China's #1 reality show is all about materialism

On Sunday, the New York Times reported on "If You Are the One," China's top reality TV show.

The basic premise of the program is to show two dozen single women blowing through a roster of single men, who are rejected with "Gong Show"-type Bronx cheers, fart noises, and other high school-style humiliations.

Eventually, after a mere ten minutes of programming, someone will say something stupid about prefering to cry in a BMW rather than laugh on a bicycle and maybe some already-bitter relationships will be formed.

Of course, the Commies have a problem with this.

Gone are fast cars, luxury apartments and boasts of flush bank accounts. Now the contestants entice each other with tales of civic service and promises of good relations with future mothers-in-law. One show now uses a professor from the local Communist Party school as a judge.

The best line in the Times piece comes from a professor of television, who says: "Traditionally for the government, there are several functions of the television industry. Entertainment is last."

We may not be far off from China after all...