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warrrreagl · 09-28-2009, 05:18 AM

I have one of those "website-a-day" desk calendars, and today's featured website is the Reality TV Hall of Shame. These are the exact words on the calendar: "Reality TV is bad enough. Imagine how awful you have to be to merit inclusion in its 'Hall of Shame.'" Reality TV Hall of Shame!

The opening sentence - "Reality TV is bad enough" - is stated as if it were a law of physics, and most everybody I see on television and talk to in real life seem to agree. How did that happen? It's as if you are required to say something denigrating whenever the conversation turns to reality TV.

I see it with people I know and work with; I see it on all TV award shows and talk shows; I see it in the movies. They all can't wait to throw in a nasty, disapproving opinion about reality TV - almost like they won't be accepted unless they do.

So who are all these hundreds of millions of viewers watching reality TV in the US if everybody hates it? Who are all these celebrities knocking down their agents' doors to get a gig on American Idol or Dancing With the Stars if the entertainment industry is so dismissive of the whole concept?

After all, it's television we're talking about here - not Shakespeare. A week ago, when someone overheard me say something about Survivor, they muttered that I needed to "Get a life." I have a life, thank you. Grancey and I are happily married, we are active in our community's civic and local affairs, we have many ongoing projects, and we love stepping out to have a good time. And we also love reality TV.

There. I said it.

09-28-2009, 05:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
warrrreagl pinche vato Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton	Is Reality TV really that bad? I have one of those "website-a-day" desk calendars, and today's featured website is the Reality TV Hall of Shame. These are the exact words on the calendar: "Reality TV is bad enough. Imagine how awful you have to be to merit inclusion in its 'Hall of Shame.'" Reality TV Hall of Shame! The opening sentence - "Reality TV is bad enough" - is stated as if it were a law of physics, and most everybody I see on television and talk to in real life seem to agree. How did that happen? It's as if you are required to say something denigrating whenever the conversation turns to reality TV. I see it with people I know and work with; I see it on all TV award shows and talk shows; I see it in the movies. They all can't wait to throw in a nasty, disapproving opinion about reality TV - almost like they won't be accepted unless they do. So who are all these hundreds of millions of viewers watching reality TV in the US if everybody hates it? Who are all these celebrities knocking down their agents' doors to get a gig on American Idol or Dancing With the Stars if the entertainment industry is so dismissive of the whole concept? After all, it's television we're talking about here - not Shakespeare. A week ago, when someone overheard me say something about Survivor, they muttered that I needed to "Get a life." I have a life, thank you. Grancey and I are happily married, we are active in our community's civic and local affairs, we have many ongoing projects, and we love stepping out to have a good time. And we also love reality TV. There. I said it. __________________ Living is easy with eyes closed.