tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post7375920534655998948..comments2023-09-15T04:27:57.129-04:00Comments on Commentarama: Reality Bites BackAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-59030203386827961312011-08-22T11:11:35.115-04:002011-08-22T11:11:35.115-04:00Cheryl I think shows like the Biggest Loser are ...Cheryl I think shows like the Biggest Loser are different from "reality shows" and I don't think they are faked. The villian in the Biggest Loser is the weight v. the contestants, not the contestants v. contestant. And in fact everyone on the show is a winner because they all beat the villian even if it's just 20 lbs.!BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-35194863842076933192011-08-21T23:04:32.339-04:002011-08-21T23:04:32.339-04:00The only reality show I watch is The Biggest Loser...The only reality show I watch is The Biggest Loser. Now you've got me wondering how much of that is fake.<br /><br />Those people don't seem to be typed and I think they genuinely care about each other (most of the time) and hate voting each other off the show.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486596560358008036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-21645758441472673752011-08-21T06:30:50.076-04:002011-08-21T06:30:50.076-04:00T-Rav. There's enough cattiness on all the &qu...T-Rav. There's enough cattiness on all the "Housewives" show to keep your "special" talent occupied for weeks!BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-78358566905903139602011-08-20T23:57:13.361-04:002011-08-20T23:57:13.361-04:00Gross. The only reality show I have ever watched m...Gross. The only reality show I have ever watched much of was "The Amazing Race," which I only found interesting because of the history and geography that got thrown in. I haven't even watched that in a long time, though. <br /><br />Don't get me started on freaking "Housewives." I watched a few episodes of the Atlanta version with some roommates of mine once, and...I'll choke back three or four other things I'd like to say and simply note that in no world can those women be regarded as true "housewives," so the entire show is based on false premises. <br /><br />I'm glad you stopped watching. Otherwise I might have had to make a few threats involving...well, you know what.T-Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10861218035729479354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-21750493437462375872011-08-20T19:58:25.823-04:002011-08-20T19:58:25.823-04:00Scott: I would use the Housewives shows as backgr...Scott: I would use the Housewives shows as background noise until they started screaming at each other. I've never gotten into the "American Idol" or "Survivor". I've watched the skill shows - The Apprentice, Project Runway and Top Chef, but even they have settled into a pattern. I think any reality show has a production life of maybe 2 seasons. After that, the pattern and "types" settle in.BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-1644840800116291212011-08-20T19:22:39.899-04:002011-08-20T19:22:39.899-04:00Bev, I have tried things like American Idol and Na...Bev, I have tried things like American Idol and Nashville Star, but they bored me after a while, but I've never bothered with the more salacious reality tv shows.<br /><br />Scott, I would love to see someone do a documentary on reality tv and see all the behind the scenes fakeness. They did it for magicians, so why not reality tv?Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18122308626703654554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-56693530954260892612011-08-20T19:07:33.371-04:002011-08-20T19:07:33.371-04:00The one good thing to come out of all this is The ...The one good thing to come out of all this is <i>The Soup</i> which is appointment viewing for me every Friday night and I constantly marvel at the clips they show. (I realize <i>Talk Soup</i> had existed for years.)<br /><br />I can't speak for <i>Real Housewives</i> but when I worked as a PA on an episode of <i>The Simple Life</i>, I didn't know how to react when I was introduced to the "writers" of the show. In reality TV, writing is more editing and culling through hours of footage to craft some kind of narrative. And everything was fake. There was a production designer and an art director who dressed up locations and a lot of it was seat-of-your-pants production.<br /><br />And yes, they're all about archetypes. I think this even affects shows like <i>American Idol</i>. Sometimes the question isn't, "Can he/she sing?" It's, "Will they look good on TV?"<br /><br />Of course, I have <i>Destroyed in Seconds</i> playing on the Science Channel in the background so it doesn't take much to entertain me. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-90236685859449303802011-08-20T18:37:29.322-04:002011-08-20T18:37:29.322-04:00Cheryl = Facebook and Twitter are great tools to k...Cheryl = Facebook and Twitter are great tools to keep in touch and sharing with family and friends. I have reconnected with many people from my past that I am thrilled to reconnect with.<br /><br />But there is that group of people who find themselves so fascinating that they need to share their every thought bubble with the world. It is amazing how many people post pictures of the food they eat!<br /><br />Twitter is just a blight on humanity. No good can come from knowing someone's every thought.BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-40046170377347312412011-08-20T18:21:13.264-04:002011-08-20T18:21:13.264-04:00Bev:
Excellent point about social networking.
