As part of the further march of promotion into the weblog realm, I got an email (posted below) from Kyle Ford of Fox, talking about their new TV show Banzai. I don't really watch TV, so I didn't know anything about it, but I had a vague sense of having heard the name or something before, so I guess they must be doing promo online. Interestingly, Kyle emailed a few other people as well, and among their number were people who were either French, Canadian, didn't own TVs, hated Fox, or some combination of all of these traits.
But I'm always game for looking at something if I'm approached by someone being thoughtful, respectful, and good-humored, and Kyle was. So I looked at some of the sample clips and was pleasantly surprised. For a gimmicky show, I don't hate it.
Kyle sent me a DVD to look at, and it pretty much just expanded on my existing opinion of the show. The bits are funny, but the stereotypical, grating "Japanese" narrator is just offensive. And not in a good way, in a lame way. I'm trying to figure why they're so heavy-handed with it, and I think it's because the original show (and much of the footage) are from the U.K. and we all know how squeamish Fox's audience would be about hearing a British accent while flipping channels.
That being said, they inherited one interesting bit of the show's U.K. heritage that I think makes it worthwhile. You can bet on the outcome of the little bits taking place during the show, but instead of being limited to the dark ages American-style phone call, you can also vote through the web or via SMS messages. Fantastic! Actually encouraging people to use modern technology. So that kind of balanced it out for me.
As for the content of the show itself, the bits are great. They could do with a little less padding from the transition graphics, and it would be more seamless if short ads were sandwiched in between each segment instead of being grouped into minutes-long blocks like in traditional shows. In all, it's worth a look if you have the TV on when it's airing or if your Tivo's not full.
Kyle's original email to us was as follows:
Hey all. My name's Kyle Ford, and I'm the web producer for an upcoming FOX show called Banzai (of "kick to the balls"-annoying floating ad fame). It starts on Sunday, July 13th after The Simpsons (8:30/7:30c).It's basically an over the top Japanese gameshow parody/iTV program that's been airing in the UK for several years. In a nutshell, you're presented with scenarios, then asked to place real time bets on the outcomes. In the UK this is done via set top iTV units. Here in the US, we're going to be doing it via the web and through SMS enabled cellphones, so that people can play along from their homes, bars, wherever.
I'm contacting you guys because, well, you're some of blogging's big guns, and as such I'd like to FedEx you "review" DVDs of the show's entire first episode (the same thing we do for traditional outlets such as TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, etc.), in the hopes that you might take a few minutes to post your honest reactions to it.
No pressure. If you love it, great. If you hate it, not so great, but we'll still be friends. I basically just want to allow interested bloggers the chance to sit at the "adult table" when it comes to expressing their opinions about upcoming tv shows, rather than having to rely on crappy bootlegs and "leaked" clips.
Interested? If so, please send me a mailing address so that I can shoot a DVD your way. If you could care less, I'll leave ya alone and wish you glad tidings.
Best,
KyleP.S. I apologize to the many bloggers that I've omitted from this list, but I can only send these DVDs to a limited number of people. If you know of a few more bloggers with a fairly substantial audience (to get the most bang for the buck) that might be into this, please let me know. Much appreciated.
P.S.S. The show's obnoxious, processor-mauling "coming soon" page is at:
http://www.fox.com/banzai/
P.S.S.S. Some example video clips are at:
http://fox.com/banzai/video/kick.htm
http://fox.com/banzai/video/climb.htm
http://fox.com/banzai/video/chicken.htm
Respectful, good-humored, and perhaps a little too apologetic. Just like we like 'em.
The (original?) UK version also has the Japanese voiceover narration. No English accents to be heard.
The voiceover style is probably intended as a parody of the hyper-excited Japanese gamehows (Endurance being the most well-known) that UK television was fond of pointing at in a sneering "aren't they odd, our Oriental cousins" way in the mid-80s.
Personally, I'm not that fond of the voiceover; find the bets a bit hit-and-miss (some are very funny; some are simply crude); but *love* the graphical style.
I was ROTFLMAO (to use an expression) when I saw the UK version on CityTV last night. There were, among other things: male nudity, Michael Jackson impersonators moonwalk-racing on a hockey rink and a woman who asks only one question during interviews, much to the bemusement of the celebrity interviewees. Oh, and a swear word spelled out by synchronized swimmers. It was low-brow, and I don't usually enjoy low-brow humour, but I got the impression that they put some thought into the stunts (especially the 'only-one-question-interviewer': that one had me in stiches).
It will bore you to death by episode two.
no, we get the same japanese-accented narrator you do. I think it might be a simple 'let's laugh at the funny foreigners -don't they do such whacky things' schtick. All the while disguising that it's really a Brit thing. Very odd.
I had assumed that the narrator was carrying over his schtick from UHF (isn't he the same guy? if it isn't Gedde Watanbe it sure looks and sounds like him).
"sit at the 'adult table'"? Yuck.
Actually two things are interesting to me here:
1) the feigned "i'm your friend" marketing email message directly from fox. it's viral marketing at its best and it seems to be working quite well.
2) this idea of "interactive tv" using wireless devices to "participate" with the show. clearly your input doesn't have any impact on the actual outcome of the show, but ostensibly you've sent your mobile phone number to fox and now they have you. what do they intend to do with it?
So you're pretty much promoting the show, right? (Fox being the current apex of "No publicity is bad publicity.) Seems like you've been played. Even the request email smacks of a thorough vetting by the Fox marketing department.
Every time I watch a train wreck of a show to find out if it's really as awful as it looks, it turns out to be even worse. I haven't felt this tainted since I watched a couple of minutes of Anna Nicole. At least now I finally know why I'm going to burn for all eternity in Hell.
CITY-TV ran two series of _Banzai_ (one with crappy captioning) over the last two years. I have 'em on tape. Been there, done that, *loved every millisecond of it*.
The Fox version seems only lightly adulterated (the jousting contestants, while still riding shopping "trolleys" rather than "carts", suddenly became Americans), but has even shittier captioning. Which I am sure you all care *deeply* about.
Seems like you've been played.
If you accept that promoting something in response to a request to do so is being "played". I don't. Sometimes my friends make websites and ask me to link to them. I don't feel like they're playing me, either.
I mean, I got a free DVD. What'd you get for pimping Jello on your site? Doing it for free seems more like you're being played.
"carts", --> "carts,"
I correct *other* people for that error.
Actually, I know Kyle Ford (distantly) ... he's originally from Illinois and an honest-to-goodness Web nerd like the rest of us. You can check him and his crew out at http://www.stickbus.com and http://www.houseofkyle.com .
Say what you will about Fox, but Kyle's cool.