JL CherryI’m a fan of HGTV, always up for a good episode of “House Hunters,” “Property Virgins,” etc. So when I stumbled upon a new show called “Flipping Out” on Bravo, I figured it was a must watch. Guy owns a company, flips houses. Sounds interesting, right? Midway through my first show, I was ready to leap from the top of the nearest tall building.
The main designer (Jeff) is a pompous jerk, to put it mildly. It’s one thing to dislike a character on a television show because he/she creates functional conflict that drives the plot, but it’s another to dislike that character so much that the viewer changes the channel. One assumes the purpose Jeff did such a show was to help drive his business – in a positive direction. After watching his , it’s difficult to imagine anyone who would want to do business with him.
Southwest Airlines had a successful reality show back in about 2005. It showed the trials and tribulations that Southwest Airlines employees went through in serving their customers – dealing with drunk passengers, crying children and lost baggage. In the end, most viewers walked away with sympathies for those tasked with moving travelers across the country. The inside peek Southwest allowed its viewers encouraged them to think twice before they acted up at the airport. They gained respect for the jobs those employed by Southwest perform. It helped people respect the work of the airline. Jeff and “Flipping Out” should take a lesson from Southwest. The show is doing nothing to improve his image.
