Reality Tv

[sOrr1ez]

Reality Tv is something that's taken over the airwaves...
What do you think about them?
Love them, Hate them, addicted to them, don't give a damn about them..??
and which ones have you watched, liked, hated?

[nonamerasian]

On PBS they have these series where they put people into a different time people, whether war time England or western expansion in the U.S., and they have the families live it out on TV.

That’s the best reality show hands down for me.

Second is the old fashioned Mole with Anderson Cooper.

I enjoyed the last Survivor, but I’m not sure if it was just a good season or the show is always so good.

I haven’t really watched the rest.

[Martino]

Reality Tv is something that's taken over the airwaves...
What do you think about them?
Love them, Hate them, addicted to them, don't give a damn about them..??
and which ones have you watched, liked, hated?

Reality TV is cheap TV. Cheap for the TV companies to make, and aimed at people with cheapo viewing expectations ... the MTV generation ... people who watch overweight men fighting in cages.

In the past, television was charged with providing education, and stimulating escapism via creative entertainment. Reality TV does neither ... what is it? You just sit on a couch, watching other people live their lives. It isn't even authentic reality, as these people's behaviour is constantly under the influence of two dozen TV cameras.

It is a monumental waste of our lives, as it saps at the will, makes you voyeurs into something that isn't even remotely titilating. People sit around talking for hours speculating when W will kiss X in the hot tub or whether Y will get caught bad mouthing Z.

AAAARRRGH!!

[thaite]

man, The Mole?! that was boring as hell!

[Kuchana]

I'm getting more jaded by reality tv these days. It seems that most of them mold themselves in the same pattern reptetiously and it gets old after a very short period of time.

But the ones that are above the norm are Survivor and Fear Factor.

[coagulated fat]

Reality TV is cheap TV. Cheap for the TV companies to make, and aimed at people with cheapo viewing expectations ... the MTV generation ... people who watch overweight men fighting in cages.

In the past, television was charged with providing education, and stimulating escapism via creative entertainment. Reality TV does neither ... what is it? You just sit on a couch, watching other people live their lives. It isn't even authentic reality, as these people's behaviour is constantly under the influence of two dozen TV cameras.

It is a monumental waste of our lives, as it saps at the will, makes you voyeurs into something that isn't even remotely titilating. People sit around talking for hours speculating when W will kiss X in the hot tub or whether Y will get caught bad mouthing Z.

AAAARRRGH!!
Oh, please. "in the past, television was charged with providing education, and stimulating escapism via creative entertainment." puke. TV is and always has been there for us to kill time in an entertaining way while we wait to die.

[Rogmok]

i absolutely hate reality shows... well, not all... but the ones where people go around backstabbing and basically tries to brings out the worst in human behavior.

I think they are dumb and people watch it because they are repressed...

On the other hand, i don't mind watching reality shows that are like talent shows... like Fame..

[Martino]

Oh, please. "in the past, television was charged with providing education, and stimulating escapism via creative entertainment." puke. TV is and always has been there for us to kill time in an entertaining way while we wait to die.

Guess it depends where in the world you are (British national anthem strikes up in background), here in the UK the BBC is historically bound by a Royal Charter with an accompanying agreement that sets out its editorial public obligation to uphold viewing standards. It even has to report on its performance each year to Parliament.

And its pretty good having TV channels whose programmes aren't interupted by commercials, I can tell you.

[coagulated fat]

Guess it depends where in the world you are (British national anthem strikes up in background), here in the UK the BBC is historically bound by a charter to uphold viewing standards. It even has to report on its performance each year to Parliament.

And its pretty good having TV channels whose programmes aren't interupted by commercials, I can tell you.
(bows down to superior british television "programmes")
puke again
You may be too smart for reality tv but I can spell "interrupted."

[Martino]

(bows down to superior british television "programmes")
puke again
You may be too smart for reality tv but I can spell "interrupted."

Oh dear, you're not resorting to picking up on my typos, are you? Simply because I point out some British TV stations have tighter regulations (and produce more intelligent "programing") than some other countries. Well, your razor sharp retort certainly put me in my place, and no mistake.

