Deathwatch

Watching BIG BROTHER’s Willie Hantz go from stewing to simmering to boiling over made for the kind of television that producers kill for. But with reality shows clearly casting increasingly volatile people and more shows doing live broadcasts, it seems only a matter of time before the wrong button is pushed on the wrong person and it results in a violent confrontation that leaves someone dead.

As America watches it all unfold.

Live.

Producers tell us they take every precaution. They do psychological screenings and background checks… and yet somehow, fairly regularly, a person with a criminal record winds up competing for their chance to be the next AMERICAN IDOL, or a person with obvious anger issues is locked into a house with 14 other people who are competing for a prize but might wind up fighting for their lives.

Like many other things in life, it seems inevitable. Lessen regulations on banks and an occupation which rewards risk takers will see a rise in rules being broken. Make it possible for anyone to get their hands on more weapons than any human being could possibly need, and tragedy will ensue. Continue to use volatile people in pressure-cooker situations as entertainment and something bad will happen.

It’s only a matter of time.