degrades its characters , its stars and its audience 
(ROOT (VP (VBZ degrades) (NP (NP (PRP$ its) (NNS characters)) (, ,) (NP (PRP$ its) (NNS stars)) (CC and) (NP (PRP$ its) (NN audience)))))
(ROOT (VP (VBZ ) (NP (NP (PRP$ ) (NNS )) (, ) (NP (PRP$ ) (NNS )) (CC ) (NP (PRP$ ) (NN )))))