Fist of Zen

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Television series
German title Fist of Zen
Original title Fist of Zen
Country of production USA , UK
original language English
year 2007
length 23 minutes
Episodes 20 in 1 season
genre Game show

Fist of Zen is a reality show produced by MTV based on tests of courage. Five friends have to pass around nine tasks and a final exam in public places (such as a library , a church , a retirement home or a museum ) in order to prove to the so-called Zen master that they are worthy of him. They are observed by passers-by.

A section from the Japanese show Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende !! (known from Silent Library ). The clichéd Zen master is played by Peter Law . Through the mocking comments of the Zen master (e.g. when he throws out the money at the end: "Now take this colorful toilet paper, which you can exchange for goods in your depraved society!"), The program gets a certain satirical touch because this one shows what young people are willing to do in order to get some money.

Presentation

The plot shows parallels to the famous kung fu film The 36 Chambers of Shaolin and parodies it. In this, monks impose a large number of torturous and sometimes humiliating tasks on a student in order to be allowed to learn Shaolin Kung Fu, whereby numerous torture-like devices are used one after the other. The Zen master is very similar to the martial arts master Pai Mei from the movie Kill Bill . The title melody of the advertising trailer is also similar to the song The Lonely Shepherd , which is also used in Kill Bill .

procedure

The background of the series is about a wise, old Zen master who now wants to pass on his wisdom and experience to western youth in his old age. However, in order for these to prove worthy, some tests are required.

For all tasks except the last one of the participants is chosen at random. The tasks take place in public places, for example in a library or an old people's home, and are intended to represent “occidental places of rest”. The participant then has to cope with the task assigned to them without speaking or making loud noises. Often it is a painful or disgusting test of courage, such as drinking sour milk, clicking tight elastic bands in the face or being exposed to unpleasant smells, such as full diapers. They are carried out with the participation of the other four participants. For each successfully completed task, the group receives 100 pounds or euros.

The last test consists of solving a task together in a group within 60 seconds. Failure to pass this test will result in losing all of the money previously won. The “2000-year-old Zen master” observes you during the game through the “magic fountain of Ling-Ui” and judges whether the examinee has passed the task like a “real Zen master”. Before the last test players "have the dishes of Keemosan " (single thread) on their genitals tie. The “Zen master” then pulls on these strings during this test in order to make the execution more difficult. Women are given a set of dishes that can be attached to a suction cup or similar. attached to the nipples.

In later episodes, the last test was replaced by a ritual in which the candidates are tied to tights pulled over their heads and have to operate a buzzer with their head / face within a certain time (against the resistance of the stocking).

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