Ok, so I will begin by saying that I have a strange fondness for VH1 reality shows. I'm not quite sure what it is that draws me to these shows, such as "Rock of Love" and "Tool Academy", but there is just something about them that makes them impossible for me to not watch. When people question me on how I can watch such terrible television my response is usually that watching these shows is like seeing a car wreck-you can't not stop to look. Watching the variable casts of characters (and let me say some of these people are true characters) will always make me feel better because at the end of the day, no matter how bad my day may have been, I am not any of them.
While I do find these shows to be humorous and I stand by the fact that watching them makes me feel better about myself, I can't help but feel bad-not for the participants on these shows, but for their families. Throughout this semester we have discussed the idea of the media being our representation of families, whether it be in the traditional sense of the word or in a more modern sense, such as a group of friends. While these shows are not "family" shows, it often seems like the people that go on these shows have no respect or regard for their families at all. The people on these shows are often promiscuous, borderline alcoholic, and seems to haves mouths that would make a sailor blush, and the worst part is that they seem to not care that there is a camera crew following them around and documenting every little thing. While watching these shows I can't help but think "Oh my God, what would your mother think?" You can never fully know someones family situation, especially not someone that you are only seeing via a television series, but I can't fathom that any of their families would be very proud of them. Maybe it's just me and the way I was raised but I could never imagine going on one of these shows, acting like a drunken slutty mess and then going back home to my parents and grandparents expecting them to still have respect for me. It may be one thing to not have respect for yourself, but the way that these people act shows that they clearly have no respect for their families and that is sad.
I am in no way saying I am an angel. Like many other college kids I have probably done a thing or two that would probably make my parents cringe if they ever knew, but I am not out there, on national television behaving in such a disrespectful manner. I am also not saying that every cast member on these shows is a train wreck but for the most part that seems to be typical protocol for casting these shows, and I think that says a lot about the diminishing sense of family values and overall respect in our society.
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I agree with many of your comments. It's impossible to imagine how these people would like themselves to be perceived the way they are on these reality shows. I like VH1 reality shows, also, but I have also thought about what they're families are thinking. There are those rare few that do not seem to be as crazy and wild but they are few and far between. Most of these characters create a radical representation of themselves, and I'm sure they come from all walks of life, but it's hard to believe somebody would actually want to be perceived in the manner that many of these people are shown.
Rock of Love, Flavor of Love, A Shot at Love, A Double Shot at Love...you name it, I watch it. I agree you can't help but to watch these trainwrecks make fools of themselves on national television. And the worst part is, some of the parents are just as bad as the contestants! I think a lot of it is for attention, more of an act. However, on a more class related note, these shows bring about sexuality in a very public way. Sex is everywhere on those shows, through their clothing, or lack there of, or sexual acts and discussion. Homosexuality, bisexuality, heterosexuality...it is all there out in the open and people love to watch it.
I agree, but I also recognize that the reason these reality shows have viewers and make money is because they pick the extreme, loud, attention drawing type of people. These are the people that garner ratings. Editors spin and splice the footage however they so desire, and honestly, the interesting scenes are usually the ones where the people are acting in a way that draws negative attention. Who would watch a show full of students that actually studied and attended class like normal college students? How boring! America cares about the train wrecks and the party animals because... well, maybe we have a repressed desire to be like that as well. Or maybe, perhaps, we're simply glad that we're not as bad as them and therefore, our sins are justified. Theodor Adorno was on the money with schadenfreude-- we love to see others suffer in trivial or appropriate ways. If MTV started to show the transports to the hospital because of an OD, I don't think people would watch the shows anymore.
So maybe our reality tv isn't that real at all.
I think this is so true. If the parents are just as bad as the contestants it makes me think about how our society is changing. Years ago shows like this would never have been suggested. The 1950s are a perfect example of censorship. I believe that everyone should have the right to express what they feel through the media, but when shows like this exploit the craziness of family life as if it was the "norm" it makes me wonder why it is necessary. I don't think I have seen a reality show that exhibited a family with values that were seen in past decades. I really believe that the media focuses on these particular contestants because it creates a shocking, yet humorous response from an audience.
I watch reality TV shows because they are entertaining. My mom always asks why I am watching such trash and my response is that I can’t help it. I agree that the people on the show come from all walks of life and for the most part I feel that they are just looking for attention. I think it is interesting how some of the people on these reality TV shows have been turned down for jobs just for being associated with their show. Although I am sure at the time of the show they are not thinking about their future boss being a viewer, but maybe if they thought about their parents, they would tone their craziness down a bit. Of course, like others have said, I don’t think these shows would be as entertaining if the characters and their personalities weren’t so extreme.
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