IDIOT BOX- HALL OF FAME

Switch on the TV & explore your chances to be famous. Each time I sit in front of the idiot box for my daily dose of entertainment, I find myself lost, baffled and wondering. Nope, I have not started watching the K soaps. Instead, I find myself caught in the web of channels creating or rather churning out celebrities each month, each week and sometimes even each episode.

Right from my help at home, my colleague and the aunt in neighbourhood to her five-year-old kid, all are busy signing autographs and talking endlessly about their feat. And here I am, munching on popcorns and flipping channels, figuring out their claim to fame. Is it because they were obese; had high BP and cholesterol levels? Or because they didn’t even know that “re” came before “sa” in the Sargam? Or nobody having briefed them on how to behave when in public? Or simply as they had enough money, time-and patience to SMS?

A few weeks back, we saw the grand finale of Biggest Loser Jeetaga. A rigorous exercise regime for 16 weeks on national television was required to teach the lesson of fitness to a bunch of obese adults. Today, the participants are fitter, richer and popular. At the same time, they have proved that they were ignorant of the health hazards till Suneil Shetty informed them. Also, they think shedding kilos on national TV is glam. Well, the winner who weighed close to 124.9 kg has lost 50.7 kg and gained Rs 50.7Iakh, after fighting against calories and competition.

Well, but we can’t really blame this handful for their greed for fame (or fitness). For, a few months back, we saw long forgotten actors and models on Bigg Boss, acting, crying, sweeping, cleaning, dancing, fighting, massaging et al, all for their share of fame, that they had failed to achieve in years (or decades). Now, these guys became (in) famous and made money too. But then, they would have perhaps gained more respect, had they stayed hidden wherever they were, than making fools’ out of themselves in the Bigg Boss mansion.

Back to the ordinary man’s need for fame. Now, if there is practically nothing you are good at, worry not. Say if you have no clue of sur and Taal and you sing only to please your senses (which too, don’t really understand music), then you can sing on Filmy’s Bathroom Singers. Okie, now for the next one, all you need is a mobile, a lot of money to waste and the courage to sit through the drama of wailing women and revengeful men.
Vote for your favourite bhai, bhabhi, saas, devar… (ugh!) and get a chance to share the stage with the parivaar.

A lot many of your acquaintances will treat you as a star after you have brushed shoulders with our very own, Parvati bhabi, oh my God! Or how about just doing something eccentric (forget self respect) on the so called serious talent shows and get famous.
Well, this is not the end of the list for fresh choices pop out each day. And who told you it is only the talented and hardworking who have a right to popularity? So, go ahead acquire the status of a celeb.