"Stars Earn Stripes" - opinions please

[lillypaddle]

This reality show is hosted by General Wesley Clark. It includes players such as Picabo Street (female Olympic Skier), Nick Lashay, Laila Ali, and the guy who played superman, among others, most notably Todd Palin. Has anybody seen this? I'm having mixed emotions. I ran into it on "Video on Demand." Contestants win money for worthy charities, such as Wounded Warriors, and scholarships for military kids.

Real bullets. Weird, but oddly compelling. Does this glorify war? Comments?

On edit: I forgot to mention that the stars are teamed up with Navy Seals, Snipers, a member from Delta, etc. VERY odd combo.

[MrScorpio]

1. I haven't seen it, so my opinion can be classified as moot

However, if none of these people are ever dropped into hot LZ in order to engage the enemy in ongoing ops, then all they're doing is playing child's games.

I'm glad that my tax dollars won't be going to support them. I take it, that with the exception of the host, GEN Clark, none of them are vets, right?

It's pretty much the continued Hollywoodification of our military.

They're better off just writing checks, rather than doing their best to bastardize what it means to serve.

[lillypaddle]

2. Well, I just edited my post

to reflect that each of the "stars" are teamed up with real Vets.

[MrScorpio]

6. I'm still disapproving of this, either way. nt

[Brickbat]

3. I think it's crap.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. I have not seen it. Did not allow my impressionable young teen boys to see it either, although the

older one was bummed. But I explained that I didn't like the way it glorifies war and that it's just disrespectful given that we still have young men and women serving in a real war (and coming home to minimal care and the memory hole.)

[catbyte]

5. I was disappointed that Wes Clark attached himself to that faux-star crap

Since when is Todd Palin a "star"?

[GoCubsGo]

7. I saw one episode.

I thought it was kind of boring, and I was somewhat disappointed that Gen. Clark got involved in this. They were participating in what are supposedly training exercises, rather than fake combat, so I didn't see it as glorifying war, although it did glorify the military. I have mixed feelings about it. I don't think this kind of thing should be made into a reality show. However, because it IS somewhat reality, it might make at least a few people think twice about what goes into training a soldier. Perhaps it will make them less willing to send our troops off to a war.

[pinboy3niner]

8. Does it glorify war? Nine Nobel Peace Laureates say YES.

Nobel laureates call for end to TV's "Stars Earn Stripes"

Mon Aug 13, 2012 5:32pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Nine Nobel Peace laureates, including retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, on Monday called on television network NBC to cancel its "Stars Earn Stripes" reality show, labeling it a bid to "sanitize war by likening it to an athletic competition."

...


But in an open letter to NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt, the Nobel prize winners said that "preparing for war is neither amusing nor entertaining.

"It is our belief that this program pays homage to no one anywhere and continues and expands on an inglorious tradition of glorifying war and armed violence.

"Real war is down in the dirt deadly. People — military and civilians — die in ways that are anything but entertaining," the letter added.

The signatories, who all won their Nobel prizes for contributions aimed at ending violence, called on NBC to "stop airing this program."

...


http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/13/entertainment-us-starsearnstripes-idUSBRE87C11020120813

[cherokeeprogressive]

10. Did any of those laureates call for an end to the Biathlon?

If not, why not?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. That was done before the show was released and bluntly their claims exceed their expertise.

That said I watched part of one episode, turned it off in disgust at how badly it was done and thought it might have been cancelled by now.

[pinboy3niner]

16. They were right

Last edited Sun Sep 23, 2012, 08:17 AM - Edit history (1)

I watched the first episode, and what I saw was war played as a game in which teams scored points and elevated heroes. It was a combat game sanitized, with no blood, no guts, no real human consequences of war. It may as well have played out in Trump's boardroom.

The kicker was when one of the civilian participants told Todd Palin, after a successful "combat mission," that he'd be proud to go into combat with Todd any time.

I have a small claim to some expertise, having served as a combat Infantry platoon leader in Vietnam.

The military and LEO professionals were impressive--but the show was crap. People would be better off watching 'Platoon' for a more realistic depiction of combat.

[lillypaddle]

18. Reminded me of "Fear Factor"

somewhat.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

9. I joined DU in 2003 to support Wesley Clark for President

Even though I'm not rich by any stretch, I maxed out in my personal contribution to his campaign because I admire the man. But I wouldn't watch even 10 seconds of his show because that kind of television isn't my idea of entertainment. Even though I have boundless respect for Clark, I don't take him for a living god. He's not perfect and I'm sure he probably does things in his non-political life that might not be my cup of tea. The same thing goes for Obama; I don't expect perfection on Earth and Papal infallibility in all he does. I'm not a totalitarian and I don't worship flesh and blood leaders as divine beings.

[lillypaddle]

11. I just finished watching the opening episode

I still have mixed feelings, like some of you. It's interesting, though, that it seems we support our vets and those who serve, yet we still have such negative feelings about what they actually DO on a day to day basis.

Seems to me, at this point anyway, that when we "support the troops," we really have no idea what they do or go through on a daily basis. This is simply a reality show, with grade 'B' actors and actresses, although they are teamed up with the real thing.

I think of the movie "Hurt Locker."

No one can, or not many of us, understand the real implications of what we send our troops to do.

If nothing else, maybe this will open some eyes?

[lillypaddle]

12. The women

so far, are kicking ASS.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

14. Women are better soldiers than many give them credit for

The disproportionate physical strength issue rarely comes into play

[Bolo Boffin]

15. When I saw "Stars Earn Stripes" in metal over the gate to the camp/set

My mind went immediately to Arbeit Macht Frei.

And then I changed the channel and haven't been back.

[WinkyDink]

17. If they want to earn stripes, they can enlist.

[unhappycamper]

19. Ding! n/t

[baldguy]

20. These people are "stars"?