Commentary and Opinion

There are reality television shows featuring people from all walks of life, from the beautiful but inane residents of CBS’s popular “Big Brother” house to the nude survivalists of Spike TV’s “Naked and Afraid”.

It seems everybody has their own reality show these days. So why not forklift operators?

Here’s my pitch to any interested TV producers out there …

For years, companies have been hosting forklift rodeos to promote forklift safety and boost productivity through friendly competition between forklift drivers. While these contests have been held outside the spotlight, they have provided a lot of fun and entertainment not only for the participants, but for their peers and co-workers as well.

Using obstacle courses and such fun and TV-friendly, tension-building contests such as precariously balancing a basketball, the best drivers are identified and move on to bigger tournaments where they  can compete head-to-head with the best operators in the country.

Competitions often start at the facility level and winners advance to regional rodeos. The champions of these are then invited to attend national rodeo competitions where the ultimate winner is declared the best forklift driver within a particular company. Sort of like “American Idol”, only with heavy machinery.

In some instances, different companies compete against each other in the spirit of friendly rivalry and for the promotion of workplace safety. Sometimes these events are even sponsored by vocational training programs or community colleges.

Forklifts area a naturally appealing subject for a television show. Not only are they big and powerful, but with the right person at their controls they are capable of performing miraculous feats of stunning intricacy.

And to say that forklift operators can often be colorful characters is an understatement …

So what do you say, Hollywood? Is America ready for “Forklift Rodeo: The TV Show”? It would sure beat watching another dumb singing competition!

If you’re interested, call me. Let’s do lunch.