Diabetic Connect - the TV show?

dLife has a show on CNBC. Maybe they would be interested in the DC show idea.

Did not know that, but aren't they like…, our competitors? I've never seen it, but would imagine its all medical and stuff.

Actually a lot of videos are on this site from them and I get their news letters. I guess they would be considered "competition", but I like to see them more as an ally. They have a lot of good stuff and are the first to bring diabetes to the mainstream TV viewer. It is a nice blend of things.

Yes, I could see ally, and you're right, they do bring to the media well. Funny, I've trolled a few D sites, and even though ours seems to have a slightly older demographic, its still by far the coolest.

We old folks can be hip, or cool or psychotic. LOL. I do like our range of humor here.

Some medical, a cooking segment and some interviews with famous stars that have diabetes.
It is a half hour show and so far I have only seen like 3 different episodes.

I think ours would be much, much better!

Ours would be more funny…a lot more funny

No doubt! I guess that's why I thought it would play well. Yes, this is a seriously debilitating disease for some, and those stories should be told, but it's also important that you have to keep it from infecting your brain. I think the fact that we as a group seem to have so much fun would send that message.
On that note - everybody turn up the music! DANCE PARTY!!!!!!! Woot Woot!

title for the show: "Diabetic Dance party!" Don't think that one has been taken.

So do I!!! ;-)

This would be a great idea. Now who do we pitch it to? Oprah maybe but I think that there is someone else maybe Miss Paula Deen should be a part of it. Oh yeah she just came out of the closet. Never mind on her. Yet we need to do this even if it starts out as an old fashioned Radio show. Who knows it may work if this was started as a Radio Show. Just an idea. Hugs

I was thinking The Learning Channel - that's where a lot of these things end up.

Temi I like your idea of Oprah!

Hi Nick,

This sounds like a great idea! And with so many diabetics, there would have to be an audience.

Gary

Hey Dr Gary!
Yeah, you'd think this would already be out there.

I think we had some fun here folks, and obviously if done right this could really be educational and entertaining.
One thing I forgot in the original post though. Would you be willing to put yourself on TV and tell your story? Maybe just a 10 minute interview, or as much as a crew following you around for a few weeks documenting all your successes and struggles?
Would your new “celebrity” status make you take better care of yourself knowing the world is watching?
Would you need to be paid?

I'd be down for an interview but the camera crew would complain about having to follow me around. If I'm not running errands, going to appointments (for myself and kids), taking a walk, going to school functions, etc, I'm pretty much a homebody. I think the pressure to do better in the eyes of the public would be ever present but wouldn't that be the point? Isn't that the point now? And yes I'm not to proud to say that, despite Renee's valid and admiral points, I would need to be paid. Managing life's challenges with a family of 6, in a single income household is difficult to say the least. But we manage all right, so I wouldn't be greedy about it.

Hey, if they can follow a lobster trap to the botom of the Bering sea, they can follow you. A also agree about the momey - it would depend on how much of my life it took. I can donate to worthy causes, but a full time job is another thing.

Now hang on let me clarify myself please! I must be picturing something entirely different than everyone else. I thought each of us would be filmed once and then the camera would move on to another person the following week.

Im more than willing to donate blood, sweat, and tears for 1 episode but if you are talking about a weekly appearance, then heck yeah, Im going to need some money—the kind that folds ;)

No clarification needed! I understood. My personal story would be 10 minutes at best. There are others here I think I could follow for weeks. Some I think should be. Because we're all in different stages and situations, I think every one's involvment and exposure would be different. We'd have to follow a newbie through all the stages. We could gloss your background and focus on living life to the fullest. Trust me, I think you'd develop a fan base.

See I wasnt thinking we are there to be outrageous like The Jersey Shore kids or The Real Housewives franchise; I was picturing more of a documentary-type health show-scenario day-in-the-life of a chronic disease program?? Is there any existing show that is comparable to your vision of what this show would be so I can get on the same page with you?

No, not really a single show, but the format I see is somthing like those documentaries like Hoarders or such where you follow two or so folks, but most of those type shows are morose and appeal to the shock/train wreck value. Trouble is I want a fairly happy and educational spin on it, so while since you are somewhat "settled" with your condition, I think it would be important to show those that are struggling as well. If I sat down and wrote out a few episodes, I'd have a better handle on it in my mind. Kind of why I posted, to see what would play.

Maybe those of us that are "settled" could go in and do an intervention with those who are struggling, wether because they are new to D or they are in denial and have been for awhile

If we did it in a caring way - I'm not big on the word "intervention", but yes, another interesting segment possibility

This is such a great idea. Who lives the closest to Salt Lake- where Alliance Health is located?

Well Nick, Jigs, and I are all in NC BUT there is a thriving movie and TV film industry here. Hey Nick since The School of the Arts is here in Winston maybe we could present the idea to a student of film-making and get something put together. Ive seen where some of their docs make it to Sundance :)

Go for it!

I am not terribly close in Las Vegas but could drive it in about 1 day

Yes! Las Vegas is close enough. I've got a flim crew. We'll have to pitch this and see if we can get it to fly.

As long as it wasnt exploitive in the name of ratings like so much reality programming is, I would be willing to go out on Jigs boat and run for my life from bears on Louises mountain spread! But seriously, my willingness to do it would be to further our common cause, that of educating the masses about a day in the life with D; money is not the point for me. How about you?

