I’m not a huge fan of reality TV — at least not of the reality shows that are really competitions of some kind — but when I first saw the promos for ABC’s “Wipeout,” I thought I might tune in. It looked fun and humorous.

But “Wipeout” has been on TV for a while now, and I can’t bear to watch any more than I’ve already seen. I can’t help but think that many of the “wipeouts” are painful and/or potentially injurious to the competitors, despite the padding on the mechanical parts. (I’d hate to see how many reams of paper compose the waiver of liability that the contestants on this show must sign to get on the air.)

Plus, I can’t see that there’s any way to successfully outwit the obstacle course, either through physical ability, intellect or a combination of both. It’s not there to slow the competitors down as much as it is to hit them and get them drenched in some liquid substance in a humiliating manner. And part of my dislike of reality TV is the way in which it encourages people to humiliate themselves on national TV, usually for monetary gain. 

This is just pathetic. I don’t care to see people get hurt on TV.