Balls of Steel

Whenever trying to work out whether a reality show is genuine reality or or completely staged, I think of the following argument: How many genuine, paid actors, can give as convincing a performance as the victims of this show appear to give. The answer is; Not that many. One comment about this show suggested that the entire program is staged, yet in the same comment they pointed out the story wherein Tom Cruise was a victim and was not happy about his participation. hmm? I won't argue that there may have been a certain amount of participation from well known franchises, but the reactions given by nearly all of this shows victims convinces me that it is completely truthful about who is aware of the stunt and who isn't. For someone to suggest that none of this shows contents is genuine says to me that this "Someone" has either; never watched an entire show, or not actually been clever enough to understand exactly what the point of the show is. My point being, don't comment on the show unless you actually know what you're talking about. PS. I think this show is pretty good.

This show is a competition of comedians from England for the coveted "Balls of Steel" trophy wherein each contestant tries to outdo the others with audacious acts of insolence on an unsuspecting public. Think Candid Camera meets Jackass. This show will make you belly laugh until the tears stream down your face. Each character is distinctive in their acts and ultimately the spirit of the show is well meaning and innocent in a silly way. Hosted by Mark Dolan, each contestant comes on to a talk show sound stage to set up their act for a live audience and play their filmed clip to be voted on at the end of the show. It features practical jokes, ambush journalism and mind games that titillate the voyeur in all of us to the most hilarious degree.The sensibility is tamer than Jim Rose yet more sophisticated than Just For Laughs Gags, with each comedian adept to a media savvy, telegenic obsessed t.v world.For the risible, curmudgeon or dogmatic idealist, this show is funnier than anything I've seen.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Host Mark Dolan challenges a bunch of comedians trying to make a break-through to perform a variety of daring and sometimes dangerous stunts to amuse the public. At the end of each show, the audience votes for the act they think it took the most 'balls' to perform and the winner receives the BOS trophy.

Staged comedy is all well and good. It certainly takes up most of TV's airtime and over the years has given TV most of it's comedy gold. But surely the most humorous stuff is when the reaction of the fall guy is real and everything going on is genuine? This is the idea Balls of Steel tries to peddle, although there's been a fair bit of speculation as to whether indeed it is real or simply faked. Sometimes the presence of cameras in dubious places does get you thinking, and sometimes goofs on the part of people supposedly in on it all along do so also, but a lot of the time the reactions do appear genuine, satisfying enough for this reviewer anyway.

There are a few daring but ultimately harmless acts going on, such as Alex Zane's nonsensical game shows and acts where the participant's only harm themselves, such as Pritchard and Pancho, but sadly a lot of the humour is very twisted and cruel, and in some cases downright anti-social. If it is all being staged, then this might relieve some of the unpleasantness but it's sold on the basis that it's real, so...

As a presenter Dolan does give you the impression of carrying a false sense of superiority, like he sneers down at those who don't talk like him or don't have the same background as him, but is never directly, Angus Deayton snobby and this is pretty much the high-point of his career anyway, so...

It's all basically a UK spin on Jackass, built on the premise of real humour being more amusing than staged humour. It's onto something with this, but it doesn't spare the morally downbeat tone at it's heart. ***

(and I have a mortal fear of open heart surgery) A handful of comedy wannabes try to make a name for themselves by outdoing each other in sub-Beadle style pranks. One wannabe interviews celebrities and semi-celebrities with a dildo instead of a microphone. Another wannabe pretends to steal things from shops and then runs away from the pursuing security guards while shouting "come on, fatty!" at them. Another wannabe seduces people's boyfriends on a beach. Another one gets into taxis and does something. A couple of people staple themselves to things. There may have been some other wannabes involved, but I'd begun channel flipping by the point they would have appeared. Mark Dolan (poor man's Clive Anderson) - who was slightly funny in "The Richard Taylor Interviews" - will obviously do anything to reappear on television, regardless of its quality. Please don't watch this - you'll only encourage them.

Balls of Steel. Channel 4, 19 August 2005, 22:30, 2 September 2005, 23:05; 16 September 2005, 22:30; 23 September 2005, 22:30.

Introduction Balls of Steel was a new late-night comedy series on Channel 4, featuring a number of regular acts performing stunts, either before a studio audience or in pre-recorded items. At the end of each show, the studio audience voted for the most daring and amusing act. The first programme in the series drew 71 complaints, regarding one or more of the following three regular features: "The Pain Men", "The Annoying Devil" and "Neg's Urban Sports". We also received complaints about these features in subsequent editions in the series.

Neg's Urban Sports: This feature involved a young man, Neg, inventing and demonstrating new 'sports', involving interaction with members of the public.

40 viewers complained about the Urban Sports item in the 19 August 2005 edition, called 'Big Stranger Rodeo', in which Neg jumped on the back of a passer by and stayed on as long as he could before being thrown off. Complainants were concerned about copycat behaviour, making reference to 'happy slapping', and the possibility of assault and injury. Two other "Urban Sports" items later on in the series attracted one complaint each.

Response Channel 4 said that it had a tradition of showing challenging late night comedy aimed at a young adult audience and therefore did not believe that the target audience for Balls of Steel would be unduly shocked or upset by the programme or find it offensive. The programme was deliberately scheduled in a late Friday night timeslot, which had historically been the place for alternative comedy and entertainment, eg Ali G, Graham Norton and Bo' Selecta. Warnings were broadcast to flag the show's content, both immediately before the start of the programme and at relevant points within it, so that viewers could make an informed choice about whether or not to watch the programme.

Channel 4's specific comments are summarised below:

Neg's Urban Sports Channel 4 explained that the people featured in the 'Big Stranger Rodeo' item were set up by their friends. The production team researched them prior to filming and were careful to select people who would take the prank in the spirit that it was intended in and who did not suffer from a condition which might make the stunt harmful for them. All participants were happy to be included in the programme. The presenter warned viewers not to attempt to copy Neg's actions, and the angry reaction of the 'victims' would have underlined the obvious stupidity of repeating this stunt.

However, Channel 4 accepted that, with the benefit of hindsight, viewers would have been less likely to have been offended if they had known that the 'victims' had been set up by friends. It had therefore decided that it would provide viewers with appropriate information about similar stunts in future shows to make them aware of the pre-researched and set up element to Neg's sketches.

Decision In considering complaints under Section Two (Harm and Offence) of its Broadcasting Code, Ofcom must also have regard to the broadcaster's right to freedom of expression. Moreover, Channel 4 has a specific remit to ensure that its programmes are innovative, experimental and challenging and that its service has a distinctive character. Its programmes are not intended to appeal to all viewers.

We welcome the fact that Channel 4 took on board viewers' concerns regarding both the "Annoying Devil" and Neg's "Urban Sports". While the broadcaster had scheduled the show responsibly, that is, well after the watershed, we could understand why some viewers were worried about emulation, in particular "Big Stranger Rodeo", where jumping on the back of a stranger could have unforeseen consequences. Appropriate information explaining that these stunts were to some extent 'set up' would help allay concerns in this regard as well as minimising offence arising as a result of health and safety concerns. In view of the actions taken by Channel 4 in response to Ofcom's inquiries, we consider the complaints regarding the "Annoying Devil" and Neg's "Urban Sports" resolved.