Has TLC Gone Too Far?

It recently dawned upon me that The Learning Channel is no longer the bastion of quality educational programming I once thought it was. Ok, I write that with more than a hint of sarcasm. But the Discovery/TLC partnership is definitely taking it to the next level in ‘reality’ terms, and I think I miss the more innocent days…

Days when my roommates and I would get lost in an early-morning Trading Spaces marathon, or chuckle at the hapless brides and grooms invariably throwing themselves into some ‘crazy’ Wedding Story scenario. Don’t even get me started on Baby Story. So I was both intrigued and a little disheartened the other day when, mid-way through a ‘Little People Big World’ family vacation episode was a promo for a new program called “Paralyzed and Pregnant.”

Really TLC?

Jesus, who will they spy on next?  “The Girl Who Stopped Growing,” and “Born Without a Face” are also actual programs in a line-up clearly walking the fine line between entertainment and exploitation. Do viewers really come away ‘educated,’ or are they more likely to IM with friends the next day about the freakshow with no eyes or nose who is really 45 but has the voice of a 12-year old girl? I’m going to go with the freakshow commentary.

Ok, I’ll get off my high horse now and go back to watching a little person operate a backhoe.