No one needs talent when you can just act like “yourself” on a reality television show and become famous.
At one point, reality television was a way to expose different issues occurring in society. The Real World, which first aired on MTV in 1992, was a type of experiment. It put seven people from different walks of life in one house and showed how they interacted. It introduced the world to issues of gay rights, AIDS, racism and many others. It seemed to be educational and informative while also entertaining the masses. Now, The Real World is specifically designed to get high ratings by having nothing but drama. Put a group of people together with nothing but alcohol and a cab to the club and of course you’ll get nothing but fights and arguments. Let’s not forget that they must have one black person to start drama, a gay person to make someone in the house uncomfortable, a southern sweet heart who is naïve when it comes to anything but sweet tea, a jock who didn’t make it to the NFL and someone who becomes a sloppy drunk every night.
“Keeping Up With The Kardashians” has been a hit on E! since the very first episode; often being the highest-rated show on the network. According to Entertainment Weekly, their fifth season premiere was, “the series’ highest-rated and most-watched season opener ever and the network’s second most-watched telecast ever (only behind last season’s Kardashians finale).” The audience gets to be involved in their “everyday life.” As if anyone really cares that much! Not only is it obvious that the scenarios are set up beforehand, nothing very interesting happens. But it’s not like the world is looking for quality when watching these shows anyway. I watch just to hear Kourtney drag out her words and often imitate her on a daily basis. But does the world really need two spin-off shows? I’m tired of the Kardashians taking Miami, New York and my life.
One cannot talk about reality television without mentioning the fist pumping, gym going, often tanning, laundry doing, “guidos and guidettes,” that make up the cast of “Jersey Shore.” The premiere of the second season was MTV’s best season premiere since the second season of “The Osbournes” in 2002, according to Nielsen ratings. The quality of good television has clearly gone down the drain when an audience can watch a group of people “GTL” by day and find girls who are “DTF” by night and be entertained. With the entertaining, yet annoying “Snooki cry,” T-shirt time or Pauly D’s new “Oh yeaaah !” saying, the world can’t get enough of their catchy phrases.
What’s even worse is that people with actual talent have resorted to reality television in order to revive their dead careers. On October 19, K-Ci and JoJo’s reality show “Come Clean” premiered on TVone. The series will show the duo attempting to salvage the remainder of their career after suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism. While the attempt is admirable, all their fans really needed was a great R&B album and a few new wedding songs to choose from since the black community has played out “All My Life.”
Reality television has gotten out of hand. It’s like a narcotic that slowly kills your brain cells. With every Snooki cry, the viewers get a little dumber. Will the reality show phenomenon ever end? As a victim of this hazard that is reality television, one can only hope so. Until then, we’ll all probably continue to tune in to this ignorance.
It seems as if people achieve more success by acting stupid instead of being smart. Forget a degree and going out into the “real” world where you might get a job and might make good money. Just sign up for the next reality show.