[coagulated fat]

Oh dear, you're not resorting to picking up on my typos, are you? Simply because I point out some British TV stations have tighter regulations (and produce more intelligent "programing") than some other countries. Well, your razor sharp retort certainly put me in my place, and no mistake.
1. I am resorting to picking up on your typos, obviously
2. Don't call me dear, por favor
3. This is the dumbest fight ever

[mr. x]

meh, i think reality shows are like dot-com startups i mean yeah there was a year where it was just absolutely crazy and then everyone was like "i am soooooo over dotcoms" but they're still around.

its like fast food, sometimes ur in the mood for expensive elaborate crap (sitcoms) or cheap crap (reality tv) but it gonna go away

[teaz0r]

i liked the amazing race. that was fun.

[Blue dice]

Guess it depends where in the world you are (British national anthem strikes up in background), here in the UK the BBC is historically bound by a Royal Charter with an accompanying agreement that sets out its editorial public obligation to uphold viewing standards. It even has to report on its performance each year to Parliament.

And its pretty good having TV channels whose programmes aren't interupted by commercials, I can tell you.

Well I have to agree with you here, the BBC is very good. They also didn't have their nose shoved up Bush's rectum during the war unlike the networks in the U.S.

[Emperor_Mike]

Survivor I was novel, Survivor II was OK, Survivor III sucked, and I'm no longer keeping a tally.

That Darva Conger woman's marriage on television was the last straw for me. That, and Big Brother. Although, "The Mole" wasn't that bad.

[Faithless]

They have a new one called 'The Apprentice' which is supposed to be coming out this week or the next...with Donald Trump.

Anyhow, I think reality shows are passe (although, I have to admit my roommates kinda of got me interested in 'Survivor'...and 'Average Joe 2' was kinda funny)...

Man, you got to have it bad if you want to work him.

[Faithless]

man, The Mole?! that was boring as hell!

Hell yeah! Even when they use that CNN guy Anderson Cooper (http://abc.go.com/primetime/themole/profiles/profile_anderson.html)

They need to spice it up with a real a-h, stirring shit up.

[Martino]

1. I am resorting to picking up on your typos, obviously
2. Don't call me dear, por favor
3. This is the dumbest fight ever


3. You're the one puking all over the shop.
2. Oh dearie me, I didn't call you dear, that was an expression.
1. That's dumbererer.

[kitty]

an article on The Apprentice:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/07/apontv.trump.apprentice.ap/index.html

[nonamerasian]

Hell yeah! Even when they use that CNN guy Anderson Cooper (http://abc.go.com/primetime/themole/profiles/profile_anderson.html)

They need to spice it up with a real a-h, stirring shit up.

Cooper was great.

After he left, the show was no longer the same.

[nonamerasian]

Worlds Apart is a great series, too.

[Chris]

The only 6 I will watch.

The Mole
The Amazing Race
America's Next Top Model
Bachelor/Bachelorette
Amazing Race

[Chris]

1. I am resorting to picking up on your typos, obviously
2. Don't call me dear, por favor
3. This is the dumbest fight ever


Both of you behave. :P or I will be force to pull out the mod card on BOTH of you.

[sOrr1ez]

no one watched for love or money 2?

that was a good show... you know they're still together..
Chad V. was hot... dood and he's sooo hot!!!

[Faithless]

Reality TV needs real diversity (http://www.detnews.com/2004/screens/0405/25/c01-162491.htm)
For many African Americans, it's what they don't see that bothers them

Nathalie Cornelious is a reality TV fanatic. The Detroiter watches ABC’s “The Bachelor,” Fox’s “American Idol” and her favorite, CBS’ “Big Brother.”

While she adores the shows, she says reality TV is not marketed to her. As an African American, Cornelious, 35, rarely sees people who look like her win.

When the primetime networks announced their fall lineups last week, many of the schedules boasted myriad reality TV shows, programs that have not been racially inclusive, some critics and fans say.

Cornelious says she has never seen anyone who is brown, yellow or black as the lead on a reality dating show, because such casting has never been done. Even when shows like “The Bachelor” or NBC’s “For Love or Money” have minority contestants, they never stick around for long, she says.

