talk show
January 13th, 2007
talk show is an installation and robot performance
TV talk shows as theatre of the absurd. The term absurd is derived from an essay by the French philosopher Albert Camus. In his ‘Myth of Sisyphus’, written in 1942, he first defined the human situation as basically meaningless and absurd.
3 custom build robot vehicles on a miniature stage will enact a tv talkshow. The vehicles are equiped with a tiny digital radio receiver. which enables them to receive texts in form of audio files broadcasted by an fm transmitter. The texts will be taken from online resources about talk shows and converted to audio files with a text2speech software.
Conversation example: I just don’t know if I can stick around, because I can’t look in her face every day and see that she’s not mine. There were a number of things that began to just not quite ring true & people making comments that she didn’t look like me, whereas my elder daughter did. But you would throw that away if this child’s not yours. Because I’m not going to deal with the pain again. Suspicions confirmed by science. “Why were you calling his cellphone?” “Just to hear his voice.”
In addition to attached digital radios, the vehicles will be equiped with tiny motors to make them move and radio transmitters to allow communication. Every vehicle is steered by a microcontroller. A host controller will distribute instructions for movements and audiofiles.
Tabloid television shows are a part of our pop culture that have been around for a long time. They are an integral part of our culture. It’s always made me curious to figure what the mentality of those individuals who agree to participate in these things is. What prompts them to reveal the ugliest details of their private lives in front of complete strangers?
The following is a partial transcript from the Jerry Springer Show, “Secret Mistresses Confronted,” which was taped in May 2000, and aired on Monday, July 24, 2000, the day Nancy Panitz died:
Jerry: So, if you just joined us, Eleanor comes on the show and says she wants her boyfriend’s ex, Nan, to butt out of the picture; that she says she’s now with this guy Ralf. But Nan comes on the show and says “no.” The last two nights, she’s been with him. She says that she’s been told by him that he wants to be with her. That he doesn’t want to be with Eleanor.
(Audience: “Woo.”)
Jerry: Well, let’s find out. Here’s Ralf.
(Audience: Booing.)
(Ralf Panitz comes on stage and kisses both Nancy Panitz and Eleanor Panitz.)
Ralf: Hi, Jerry.
Jerry: Hey Ralf, how are you doing?
Ralf: Pretty good.
Jerry: What’s going on here?
Ralf: Yes, I had sex with my ex-wife yesterday, but I did that to keep her illusioned. I still love her but …
(Audience: “Boo.”)
Jerry: Why? Why is it important to keep an illusion that you love her if you don’t?
Ralf: I wanted Nancy to go on the show … A month ago I married Elli. I do love Eleanor. (Audience clapping “ohhh,” as he stands up and hugs and kisses Eleanor.)
(looking over to Nancy) But I care for you and don’t wish you any harm. I just wanted you to know. Please, let me go on with my life.
Nancy: Um hum.
Ralf: I wish you the best. Just leave me alone.
Nancy to Jerry: Jerry we discussed this last night. This is what he said he was going to do out here.
(Audience: laughter, clapping, “ohhhh.” Jerry throws a hand up in the air)
Jerry: Wait a second. Let’s start to peel away these levels of reality … Nancy: Well that’s what he said.
He’s telling you that you didn’t know that he was married to her?
Nancy: Her divorce wasn’t final until late March.
Jerry: Right.
Ralf: That’s right.
Jerry: So you are now married to her?
Ralf: I’m married to her.
Jerry: How long have you been married?
Ralf: About six weeks. It was on St. Patrick’s Day.
Jerry: St. Patrick’s Day you married her?
Ralf: Yes.
Jerry: (to Nancy) You didn’t know this?
Nancy: It is not in the public records in the courthouse, no.
(Audience: “Woooo.”)
Jerry: He’s look. Look, it’s his decison who he wants to be with.
Nancy: Well then, sure. He told me all this last night. Sure.
Jerry: But he is saying he wants to be with her, he doesn’t want to be with you anymore.
Nancy: Well, that’s fine, but he doesn’t leave me alone.
Eleanor: Oh he doesn’t.
Jerry: (to Ralf) Why did you sleep with her?
Ralf: Ah.
Jerry: Now seriously, why did you?
Ralf: Two days ago, she comes up with this crap. She’s barricaded herself in this hotel room. I don’t see my husband and blows this show.
(audience: “Boo.”)
Ralf: (after giving a thumbs up) So I have to come over after meeting at her 2 o’clock in the night. (Inaudible.) I was very tired. (Inaudible.)
Jerry: Apparently you weren’t that tired.
(Audience: Applause)
Jerry: All right. So you are saying now in the presence of both of them that you love her, you love Eleanor. You don’t love Nan.
Ralf: I do love Eleanor very much, very deeply. I have feelings for Nancy. I care for Nancy, but Nancy destroyed me. Nancy is keeping going destroying me. Nancy is very nice sometimes, but then she changes into Mrs. Jekyll. I cannot deal with it anymore.
(Audience: Laughter)
Jerry: She, she changes into who?
Ralf: Mrs. Jekyll.
(Audience: laughter)
Jerry: Ahh. Mrs. Jekyll (in a strong German accent trying to sound like Ralf.) Was ist das: What is going on?
Nancy: About what? This is Ralf. He plays all the games with all his woman. He takes all the money he can get from each woman, and he moves on to the next woman.
Eleanor: Nancy, he has never played any games with me. He has never played any games with me. Ralf has been all …
Nancy: (cutting off Eleanor) You told me he stole money from you last fall.
(Audience: “Wooo.”)
Eleanor: Ralf has never stolen any money from me.
Nancy: You told me he did.
Eleanor: Are you ready to leave us alone, Nancy?
Nancy: No.
Eleanor: (Getting up from her seat and walking over to Nancy.) See. See, this is what I mean. You’re not ready to leave us alone.
Nancy: You don’t want me to. You love the game.
Eleanor: I want you to leave us alone. I want a normal life. I want a normal life.
Nancy: No you don’t, neither does Ralf. He loves the excitement.
Eleanor : Ralf doesn’t. No.
Nancy: He loves the excitement.
Eleanor: He doesn’t want you Nancy. You’re old. You’re fat.
(Audience, “Ohh,” with applause)
Eleanor: (to audience) She gets on and say, Oh, I can’t work. My hands hurt. I can’t type. But she’s online for
hours at a time. She can’t work, she can’t type but, boy honey, she can be down on that computer.
Jerry: So basically you are saying you don’t want anything to do with her.
Ralf: Ah. I don’t want to deal with Eleanor, ah, with Nancy anymore.
Jerry: Well, you understand, you understand, and it is not my business, but you can say that all you want. But if you go over there and are sleeping with her, she is not going to believe you.
(Audience: applause)
Ralf: Yep. I thought she might be humiliated enough to recognize it’s over.
Eleanor: (loudly) You can’t humiliate this woman.
Jerry: (to Nancy) He’s telling you he doesn’t want to be with you.
Nancy: That’s fine. Bye.
(She walks off the stage and there is a roaring applause from the audience and shouts of Jerry! Jerry! Eleanor and Ralf are seen laughing as they embrace. They begin chanting, “Jerry! Jerry!” with the crowd.)