Nowadays, certain news, sports and entertainment channels will stoop down to any level in order to increase the views on their shows. For this, they would often telecast objectionable shows and segments which should not have any place in a progressive and intelligent society.
Recently, female anchors of the Indian Premier League 2023 were brought together and made to play a game called ‘Hot or Not’ during a pre-match show. They were shown shirtless and ‘steamy’ pictures of male cricketers and asked to say if they found the men hot or not. Some of the female anchors were visibly uncomfortable.
While a lot of people might say that this is all for fun and is light-hearted, we cannot argue that this show, at its crux, is the public objectification of men. Imagine the kind of uproar that would be caused if there were a group of men rating female cricketers in a ‘Hot or Not’ game.
Videos of the telecast were shared on social media. Here’s one of them:
Here… pic.twitter.com/LzvPUi2RFR
— Kush Katakia (@kushkatakia) May 18, 2023
Several people on Twitter slammed the broadcasters for coming up with such a regressive pre-match segment in the name of entertainment. There is anyway a sexist bias that suggests that women don’t understand sports and watch it to only ogle at good-looking men. Shows like this further such thinking all the more!
I'm told some cricket telecast revolved around female anchors rating players on whether they're "hot" or "not".
I sincerely hope that's not true. Else, it's the pits.
Trying to be "cool" has its limits.
— KSR (@KShriniwasRao) May 18, 2023
Imagine the hungama had it been vice versa. Such is the melodramatic yet unhealthily self obsessed world we live in!!
— Mizgan (@mizgans) May 18, 2023
Yeah really was watching the show with my family around doing thier work felt ashamed.
It’s a cricket match show
Surprised even more by seeing married Mayanti Langar voting for her favourites hot male cricketer.
Imagine men voting for women Cricketers.— Nikhil94 (@gomasenikhil9) May 18, 2023
Star Sports has stooped to new lows in the broadcasting arena just for some so called views. The female anchors rating male players hot or not should have been followed by male anchors rating female players whether they are hot or not.But oh, there feminists would have riled up.
— MrA_tweets🇮🇳 (@Nagrik_e_Bharat) May 18, 2023
This is the pits. And this is exactly why women's knowledge of traditionally 'male' sports isn't taken seriously.@StarSportsIndia struggling hard to match up to JioCinema's #IPL eyeballs, is it? 🏏 https://t.co/p5EXvUKPFS
— Sohini M. (@Mittermaniac) May 18, 2023
Couldn’t record the full segment because I just cringed so hard, but Mayanti herself looked uncomfortable when put on the spot. Who’s the big brain behind these ideas? Do they have no sense whatsoever? Or are they going to just keep pushing the envelope with whatever nonsense
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) May 18, 2023
that comes to their mind in the name of ‘cricket coverage’?
And this rubbish is served in the name of cricket coverage because fans are taken for granted. And it’s the first time that Star has served rubbish, but objectification of cricketers must be a first for sure.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) May 18, 2023
Imagine , if female athletes being rated hot or not , then what will happen 😡😡😡
— Think_New (@ThinkNew8) May 19, 2023
Idk about others but mayanti is married also. Like this is so bad!!
— Pratik (@pratik_lol) May 18, 2023
Imagine the uproar if male panelists sat there during the WPL and Judged female cricketers in their swim wears… Wtf man?
Also… Women get told everyday to stay away from sports and that they are only here for “Sexy” cricketers… Not sure doing this will help that narrative!
— 🔰Aashish Shukla🔰 (@Aashish_Shukla7) May 19, 2023
This is what materialistic society demands.
In the times when world is becoming open minded we are teaching our children objectification. 🤦— Apurw gaurav||अपूर्व गौरव (@GauravApurw) May 19, 2023
Why can’t the panelists take a bloody stand? This is incorrect on so many levels.
— Sathish (@Allthingscrick4) May 19, 2023
Broadcasters really need to do better than feed the audience with such shows.