“Reality TV is not geared toward people of color,” says Cornelious, a bartender. “If they had minorities in the lead, these would be totally different shows. With some shows, there’s too much of a cultural difference. Like on ‘Big Brother’ they had contestants lying out in the sun in bikinis. Black people don’t need to do that.”

People of all colors do sing, and a few weeks ago, fans of the show “American Idol” yelled foul when viewers kicked off contestant LaToya London. Instead, contestant Jasmine Trias, a Polynesian woman from Hawaii, advanced — she was eliminated last week.

The show’s critics and fans say producers were afraid to have both London and Fantasia Barrino, arguably one of the show’s best singers according to viewers, compete in the finale because they are African American. Barrino, 19, will compete against Diana DeGarmo, a 16-year-old white contestant, tonight and Wednesday to be the next American Idol.

Singer Elton John says racism played a part when viewers kicked off Jennifer Hudson, 22, a vibrato-rich, African-American singer.

But Fox’s head publicist, Scott Grogin, says there is no conspiracy of racism and that the show and its producers do not benefit if a contestant of a certain race is kicked off.

“Based on our track record, it’s disappointing that some fans would feel that way,” Grogin says. He cites Reuben Studdard’s win as an example of the show’s racial fairness.

Several calls to NBC, CBS and ABC executives to discuss the issue of race and reality TV yielded no response.

Imelda Hunt, a pop culture professor at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, questions the term “Reality TV.” “It’s not reality if diversity is never dealt with.”

Michael Wilbon, a sports columnist for the Washington Post and co-host of the ESPN show “Pardon the Interruption,” often criticizes reality TV, discussing with his co-host, Tony Kornheiser, whether the “sister” or “brother” will last. Wilbon never thinks they will.

He says he will be shocked and impressed if “American Idol’s” Barrino wins this week. He doesn’t watch the show, but because of a TV-loving brother, Kornheiser and the rest of the media, Wilbon says he’s all too aware.

“Reality TV is like pro wrestling. You already know the outcome,” says Wilbon, during a recent telephone interview. “These shows are basically built in to not have minorities. Network executives don’t care.

“They prefer to think that America is not ready to see interracial relationships (on dating shows). If they walked down the street, they would see interracial couples everywhere. I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but you have to make a conscious effort to keep a show all white in this day and time.”

The most promising shows for people of color could be two boxing shows, NBC’s “The Contender,” backed by Sylvester Stallone, and Fox’s “The Next Great Champ,” with boxer Oscar De La Hoya. Boxing often is a sport dominated by men of color.

Last week, “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno joked that “The Contender” would be the one show where a black man could win. (Minority contestants have won two of CBS’ “Survivor” seasons.)

These days, everyone seems to be noticing the racial disparity on reality shows. Wilbon applauds John’s comments. “I’m writing a letter to Elton John,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t know how to get it to him, but that was great.

“These executives are either bigoted or afraid, and I think many of them are afraid, particularly white male executives.”

Dayna Clark agrees. Clark, who is in her 30s and is news director for WMXD-FM (92.3) and does news, traffic and weather during the station’s broadcast of the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” has tried to contact various TV networks to be considered for the romantic lead on a reality dating show, but to no avail.

She was also disappointed when Jesse Palmer, a New York Giants quarterback, recently starred as the most recent Bachelor for ABC.

“It’s just a shame,” says Clark, who lives in Oak Park. “Like Jesse Palmer needs help getting a date. I don’t know if producers think America won’t watch if there is a black or brown bachelor or bachelorette, or that they won’t get the advertising dollars, but I think they’re wrong.

“Reality TV is taking over the airwaves, and there needs to be a lot more diversity.”

TV fan Cornelious says she can’t wait until there is a person of color in the lead for a reality dating show. Until it happens, she’ll keep watching.

“Sometimes we (African Americans) are too quick to say ‘racism,’ ” says the mother of two. “But some things are (racist). We can’t help but feel that way. But at the end of the day, it’s just TV.”