American Gladiators: On TV and at War

American Gladiators recently made a huge comeback on a major cable network. The show was first aired back in 1989 and lasted through 1996, meaning that it was popular during the Gulf War. Now, one could say that it is no coincidence that NBC brought the show back. It is the ultimate patriotic show. Besides using “American” Gladiators as the name of show, the backdrop to the title resembles the American flag, with red, white, and blue colors and several stars. The show itself is showcases pride in the strength of the American people. It features these ultra strong, good-looking people who take on the average-day American in tests of agility, strength, and skill. American people love to watch shows reinforcing the idea that we are a superior people compared to other nations, and this is what American Gladiators does essentially. It is interesting how the show has made a comeback during the Iraq war, and one could probably argue that it was done purposely to draw connections to the power of American people. Viewers probably connect the gladiators on the show to the soldiers fighting over in Iraq, strong, fearless men and women. The events from the show could even be related to the obstacles and training which American troops must experience. I checked on American Gladiators website, and they are returning for a second season in May, but that didn’t surprise me. I also wasn’t surprised to find a big advertisement for Barack Obama on the website, because after all, American Gladiators is what want real America to be, strong and powerful.