Should my son appear on TV?
Discussion
My eldest child is 14 and is more than a little bit clever. He became a member of Mensa at age 11, with an IQ, then, of 152. I don’t know where he gets it from (I tell my wife that the only person I know that’s as clever as him is our milkman!) Apart from his intellect he’s a perfectly average lad - into cars, TV, computer games and has lots of mates (I do know exactly where he gets these characteristics from!)
Anyway, today I received an email from the Mensa head office asking whether we (as his parents) would be prepared for him to appear on “Celebrity Big Brother’s Little Brother”, to be broadcast in early January. Apparently he perfectly fits a particular profile which Endemol (the producers) are looking for.
My knee-jerk reaction is that I don’t want him appearing on some game-show being portrayed as some sort of “novelty freak” to line the pockets of Endemol. I mentioned it to him and he laughed, made light of it, and didn’t seem that bothered either way. It’s about the third time he’s had an opportunity to possibly appear on TV / Radio – and thus far we’ve shunned the possible limelight.
Am I being over-protective or stifling an opportunity do you think?
Anyway, today I received an email from the Mensa head office asking whether we (as his parents) would be prepared for him to appear on “Celebrity Big Brother’s Little Brother”, to be broadcast in early January. Apparently he perfectly fits a particular profile which Endemol (the producers) are looking for.
My knee-jerk reaction is that I don’t want him appearing on some game-show being portrayed as some sort of “novelty freak” to line the pockets of Endemol. I mentioned it to him and he laughed, made light of it, and didn’t seem that bothered either way. It’s about the third time he’s had an opportunity to possibly appear on TV / Radio – and thus far we’ve shunned the possible limelight.
Am I being over-protective or stifling an opportunity do you think?
My instinct it to say no way and rip up the letter...
You've seen the way the adults in any show like that are treated by the press, they treat children a little better, but not by much.
But of course if you discuss it and he understands the implications, he's certainly a bright enough lad to make his own decision.
You've seen the way the adults in any show like that are treated by the press, they treat children a little better, but not by much.
But of course if you discuss it and he understands the implications, he's certainly a bright enough lad to make his own decision.
Having seen a certain child prodigy, antique dealing teenager turned into a cross dressing, progressing to transexual, I would say no. Especially with the sort of sensationalisation BB is into. Mind you, said kid was eccentric at the start!
As a friend of mine is on a certain talent show on TV at the moment, I can also say this doesn't always happen. But as he's a child, you make the choices, when he gets older, it's his choice and hence leaving you blameless if it does go wrong.
Just my tuppence.
As a friend of mine is on a certain talent show on TV at the moment, I can also say this doesn't always happen. But as he's a child, you make the choices, when he gets older, it's his choice and hence leaving you blameless if it does go wrong.
Just my tuppence.
Whan I was on 13 my folks put me up for an audition for an ITV drama, as I was a regular major part in school plays. I got the part and it was the beginning of a serious move towards an acting career for me.
However, this is a totally different thing. I would not even have considered doing commercial crap. It smacks of "kids say funny things", "beadle", etc. Just mind-numbing "prime-time" which is generally watched by people who don't realise how under-the-media-thumb they are, and need to get out more.
What is your opinion when you watch similar Saturday evening rubbish? I wouldn't like you to be thinking the same thing about your son.
:/
However, this is a totally different thing. I would not even have considered doing commercial crap. It smacks of "kids say funny things", "beadle", etc. Just mind-numbing "prime-time" which is generally watched by people who don't realise how under-the-media-thumb they are, and need to get out more.
What is your opinion when you watch similar Saturday evening rubbish? I wouldn't like you to be thinking the same thing about your son.
:/
Coxy the Bear said:
Having seen a certain child prodigy, antique dealing teenager turned into a cross dressing, progressing to transexual, I would say no. Especially with the sort of sensationalisation BB is into. Mind you, said kid was eccentric at the start!
As a friend of mine is on a certain talent show on TV at the moment, I can also say this doesn't always happen. But as he's a child, you make the choices, when he gets older, it's his choice and hence leaving you blameless if it does go wrong.
