Did anyone watch John Safran's new show last night? Thoughts? I'll defintiely be tuning in again next week.

Promo for Race Relations

Yes, I watched it. For the most part, I did find it as entertaining and as typically "John Safran cringe-worthy" as his other stuff. I actually enjoy this about his work. However in my mind, I feel he lost a little credibility with last night’s episode. Having watched his other two series and the particular pranks he’s pulled, I’d like to think that nothing in his documentaries are staged, that everything he does is true. (Maybe I’ve been naïve in thinking this in the past?) The fact that I believe it to be true, gives it that good entertaining cringe-worthy factor for me.

However with last night’s episode, I felt that some of the stuff was staged. Firstly, I find it a little difficult to believe that he and the sound guy were able to produce a sperm sample with two other people in the room one of them filming all the while (again, I might be naïve, maybe guys can perform under any conditions?), and secondly, that they would stoop to a level to lie about which person produced the sperm sample in order to have some poor unsuspecting person choose a (wrong) sample based on ethnic and religious beliefs.

I dunno, I just wasn’t believing it, which took away some of its “edge”. And, if it was all legit, then I think it’s really low to lie about the race/ethnicity of a sperm donor.

However, in saying all that, I will continue to watch. Hopefully future episodes will have more believeable pranks/stories.

I love it.
I love him
I love everything he does
How can you say no to a Jew-Fro?

Megy I agree that the sperm bank stuff was completely implausible. I still found it pretty humorous though.

DH was appalled that he stole all that underwear until I explained that the ABC legal department would never have let it go to air if he'd actually committed a crime - they all obviously consented.

I'm looking forward to future episodes. I've heard him talking about the series on radio and it sounds like the first ep is the one he's least proud of.

I watched and enjoyed, however I felt a bit like Megy with the staging of the sperm sample.

Like his previous programmes, beneath the pranks there is a certain truth, or at least the questioning of exisiting truths, that he exposes that I really like about his work.

I must admit I thought parts of it had to have been staged too. How is the world did he manage to get into the Pussy Cat Dolls dressing room without being stopped by security?



I agree whole heartedly, Gretch. I love that he provokes thought and conversation on issues that some might not usually even give a thought to. I heard a radio interview recently where he said that he tried to make the first episode a bit light hearted because he delves into quite serious subject matter in latter episodes. I can't wait and will definitely keep watching.

I have Love Love Loved John Saffran since the first Race Around the World. I just loved his quirky and edgy stories.

I enjoyed last night, but I did feel it was very staged, which I never really felt about his stuff before. As if he could knick that many knickers! And the sperm sample stuff was just ridiculous. And I was horrified at the thought of actually swapping the samples.

I don't think the ABC would have let them actually do it to be honest. I imagine (hope) that they were just trying to make a point. Otherwise there surely would be legal implications.