Oh I fully expected this to be the DietCherry show! :) For professional reasons, I may just have to remain "behind the camera", but if I could get around that yes. I understand what you mean about not being exploititive, but really, if a network does make millions off us, wouldn't that be exploitation in a way? Money wouldn't be my motivator either, and if a small sum came my way I'd probably say donate it to D research, If it became a full time job though - well I gotta eat.

Which begs the question, what would the name of our illustrious show be?

Oh I can't wait to see these answers. What about something ironic like A Spoon Full Of Sugar?

Patricia I SWEAR I didnt see your answer before posting mine! Isnt that teriific that we were sooo thinking alike?????
But mine was tongue-in-cheek!

LOL! Mine was a sad attempt at it. I like yours better.

I like yours! Each week we could show how many spoonfuls of sugar are in common food items; I think people would be shocked to know!!

Well, Deadliest Catch is already taken. Sooo, what you got?

When Sugar Attacks!!!!! ;)

The Unsweetened Life?

I love this.

Thats good Nick! I woke up this morning thinking about this; came up with No Sugar Added or Sugar-Free-dom.

Needly People?

haha! D Nation?

Oooh this is good stuff!

Great idea…who is going to pitch it to the networks?

If you've got connections by all means use them. If everyone here is serious, we'll find a way.

or if SOMEONE here is serious. All it would take is one determined someone with the right connections.

I see what you're doin' there JB. I'm just the guy with the idea (guess that makes me the producer huh?). Check out my follow up post up top - the fantasy is fun, but would we really put ourselves in front of a worldwide audience? I do think this is very worthwhile, so I'll do some digging on how the networks get their ideas, but since this is a community thing, and about the community, hopefully some of the folks that believe this'd work would help me out as well. Can never have too many eyes or voices out there.

LOL! This is great just read it and what a treat on Valentine's Day! Not sure what I could contribute, but I'd be willing to put up my mountain 23 acres of Ponderosa Pines, everyone could set up tents, we could also add some spells where the D people may encounter bears in their veggies in the early mornings, or better yet a bear accidentally sitting on an insulin pen, (like the cartoons) he takes off running with the pen stuck on him! Oh let's not forget the turkeys and getting some D friends to set out on a hunting party, after all gotta have that lean protein! You guys are a blast! An adventure with my D friends in the mountains, what a great visual - and a great reality show!!!!!

Man, I'm wanting to come and visit your place. Sounds like a slice of heaven. Even with the bears.

Gabby my place is IN the mountains, my husband and I built it. It's a log home right in the middle, when it snows it's as if God has sprinkled angel dust on all the trees. It's a place of peace during times when there seems to be none! Reality or just for fun all my D friends would be welcome! Louise

Cool! I have one in Utah, and now you. I have one in Ohio and another in PA. I could be like a traveling relative. Only stay a day or two and move on…what fun

Sounds like fun! Seems as if we could take across country trips and have places to visit! Well almost!

First, I'm jealous. Second, that'd make a nice episode - folks in your area meeting for a gathering for the first time.

Ponderosa! Hmmmmm, it just might turn into a Bonanza!!!

For sure I couldn't think of anything more interesting, I think we have Lil Joe, Hoss, dad 0, oh let's not forget we even have our personal chef. What was his name? He could count our carbs and plan our meals!

actually there are several chefs (or ex chefs) available. Harlen might be a good pick or someone else. Seems to be many here (sorry guys I have trouble remembering names) any volunteers?

i think you just DID contribute to this concept! LoL!

Haaa! Certainly did! I just had a vision of Yogi Bear finding insulin in a pickinic basket and BooBoo saying "do you think their trying to tell us something Yogi?"

now we have to line up Hanna-Barbara to make it happen LoL!

This just gets better - LOL!

great idea..but im not sure i have a tv type voice..besides that means id have to do a great job of cleaning the house.and keeping it that way.not sure i wanna go there with that one..lol..pluse i know my mom (who is the diabetic) would never go for it..

Or we could move into a big DC house. Could even rotate members every couple of weeks or so. :)

Oooh great idea! A little social experiment? Six diabetics in the same house? Or more like Jersey Shore? (who'd be Snooki?)

If I recall there is someone on DC who has the screen name of Snookie.

I thought so too.

Maybe we could get it in the contract that…they provide a house cleaning service for each participant. Those house-cleaning elves never show up at my place either.

No problem, we'd just chat on the porch!

Wonderful idea nick. I am so sick and tired of talking heads telling us about diabetes and what we should, could or would do. Why not have those with diabetes telling us what works or doesn't work for them.

Exactly! I'm sure we'd have to put up disclaimers and all that, but if we can do it here, why not on the air?

Wonderful idea…we just need the connections to make it happen. My goodness there are thousands of us here to pick from. I tried with the Food Network, but maybe the Learning Channel would be more accommodating? Or even Discovery Channel. I don't think we fit in with Nat Geo Wild. LOL

It does seem to work out as a human interest thing. I think it would be pretty eye opening for the general public to see just what a T1 has to go through in the course of their day just to stay alive. Just that alone coupled with all the other life struggles everyone faces could make even some non-D's sit up and take notice.

I know there are some diabetic hints going on a lot and with all the drug commercials you can bet something is in the works somewhere. It pops up every now and then.

No doubt. With all the stuff that's out there now, it's only a matter of time I figure. Question is can we bug the ear of the right developer/producer? The whole show is really right here, and this may be the wrong way to word it, but there is a lot of "drama" on this site at times (in a good way).