Just my tuppence.
I still have nightmares about that program, especially the bit of him in the corset showing some cleavage. Christ....
Have to agree that no child of mine would EVER go on a program like that. BB is the arse-end of TV entertainment and the less people are inclined to become willing victims of these correographed voyeuristic train-wrecks (BB, Wife Swap, I'm A Celeb etc) the more chance there is of them disappearing.
If he's that clever, wait until he's at university and stick him on University Challenge.
burnt said:
But Mensa at 11...well done him, he/you should be proud.
Yeah we're very proud of him. However, I've always said to him "I'd rather have a slow modest child, than a bright arrogant one". As such, he still got his feet very much on the ground.
The first time I knew for sure that he was exceptionally bright was when he was three. He said "Dad, I think the the number 12 and 13 are unique". I said, "Why's that then?". He replied "the square of 12 is 144 and if you reverse 12 you get 21 and the square of 21 is 441, which is the reverse of 144. And the square of 13 is 169 and if you reverse 13 you get 31 and the square of 31 is 961 whis is the reverse of 169".
I kid you not, he made the above observation when he was just three years of age, having thought about it in bed one evening. I told my wife what he said and she didn't understand it - she does now, but only just!
srebbe64 said:
The first time I knew for sure that he was exceptionally bright was when he was three. He said "Dad, I think the the number 12 and 13 are unique". I said, "Why's that then?". He replied "the square of 12 is 144 and if you reverse 12 you get 21 and the square of 21 is 441, which is the reverse of 144. And the square of 13 is 169 and if you reverse 13 you get 31 and the square of 31 is 961 whis is the reverse of 169".
My 3 year old can sing the theme tune to the Save'ums. Not quite the same is it
srebbe64 said:
But Mensa at 11...well done him, he/you should be proud.
Yeah we're very proud of him. However, I've always said to him "I'd rather have a slow modest child, than a bright arrogant one". As such, he still got his feet very much on the ground.
The first time I knew for sure that he was exceptionally bright was when he was three. He said "Dad, I think the the number 12 and 13 are unique". I said, "Why's that then?". He replied "the square of 12 is 144 and if you reverse 12 you get 21 and the square of 21 is 441, which is the reverse of 144. And the square of 13 is 169 and if you reverse 13 you get 31 and the square of 31 is 961 whis is the reverse of 169".
I kid you not, he made the above observation when he was just three years of age, having thought about it in bed one evening. I told my wife what he said and she didn't understand it - she does now, but only just!
Three!
Feck me. Either he's a friggin genius or you're the biggest liar in the world.
At least one of you needs to be on TV....
srebbe64 said:
The first time I knew for sure that he was exceptionally bright was when he was three. He said "Dad, I think the the number 12 and 13 are unique". I said, "Why's that then?". He replied "the square of 12 is 144 and if you reverse 12 you get 21 and the square of 21 is 441, which is the reverse of 144. And the square of 13 is 169 and if you reverse 13 you get 31 and the square of 31 is 961 whis is the reverse of 169".
Good lad!
That reminds me of a book I just read (although the kid in this book has a certain autistic disorder - I'm not suggesting your son is like this). Have you read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time? Well worth a read if you like looking into how unusual kids' brains work.
neil.b said:
Three!
Feck me. Either he's a friggin genius or you're the biggest liar in the world.
At least one of you needs to be on TV....
This is exactly the response that the TV company is looking to generate I suspect! He's unusually bright, but apart from that he's a very normal and balanced lad - and we want to keep him that way!
srebbe64 said:
Three!
Feck me. Either he's a friggin genius or you're the biggest liar in the world.
At least one of you needs to be on TV....
This is exactly the response that the TV company is looking to generate I suspect! He's unusually bright, but apart from that he's a very normal and balanced lad - and we want to keep him that way!
Don't blame you. I hope you took that remark in the good natured way it was intended, by the way. You should turn his talent towards something that will work for you and not be exploited. Stock trading?
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff