‘Save Me’ is over after 14 years of exploring the wide limits of trash TV. Did I say trash TV? Indeed. Since I am not a communication theorist or an analyst of the contemporary world I allow myself to call bread bread. Now it seems a major mistake, product of prejudice, to describe as a swamp of misogynistic gossip this program dedicated to shouting, criticizing, skinning and inventing gossip against every living creature, including its well-paid collaborators. With the cable TV empire that pulverized ‘zapping’, it seems incredible to me that Telecinco once placed the last button on the remote control, behind the teleshopping and cheap pornos, so as not to bump into Jorge Javier Vazquez laughing at geeky, touched or ignorant people for the benefit of the audimeter. Today this presenter, winner of a Waves that prominent journalists declined to hand over to him for practicing disgusting television, embodies the defense of the values of the left. She is in the front row of Yolanda Díaz’s Sumar project, which is beginning to be the paella with chorizo by chef Jamie Oliver from so many presumably incompatible ingredients that it containsand is a referent of the LGTBI fight. It has been easy to forget unforgettable moments like the fight between Pipi Estrada and Jimmy Giménez-Arnau, which ended with punches during the intermission, live anxiety attacks from Chelo García Cortés or Rosa Benito, the frightened ones from Paz Padilla, Karmele Marchante or Mila Ximénez. The whole of Spain came to a standstill Isabel Pantoja’s live call to defend her daughter from the siege. “We do television neorealism, not trash TV,” defended Jorge Javier Vázquez, before giving way to Anthony David Flores, who in three decades evolved from a guest to a tertullian, and then to a villain accused of gender violence. Whatever you say. A set that seated movie stars on the same level as drivers airing their dirty laundry is the ultimate example of democracy.
journalism lessons
The fauna of ‘Sálvame’ is not expected in a documentary from La 2, stampeding from June. Although a demonstration of support has been organized from the networks under the slogan ‘ayuser’ of “Save me is freedom”, Mediaset’s decision is made. The Queen of the Morning, Ana Rosa Quintana, will replace the People’s Princess, Belén Esteban, just like Camila wore the crown last weekend, bye, bye, Diana. That such a thing will not necessarily mean an improvement, is intuited and will be verified. In such a game of thrones, the republican Gabriel Rufián was not expected, but he has attended without invitation like Bolaños and has pronounced, more overacting than María Patiño: «Jorge Javier Vázquez has done much more saying that fascism, racism and homophobia are slop than a thousand political campaigns and for trash TV some gatherings and newscasts by distinguished journalists ». Journalism lessons are accepted, especially from those who practice it in their free time as the ERC politician, or as Pablo Iglesias, who has offered the fired presenter a spot on his television channel that would be called ‘Rojos y maricones’, in allusion to a benevolent definition that Vázquez made of his rancid pond. I don’t think you need it. If someone is saved from the shipwreck that Bibi Andersen sang in the tune of the long-lived bodrio, it will be him, who would give for Minister of Culture of some cabinets and for the moment he continues in a ‘reality’ show on Telecinco, called ‘Survivors’.