My problem with reality TV

[thecurly1]

Beside the fact that every reality TV show except for maybe the Real World, and the greatest, COPS I can't stand any of this junk. Sadly my generation will have to live with this horrible pop culture memory, just as the baby boomers will always have "Beach Blanket Bingo", with Frankie Avalon, and Annette Funachello (spelled right?) to be cursed by.

This shouldn't be called reality TV, when was the last time you or I was on a desert island with 12 hookers, lived inside a camera saturated house with a knife wielding wack job, or had to attend a tribal council meeting with tiki torches?

If you ask me the ultimate reality TV was, the OJ trial, the two and a half year Clinton-Lewinsky hummer scandal, and the 2000 election. That makes the greatest reality TV.

Its amazing how the nightly news made the public more interested in itself. That's where the microscope began to focus on ourselves.

P.S. Lewinsky is in the spell checker. Holy cow! Couldn't Clinton have had the CIA or FBI kill her after that damn impeachment? If I see her fat face on ET again, i'm gonna discharge a firearm into the television.

[wet1]

Reality TV is the great for the TV networks. They couldn't be happier to pass on and encourage this junk. After all what kind of props do they need to spend money on? It's a whole lot cheaper to buy a few cameras or torches that to do whats offered for fare in some of the other programs. As long as they can get the viewing public to watch it and keep their ratings up they have no problems with it. If we accept such as entertainment then there is no one but us to blame. Me? I'd rather watch Discovery or History channel.

The major networks have had a real problem with the cable industry. The cable industry offers more varied programs. They aren't restricted to the amount the major networks are by censorship being as the are pay for veiw and the public has the option to pay or not pay to watch. The major networks do not have this option and so pay the price in what they can offer. So now if you want the networks on cable you must have the approval of the competeing cable stations if they offer such in your area. If they do, they're not going to give that permission and you will do without. If there are no competing companies in your area then you can have it but you will have to pay extra to get it. (That's public?) This is one of the examples of regulation gone to far. If you can get it on the antenna then you don't have to pay at all.

[Tiassa]

I seem to recall the Dick Dawson hosted, Dying for Dollars in the film version; I never bothered with the Bachman novel, though. But sooner or later someone's going to die, and either the producers of whichever show that is will go to jail, or we'll hammer out in court that yes, one does have the right to waive their life in exchange for financial considerations.

On the one hand, nobody's been allowed to sign themselves away like that before; to the other, if it pushes the ratings up, it's good for the economy, and we all know that in capitalism (cf. Weber on the rise of capitalism) the cause is more important than what it serves. Thus, it's bad for the economy if they don't start killing the contestants soon.

thanx,
Tiassa

[thecurly1]

Yeah, I don't hope someone dies, but it would be nice for this reality TV BS to stop. Yes I agree wet1, the History Channel has been my Reality TV fallout shelter if you will. I don't think, (or hope) that a channel such as them, especially being owned by A&E would sink to that level of crap.

P.S. Tiassa, what did Pope Leo X say? Sry, don't feel like translating Latin to english.

[HOWARDSTERN]

I hate COPS!!!!!! If they gave out citations in their bedrooms, like they give out citations to everyone else, we could all smoke a bowl of grass in public, while the real criminals would be behind bars!!!!!!


I hate those damned Geiko commercials!!!!! The next thing that those PAC insurance Corporations will use will be the Spotted Owls!!!!!!!

I hate Regis!!!!!!!!!! He looks like an Insurance agent!!!!!

I hate kathy Lee!!! She looks like she has been licking Regis's wife!!!

I hate Football!!!!! If the Quarter-back wants to play with another man's ass, then that's his own business. But I shouldn't be forced to watch it!!!

I hate Cops!!!! (o' I already said that). But I do hate them anyway!!!

I hate reality TV!!!!!!!! What is the reality? Let me dump a bunch of these yuppy ass-wipes into the Ozark rain forests & I'll show ya some reality now people!!!!!!!1

<IMG SRC="http://www.sciforums.com/t3415/s/attachment.php?s=&postid=46551"> <b><i>NOW THIS IS REALITY TV ! ! ! ! !</B></i>

[Bebelina]

Reality TV, and TV in general do have a certain educational value. People see other "common people" in the "reality" shows, and get upset when someone acts bad, and feels with those who seem "good" It puts their own lives in a different perspective. And maybe makes them think about how they behave in their own personal "reality TV", that their lives are. We are all stars in the movie of our life. It´s no use getting angry at the TV. TV is just a reflection of society today, and it´s real, in every aspect. If you want to change TV, then start with yourself first. It´s there everything begins. With you.


....I´m so smart.....

[Tiassa]

1) The networks don't have to pay as many writers.

2) The audience gets the personal satisfaction of being glad they aren't that poor schmuck.

3) Cheap stroke fantasies: Temptation Island? Get porn on the web and leave the airwaves to something useful.

If I have to watch any of it, I'd rather watch some PhD blow a $1000 dollar question because he didn't watch enough cartoons as a kid. But even the game-shows feed our worst side. Weakest link, my ass. The weakest link happens to be watching the show.

thanx,
Tiassa

[realistic]

Wow-have you got your head in the clouds! First: I highly doubt that YOU are as your name would indicate. I do believe you're one of the few to have attained "superego" status. Congratulations!

Second: As many, many people have stated before, there is nothing "real" about reality TV. You needn't be Einstein or a messiah to realize this. There is nothing common about being confronted with a camera 24 hours a day or one million dollars or, as so appropriately stated earlier, "a deserted island with 12 hookers". Since people are not typically confronted with such situations, reality TV does not portray "real life".

Third: I don't think looking inward will make everyone happy with reality TV. That's just not very realistic... is it?

[Godless]

I don't watch this crap, Oh! and you said this kind of stuff is good:

"If you ask me the ultimate reality TV was, the OJ trial, the two and a half year Clinton-Lewinsky hummer scandal, and the 2000 election. That makes the greatest reality TV",
for a reality tv show, well you forgot White Water also the Clintons' mess and Watergate. Also some other tv stuff like the American Dummest Criminals, Court Tv. that's real! LOL.