wouldn't it sicken you to watch that though? how come in this decade the theme is to get off on the degradation and exploitation of others? look at all of reality tv (especially fear factor), the "torture porn" movie genre, teens filming fights between their peers, jackass...
one thing i will say, is that i feel the lie detector show should be random off-the-street participants, because the thought that anyone who needs a cash grab is going to go say their private business on national tv deliberately, and that people are going to watch and enjoy that, is just wrong.
plus it would be super-sadistically funny (speaking of exploitation) if they took random people off the street AND didn't tell them what the game was about. it would still be an evil show, but better than having people apply to come on and do it. and i can't help but think the producers screen out the applicants with less to confess. anyone watch it and have any sample data of how many people are on and no bomb is dropped like an affair/paternity/sexuality/big secret/revealed true past/born a man lmao. or more succinctly, does it ever happen that some contestants pass all the tough questions with the "right" (non-divorce/disownership-causing) answer?
or if they just took single people so that only america knows and the family only finds out if one of them sees the show when it airs. and that also gives the contestant a chance to use a portion of their winnings to take the whole family out that night so they won't watch. that would make it less evil too. but that the viewing public wants to see this or at least is willing to tune in if you build it, just mystifies me. springer is at least funny and exciting; watching people humiliate themselves publicly in exchange for money is just, i dunno, creepy.
isn't it possible to beat the test though? i saw in colin farrell's "recruit" movie that fbi agents are trained to beat even the pupil polygraph machines. couldn't these professionals abuse the show and get the maximum prize just because they are that cool that you can't detect their lies?