March01

When Celebrities and Realities Collide

It’s the natural progression of network television. No matter how hard we try, it always seems to end up in the same place. I’m talking, of course, about inserting celebreties into reality television.

Reality television has always been a point of contention for me. These “reality” shows aren’t real! It’s usually some concocted plot line that screened and selected people are chosen to participate in. Think about it... The Amazing Race, The Real World (minus the first few seasons), Survivor, Fear Factor, The Apprentice... need I continue?

In reality, since that’s what we’re talking about here, these aren’t “reality” shows... they’re game shows. In reality, no one is ever going to offer me $10k to eat some worms. In reality, no one is going to send me to an island. In reality, I’ll never set foot inside Donald Trump’s board room.

If anything, I say we call these shows “un-scripted.” Which is truly what they are. So I guess I have a problem with how they identify themselves.

Do this... can you name five shows that truly reflect reality? I can’t.

The closest I could come to that would be a show like Country Boys. I’d love to lump Grizzly Man in there, too, but that was released as a movie. I’ll venture out a tad bit and say that shows like Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica or Being Bobby Brown were/are realistic shows – even though they’re all freaks.

Unfortunately, a show that I would consider a “reality” show would be called a “documentary.”

Anyway, just as the natural progression of television shows states, we inherently move from one faddish show to the next. First it was the new-age game shows – Who Wants to be a Millionaire and The Weakest Link. Then it was the un-realistic game shows – Survivor, The Amazing Race and Fear Factor. After that was the job-oriented game shows – American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and Project Runway. And now, because apparently we’re tired of being entertained by our next door neighbors, we have to insert celebreties into shows – Dancing With the Stars, Skating With Celebrities and The Surreal Life.

Why? It doesn’t make any sense to me. Why do I care if a celebrity can dance or ice skate better than anyone else?

If it were up to me, I’d be inserting these celebreties into an actual reality show. How about Mountain Climbing With the Stars? Or, Shooting At Iraqis With Celebrities? Better yet, In Jail With Your Favorite Actors.

+ original post date: March 1, 2006 02:15 PM
+ categories: Television