Yet Another Article from The RJ Occasional!

MINI SERIES GETS A SLAMMING

Reported by - Riconstin Jaksten

Less than a week after M.R Production, a subsidiary and entertainment arm of kid you not Pte Ltd, offered a public apology to the fans of the comedy cult series 'The Guy that Works at the Record Store', the said subsidiary received yet another round of public outrage. But this time, those cries are not from ardent fans of the abovementioned cult series. Instead, these cries come from concerned members of the public demanding a ban in the subsidiary's latest mini-series, 'Thoughts From A Little Monster in My Head'.

The said mini-series spans approximately 5 minutes per episode and it is usually broadcasted, on Creative Central, in between a television programme that has just ended and another programme that is about to begin. Furthermore, these mini-series are broadcasted during times when '...children are still awake...', complained Mdm Riyu Joy, a full-time housewife taking care of 3 children aged 4, 6 and 9. ' I didn't like the mini-series. It's so graphic and disturbing. Even though I can roughly understand each episode's plot or bottom line and the children can't, the images and sounds accompanying each episode is enough to give the children nightmares!' she commented further.

The mini-series is indeed morbid and dark- from the short story lines to the images and music portraying them. When I asked Mr Riyt Juty, director and producer of the said mini-series, he casually and unapologetically explains, ' The team of writers and poets that work on this mini-series are highly sensitive people. Sensitive to their environments. Sensitive to events occurring. Sensitive about their work. But their intentions are not malicious or destructive. They believe in art as a medium of expressing life's truths. And that's what we are doing and that's what we are trying to achieve.'

But what about the images? The sounds even? When I asked this question, Mr Riyt immediately shoots back an answer or rather answering through a question, ' What good would art be if it were to deliberately hide things? If the truth is obvious, art should also be frank about it. The expression might be abstract or confusing but the bottom line can always be seen and/or heard. And, in our mini-series, such truths are frank, seen and heard.' After that, I grew scared and tried to back down.

In addition, I also decided to approach M.R Production, their sponsor and mastermind. Mr Rico Josty, spokesperson for the subsidiary said that '...they receive numerous complaints from members of the public...' and that '...kid you Pte Ltd told us to handle the case with care and remedy the matter as soon as possible...'. 'The company and us are working closely to tone down the negative impact of the mini-series. We are also approaching the team of writers and poets as well as the director and producer of the mini-series so that they could understand our position and probably alter their work.' continued Mr Rico.

But can that group of highly sensitive people take this criticism? Can they now acknowledge and accept such truths about their work? Would they alter their work for the sake of the sensitive public? Only time will tell and only the truth can withstand the pressure. But at the moment, the show still goes on - to the horror of parents and to the delight of the arty farty.