Those who enter Russian reality tv show Game2 must sign waivers acknowledging that they could be raped or killed. Let the Hunger Games commence.
An advert for the show reads: “Each contestant gives consent that they could be maimed, even killed. 2,000 cameras, 900 hectares and 30 lives. Everything is allowed. Fighting, alcohol, murder, rape, smoking, anything.” Yes, smoking, even smoking! But that doesn’t mean they can get off completely scot-free. “You must understand that the police will come and take you away. We are on the territory of Russia, and obey the laws of the Russian Federation.”
Called “Game2: Winter”, the reality show tv participants – who must be over 18 and “mentally sane” – bizarrely pay £132,000 to take part, although some will be selected in an online poll and enter for free. A number of participants have been posted online for people to vote for, providing a glimpse at possible people you could watch brutalize each other.
Included are 63-year-old Nailya Gabdullahatova, an “active pensioner” who says she’s a “cheerful and sociable person”, and 21-year-old Elena Grishchenko, who enjoys computer games as well as “knitting crochet”. Among the men are 31-year-old Alexander Ostroverkhov, who has two children and is “fond of survival issues”, and 21-year-old Vyacheslav Markov, who loves “eating home-cooked [meals] with love!”.
In this video, “Elena” asks for people to vote so she can appear on the Hunger Games Game2 : Winter.
The 30 contestants will be given basic survival training from Russia’s elite former GRU Spetznaz operatives. After that, they are handed knives and left on their own to cope with temperatures as low as minus 40C, surrounded by bears and wolves.
Each participant will have a panic button linked to a satellite. If they use it, they will be evacuated from the Siberian taiga, but not allowed to return. And as of Nov. 18, the producer revealed that at least 60 people had already signed away their lives, including one American.
According to organizers, the reality tv show will be streamed online, 24/7, for the nine-month survival test. All who survive nine months will share the $1.6 million prize. So far the filmmakers have had interest from “professional rescuers, people without special training, professional travelers, entrepreneurs, photographers, jewellers and psychologists”.
And smokers, I guess.
BTW, I have no idea what the cartoon above says. I just like that the bears look kinda depressed. Does anyone have a translation for us? Off-the-wall guesses totally welcome!
