Author: Michael Darling
Last Monday, President George W. Bush made a much publicized cameo appearance on the television game show Deal or No Deal. I found the pairing to be a perfect marriage. Here was a man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He has had a cushy life in which many things-some would say this includes the presidency-have been handed to him with little work done on his part. As I soon learned, Deal has the same money-for-nothing mentality.
I had never seen Deal or No Deal before and, I will admit, I went into this viewing with low expectations. Initially, I knew the show involved picking numbers out of boxes, but I assumed there had to be some sort of quiz segment-you know, some trivia questions, a word puzzle-anything to show that the contestant knew something. Well, it seems I mistook Deal for something a bit more highbrow. What I found was that, like a tinfoil bra, Deal blends two of 21st Century America’s favorite things: breasts and shiny objects.
The concept of the game involves pointing to silver briefcases held by buxom models in hopes that the case you choose in the beginning contains a high dollar amount. Meanwhile, Howie Mandel is playing a hip-ish Daddy Warbucks with a soul patch and the contestant’s loved ones are on the sidelines yelling at them with the passion of spectators in a gladiatorial arena.
There’s also someone called The Banker who calls every five minutes like a high-maintenance lover-except he’s calling to offer the contestant money to leave the stage. Then Mandel will deliver the line “Deal or no deal?,” a phrase that makes “Is that your final answer?” seem like a Zen riddle. This cycle of case picking continues for an hour and then voila-you have a ratings winner.
I found myself wondering why this was so popular. It doesn’t challenge the viewer or the contestant. Seriously, the only skills involved are knowing numbers one through 26 and being able to push a button. One could be pulled off the street and be ready to play-and, in fact, they’ve actually done just that. Deal is a backhanded celebration of the average man. It’s going for that angle of “equality through lack of individuality.” Anyone can do well on Deal because you don’t need any knowledge or ability. It’s ideal for our era of the average and middle-brow.
We’ve come to a point where anything or anyone who strays from the norm is labeled as silly, elitist or weird. This is why Deal thrives while Arrested Development remains dead and mourned. This is no time for personality-nowadays only the bland survives. It makes me think of Cary Grant films. There were many in which our hero Grant, through cunning use of his debonair charm and wit, would steal the girl who was dating the rich yet dull Ralph Bellamy. Well, we are living in the Age of the Bellamy. That which is inoffensive and simple wins out every time.
So, in the end, the pairing of our folksy President and Deal is appropriate. Both gained popularity by opposing the silly elitists who think their taste is superior to that of the average American.
So, my friends, this summer do something to loosen the chokehold of mediocrity. If we do not kick at the darkness to reach the daylight, we risk becoming a nation of people pointing at shiny boxes.
Michael Darling is a sophomore History major. He can be reached at mdarling@oxy.edu.
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