Reality Bites Back

The Loud Family was a typical American family. In 1970, they allowed a documentary team to set up cameras in their home to film them as they went about their daily lives. The documentary titled "An American Family" aired in 12 episodes on PBS in 1973. Originally intended to be a chronicle of the daily life of an American family, the documentary ended up proving that people will change their behavior to "play to the camera" and ended up with breaking the Loud Family apart.

That was then, and this is now. Okay, I am about to make a confession that may shock you and quite possibly make you think less of me...

I watch reality shows. No, no...it's worse. I don't watch the singing and dancing shows. I watch the really hideous, mind numbing ones. Okay, here it goes. I have been known to watch The Real Housewives of [fill in the blank]. It started innocently enough. Just a little Orange County Housewives, no harm done. As the brand expanded, I became a little bit hooked. I looked at them like I would any National Geographic documentary of exotic animals. In this case the animals are extremely rich women with too much botox and time on their hands and egotistical enough to think people are interested in their lives. Well, apparently they...er...we are. If you've never seen one, the premise revolves around an extremely rich/idol group of "friends" who allow themselves to filmed so the public can get a glimpse of what happens behind those gates in upscale, McMansioned communities. The women who sign up for these shows are caste to "type" - overly botoxed, surgically enhanced, mostly bleached blonds with unlimited credit cards and hours of idle time on their hands. Their children are props and their husbands are dispensable.

The first group of "Real Housewives" was an interesting study of the idle Nouveau Riche. You know, that class of rich that buy exclusive labels, expensive vacations, and high fashion. They don't care much for intellectual pursuits like "education". In the beginning, they were more "natural" and diplomatic in their opinions of each other. After the first table was thrown, all bets were off.

Because of the success of the Orange County show, the producers saw a gold mine and expanded to New York - same idea, just different accents. Then came another expansion to Atlanta which opened up the brand to the idle rich of color. Then came New Jersey, Beverly Hills, DC, and Miami. With each new iteration, the shows developed a marketable formula and a defined cast of characters - the Mean One, the Nice One, the Successful One, the Singer who can't hold a tune, the Fashion Designer who can't design, etc. All the women involved have become a new level of "famous". They make the entertainment gossip pages, and are invited to the "best" parties and openings for no other reason than they allow themselves to be filmed - no talent needed. It sounds great, but there is a darker side.

The reality of reality is that "fame" is not all it's cracked up to be. In the beginning, it must be fun that everyone knows your face and name. But as these women and men found out, the real reality is that the deep, dark secrets of your life are laid bare for ratings. The unflattering, private moments that you thought you could hide like a former life as a prostitute, failing marriages and businesses are now fodder for the masses. The arrests, depleted bank accounts, bankruptcy proceedings and the foreclosure auctions to sell the McMansion and contents including that $16,000 hand-made leather handbag you bought on Episode 10 are all now in the public domain. But the ultimate reality occurred this week when the estranged husband of one of the Beverly Hills "wives" committed suicide. He was so afraid that his failing business and private sexual proclivities would be used as fodder on the show, that he hanged himself with an electrical cord in his McMansion rather than face the ridicule. Now that's reality. At this time, the producers are pondering whether to air the show this season. That's Hollywood in a nutshell and I stress the "nut" part. My question to these now "famous" women is "Has your 15 minutes of fame really been worth it?"

Addendum: Just to ease your minds, I stopped watching the shows after they started with the obvious formulas, and scripted violence and table throwing. What was once and interesting study in human nature became an unwatchable mess. And it really was fascinating to watch someone without an iota of guilt, purchase a $16,000 hand-made leather handbag for no other reason than they wanted it!