The reason most of us in journalism went into journalism was because of shows like “60 Minutes” which, before becoming so established that dictators came to them, was very cutting-edge journalism.
Then something old got lost when it became great but safe.
But luckily, something old just got found.
HBO’s new magazine show, “Vice,” which is taken from the online magazine and media company of the same name, does what “60 Minutes” used to do — go into the most dangerous, outlandish, bizarre places in the world to uncover things that are, well, out of this world.
The series, produced by Bill Maher, and “Vice’s” founder, Shane Smith, is a half-hour format with two segments.
The difference between “Vice” and every other newsmagazine on TV is that the reporters aren’t slinging on flak jackets over their Abercrombie & Fitch jungle gear. They are walking around with too many tattoos in countries that probably forbid them dressed in T-shirts and jeans.
(Like former NBA player Dennis Rodman, who shot an episode of “Vice” last month in North Korea.) Since they only sent out tonight’s episodes, it’s still unclear what the role of female reporters is on “Vice” — but so far they are conspicuously missing.
What? You think tough-ass women would be more scared than some of the guys on the show — or is it just old-school nonsense about boys being tougher than girls? Get over it.
But the format is enough to make you remember what journalism is supposed to be about anyway —which under no circumstances ever, involves Kim Kardashian or Jay-Z.
On tonight’s premiere, reporter Ryan Duffy goes to the Philippines, where there have been 1,200 political assassinations (100 in 2010 alone) to find out about, you guessed it, politics.
To that end, he tags along with one man running for governor whose wife, sister and all the reporters covering him last election — 57 people in all — were gunned down and buried in a mass grave.
The Philippines, we learn, has a 70 percent gun ownership rate, and gun fights and mass murder is so common it’s almost ignored.
So Duffy travels with the candidate, and you can see the sweat rolling off him. He’s at least a little relieved to learn the car is bulletproof.
Another segment involves Shane Smith in Afghanistan, in Taliban camps where boys from 6 to 10 are taught to be suicide bombers.
Why? Because as one opponent of the practice says, “They have no religious knowledge.” OK.
The second segment takes us to the world’s most dangerous border between Pakistan and India, where tensions are so high, some believe the apocalypse could start right there. And in about five minutes from now.
There’s also an interesting segment on women who escape from North Korea. On this segment, it’s very clear that there’s a male prejudice going on, because if ever a woman should be interviewing women who have escaped and are in danger it should be another woman — but it’s not.
There are a whole lot of “Holy s- – -t!” moments, but it’s very real and astoundingly raw — without once giving you the idea these are show-off correspondents with a makeup artist and clean clothes.
Don’t miss it.