyndsay’s CILIP Blog has been going has been going for almost a year, with at le...
14 comments
Read more