Media Misses The Mark on “Crossballs”

 

Press Statement

For Immediate Release

 

 

Back in May, when Hollywood-Hero issued a statement exposing Viacom and Comedy Central’s “Crossballs/The Debate Show” deception, we explicitly stated that the show was represented to us as “The Debate Show,” a serious show on issues of importance to younger audiences to be aired on an unspecified MTV Network.  The name “Crossballs” was never mentioned, nor was it ever mentioned that this was to be a parody of debate shows.

 

After being approached to appear on the “The Debate Show,” filling out an extensive application and speaking with producers, I agreed to appear on a segment to be titled “Hollywood and Obscenity.”  Unhappy with the answers I was getting from producers, I continued to research any and all available information concerning “The Debate Show” online.  There was little information to find other then some additional people who had been approached online to appear on segments on different topics.

 

It wasn’t until I came across a one page website for “The Debate Show” that had an email address that was routed to “Crossballs,” and started a Google for “Crossballs” that I was able to unmask their deception.  That together with talking to Mr. March in California led me to cancel my appearance on “The Debate Show.”  When I called the producers and asked if indeed, “The Debate Show,” was in fact, “Crossballs” they answered in the affirmative and I cancelled my appearance and issued a press release.

 

I was available at any time to discuss my experience with the producers of “The Debate Show,” as well as to provide the contact information for Mr. March, a gun lobbyist in California who actually showed up for taping and was humiliated to discover the joke was on him

 

In an example of lazy reporting, instead of contacting me, a Boston Herald reporter wrote a story attributing a quote to me that I never made and assumed I should have realized the show was a parody show because of its name, “Crossballs.”  To reiterate, not I, or anyone else interviewed to appear on the program, was ever told the real name of the show - all we were told was “The Debate Show” and that this was to be a serious show debating the issues of the day.

 

The other “fact” that the media is missing is that the “real” experts asked to be on the program were the ones who would be taking the conservative side of the argument.  Therefore, it is not a stretch to conclude that conservatives were the targets for ridicule, as the actors would be taking the other side of the “debate.”

Parody and satire are hallmarks of entertainment and when done well, can be very amusing and entertaining.  However, deliberate misrepresentation targeting one segment of society, isn’t so funny, especially when not let in on the joke.

 

What a shame that Viacom chose deception and missed a golden opportunity to create a real debate program geared towards the younger generation.  Such a program could have been informative, educational, and hip during an all important election year.  Instead, they went for cheap thrills, mockery, and deception.  Good job, Viacom, MTV and Comedy Central - your record molding the minds of the MTV generation continues unabated.

 

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Lisa Sarrach is president of Hollywood-Hero, a grassroots organization geared towards highlighting family friendly entertainment, past and present Hollywood-Heroes and advocating for the minority of political thought in Hollywood.