Nine Nobel laureates have requested NBC to cancel their show “Stars Earn Stripes” on Monday. According to them, the reality TV show justifies war by comparing it with athletic competitions, says Reuters.
NBC’s new reality TV show “Stars Earn Stripes” has caused many debates since it was first announced. First, the producers of the show discriminated Jack Osbourne when they refused to include him in their lineup because of his multiple sclerosis. Now, the show is once again in the spotlight because nine Nobel laureates have requested NBC to cancel “Stars Earn Stripes’ after viewing the first episodes.
The Nobel Peace laureates including South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu told the press that NBC’s reality TV show could have a bad influence on people’s mentality. They claim that the broadcast pays homage to war without bringing any benefits to those who take part in it or to people that are less fortunate.
Based on the description of the programme, eight celebrities including singer Nick Lachey and politician Sarah Palin’s husband, Todd, are supposed to compete against each other after taking military-style training. Moreover, former members of U.S. Marines and Green Berets were brought on the show to host the training sessions and to make pairs with celebrities.
NBC explained that the show was meant to pay homage to the military forces who fought and even lost their lives in Afghanistan. The official letter written by the Nobel peace winner proved that their message was misunderstood and gave people the possibility to interpret the reality TV show from a different perspective. The laureates further added that war and war preparations should never be regarded as entertaining. They reminded everyone that real war is not amusing and that real people die “in ways that are anything but entertaining”.
In the end, the laureates requested NBC to stop airing the show, but the channel is determined to continue broadcasting it. They reassured everyone that their programme does not glorify war, but people who are in harm’s way.
