Tell me something. Who in the world came up with the word “Reality” for the crap that’s been on television lately? I’m not going to mention specific shows, but you’ll know which ones I’m talking about if you’ve been privy to such … interesting accounts of real life.
I have to wonder where they (they meaning the people running these shows) find ‘typical’ every day people to be on these shows. Why is it that they all have perfect bodies, they all have white straight teeth, and God knows the women have perky breasts!! The only thing my breasts are good for these days are to make a home for my sweat pools. My poor husband, the last time he tried to tweak a nipple, he said “honey, it’s sucked in”. And I had to admit “that was my belly button dear”.
There is a certain show (again, no names) that has people living on an Island for so many days. How do they manage to keep such white teeth?? And I don’t want to know what they’re wiping their asses with! And what about women with their period? Would that be considered your personal item? Maxi pads?? And there is another show where people have to eat bugs, sit in disgusting pits of rat shit, and yet they’re smiling knowing they’ll get 50 grand out of it. 50 GRAND?? You wouldn’t get me to eat that stuff for a million! Ugh! These people have no lives obviously.
Now we have ‘reality’ t.v. that chooses where we work, how we maintain ourselves as a fashion guru (or whatever), how to cook, how to live on an island with fourteen annoying people who must snore, share a house with people (I did that growing up with six brothers and sisters and you wouldn’t get me doing that for any money!), and then there are those shows where either a man chooses his ‘bride’, or a woman chooses her ‘groom’. PUHLEASE, people? Do you honestly watch that stuff and believe they’re going to live happily ever after?? Who in Holywood does any more? Not many of them, and not without hard work. It’s hard enough being with a man who has dated other women, but to have to sit back and watch him tongue them, as well as talking about how big their boobs are or how great their ass is. What? They can’t find any normal girls with cellulite and pimples? Are we not loveable too??
I’m sorry if reality is your thing, but you’re welcome to the world of fake boobs, penal implants, tan in a can, and crest whitening strips. Me? I’m going to sit back, let my boobs land where they may, drink my coffee that will no doubt turn my teeth a different color, and hope that I can find matching socks in the morning. Other than that – I’m happy just to be real!!!
Bonnie (who would love to have more half hour comedy shows brought back)
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Hey Bonnie,
Reality television is escapism. We can look at beautiful people, focus on their situations and forget about our own. If we are honest with ourselves we will find that for the most part we don’t want to spend an hour looking at ugly people. Networks know what sells.
As for me, I don’t look at reality television because it’s a waste of my time. As a writer I’m far too busy. If I watch television at all it’s a good movie, at night, after all of my writing is done. My husband and I are also fond of classic comedy like “All in the Family” and “I Love Lucy.” Good television that is hard to find these days.
Jolie
WOW, I am so glad I am not the only one who feels these reality shows are crap! What happenned to great family shows and sitcoms they used to put on, like the Cosby’s or Home Improvement, maybe some of these were not great, but they are ten times better than these crappy reality shows. I am so thankful someone stood up and said something, now I can vent but good.
TINKERBELL
Thank you Bonnie for saying what we are all thinking. In addition to being practically bionic, these reality contestants rarely have any redeeming personality traits either, maybe we should just leave them on the Island?
Reality TV to me is nothing more these days than the modern day and infinitely less censored version of the soapies our mothers and grandmothers were addicted to when those first came out.
Since we are now a society of multitasking, network television helped us out there. These ‘reality’ shows take glossy fashion mags, tabloids, soapies, and human interest stories and globs them all together to form something that is supposed to relate to each and every one of us in a half hour to one hour. Talk about an extra value meal for the mind and our crunched time schedules!
*rolls eyes* It evolved because we are enamored with the gloss and glitz, not to mention we do like rubbernecking. Ya know, it’s all about that saying “it’s a train wreck about to happen” and we can’t look away. Society loves to see the pretty fail. Society feeds on the perfect suddenly revealed to be almost flawed. Now, instead of just Hollywood celebrity pedastools we get to knock over, we get 80 hours a week of it on the tele for our sadistic pleasures. LOL
I know what my reality is. I just have to look at my bills and my face in the mirror. I confess to watching a few of those reality shows. I like Project Runway just for the sheer “EW! That’s Fashion??” quotient.
I think TV feeds the masses these reality shows because in the day and age of going 25 hours a day, people want the escape. If not, we’d have more snappy shows like the good old fashioned sitcom back alive and well. I have only two TV addictions. I watch NCIS for the Mark Harmon factor and football!!! LOL The rest, well if I need a good laugh and eye rolling, I’ll sit for a few and watch the pretty people have to live with the fact they put themselves out for the average folk to watch with morbid curiosity and devour like pirannah when the show is over.
Hey Bonnie
I totally agree! I think we should suggest to the makers of these shows that they put together one with ‘real’ people. I’d love to get my joke telling, beer swilling, politically incorrect self onto one of these shows and show those anally retentive chicks what men really love about women.
Keep up the good work
Wendy
Bonnie, I’m right there with ya! I can’t stand reality tv shows. Who needs reality when we live it everyday. When I watch tv, which is about once a week, I want to laugh. Besides, I write so I can escape reality… (sweeping, romantic, muscular heros, heroines who tell it like it is, places in my imagination — where I want to be). Ok, so I’m going to say it, reality sucks. Better to read a romance novel.
; ) Kara Griffin
Yeah,
Reality Bites was a movie in the 90’s but it is still the truth! I don’t watch much tv, and I sure don’t watch so called ‘reality’ tv.
Give me back the days of Three’s Company, Soap, Benson, Sanford and Son, Good Times, and I Love Lucy to name a few. Heck, give me the remote and let me change it to Nick at Night, then I’ll be happy!!
thanks, everyone, for your comments. Yes, reality television is an escape, I suppose. An escape from …. reality? Is that what we’re supposed to think? That we leave our own insanity to view someone else’s? I don’t get that. I would much rather watch some ‘real’ people acting out a ‘fake’ life. Now THAT is escapism. I want to laugh at funny jokes, cry at touching moments, and … God forbid… clap at accomplishments. What I DON’T want to do is watch people eat bugs, stand around slapping mosquitoes and who knows what other insects, and .. yes, I can turn the channel. I get that too. I have my kids tell me all the time “Mom, if you don’t like what’s on, turn the channel”. I just wonder if this is the society our kids are growing up in. That their take on reality is that we should worry more about how we look while we eat bugs than just have fun doing it!!!
Cosby Show…….Tinkerbell, you got me there. I loved that show! And Golden Girls, I love Lucy, Honeymooners (showing my age here), and all those shows where we didn’t feel we had to stare at beautiful people. Because let’s face it, Bill Cosby is a genius, but he’s no ‘hunk’. Nor is Tim Allen, Jerry Seinfeld, or Raymond. They’re there to entertain while maintaining the ‘realness’.
Keep up the good comments, ladies. I have lots more to say!!
Bonnie
Bonnie, you have a point about the fake boobs and stuff……that’s for sure. Yet, I do watch a bit of ‘reality’ t.v.. I like American Idol and Extreme Makeover, Home Edition. I like what they do for the families.
Give me “24” anyday!! I can’t wait for it to come back on the air. January 15th, I’m counting down the days!!