Two Repressed Egotists

I watched "Who Do You Think You Are?" last night, a show which I usually avoid like the plague because the answer to the question is usually fairly obvious (i.e. much more interesting than "You" actually are) and, even worse, the actual answering of the question is a horrendously drawn out and dull affair. In short, the concept - getting so-called celebrities to sift through old birth certificates and village journals to find out that their great-great-grandfather was once been arrested for attempting to have sex with a duck - is a horrible idea for a TV show. Perhaps if it were YOUR own personal history, it wouldn't be so dull - but who gievs a fuck about Patsy Kensit, let alone her grandparents?

Last night's episode, though, was a little more interesting, as it concerned the tragic past of Jerry Springer's ancestors, many of whom were killed during the holocaust. Compared to the usual personal history trotted out by other 'celebs' in the series, this was obviously much more interesting.

However, while watching it I was struck by two thoughts. Firstly, I recognised that this episode- which went out in the relatively unflashy slot of 7pm on BBC2 - was one of the most genuinely moving bits of 'rubbish TV' that I'd seen in a while. Springer revealed himself to a be a thoroughly decent and modest human being, and the way he handled the frankly horrible news about his grandparents despicable murders was extremely touching. His self-effacing and respectful demeanour was enough to forgive him for being indirectly responsible for Jeremy Kyle.

However, a second thought drastically reduced my ability to appreciate the show for what it was. Presumably, at some point a researcher for the production company must have realised that this would make good TV. I can picture the production meeting where the producers all sat around and decided that what the show really needed was a holocaust story. Enough of the duck-fucking, let's get some concentration camps in the mix. They alwasys work. A sure ratings winner.

And so its proved to be. The show has been rapturously reviewed in todays press, and everyone is being urged to watch it again on the iPlayer. But, as touching as Jerry Springer's story was, I do feel that it was horribly exploitative. For all the artifice of the show's format, showing Jerry pouring over archives and records in vaerious libraries in a search for the fate of his grandparents, the show's researchers must have known what had happened to them. After all, the show wouldn't have 'worked' if it turned out that the Springers had all made a miraculous escape from the Polish ghettos. And knowing that has made me feel dirty for watching it.

Like I said, it's a horrible idea for a TV show.