I ...Bev:<br /><br />Excellent point about social networking. <br />I never thought of it that way.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486596560358008036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-72834315874600716452011-08-20T17:52:45.843-04:002011-08-20T17:52:45.843-04:00Bev, I gave up on "Reality TV" when MTV&...Bev, I gave up on "Reality TV" when MTV's Real World jumped the shark. What started as kind of an interesting show turned into a bunch of exhibitionists just looking to get on camera.DUQnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-65820383369353937872011-08-20T17:07:59.695-04:002011-08-20T17:07:59.695-04:00Andrew: Now it's an "industry". I t...Andrew: Now it's an "industry". I think reality shows have really helped the "social networking" industry too. People post their every thought and, weirdly, photos of their dinner and other people comment. Everyone has their own "reality show" on Facebook now.BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-59252873097967884312011-08-20T17:03:04.999-04:002011-08-20T17:03:04.999-04:00Bev, "Shopping porn" LOL! I can imagine....Bev, "Shopping porn" LOL! I can imagine.<br /><br />I think reality tv started off with the right idea, but quickly settled on a formula that I really want nothing to do with. It was interesting when it was real people involved in strange situations. But by now it all just feels so scripted. Even when they come out with some new show, the people know right away how they are supposed to act. So you can't even get reality tv when it's new anymore. So I'd rather stick to reality shows like <i>Dirty Jobs</i>.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-26349044879869423792011-08-20T16:52:25.338-04:002011-08-20T16:52:25.338-04:00LawHawk: I am a recovering reality show watcher. ...LawHawk: I am a recovering reality show watcher. It started with Anna Nicole Smith. All I could think is why would someone go out of their way to let people know how unstable you are? It was sad and pathetic. BUT I couldn't divert my gaze from the train wreck...BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-41277102763150775212011-08-20T16:49:32.412-04:002011-08-20T16:49:32.412-04:00Andrew: you are absolutely right. It has become m...Andrew: you are absolutely right. It has become manufactured "reality". I gave up after the "spinoff" reality shows. At first they were fun and I really mean it that I was fascinated with the money these women could spend without guilt. I lived vicariously through their outrageous spending. It's shopping porn! <br /><br />But it has now become who crazy can they act and there is no limit to the crazy.BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-56957692654976528232011-08-20T16:34:27.987-04:002011-08-20T16:34:27.987-04:00Bev, I had the same issue with Survivor. The firs...Bev, I had the same issue with Survivor. The first season, it was really interesting because no one knew what "role" they were supposed to play, so you got an really fascinating mix of people all being themselves, playing this game.<br /><br />But by season 2, they already began to adopt roles. And by later seasons, they had basically become unpaid actors playing parts that had been written by all the prior shows. So I stopped watching.<br /><br />The other thing I noticed was how fake everything seemed in the world of "reality" tv. For example, the cameras would somehow be there at the exact moment something happened, even when we're talking about someone supposedly making an unexpected phone call to someone else.... the moment the other person picks up, the camera crew is already there, the lighting is on and they are in full makeup. Well, surprise, surprise, it turns out that they recreate many of the moments you see until they get them right for production purposes. Also, it turns out the producers are encouraging particular types of strife. Hence, the whole thing is a fraud.<br /><br />That's why I stopped watching all these shows.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-18719727718275100772011-08-20T16:12:17.255-04:002011-08-20T16:12:17.255-04:00Bev: You're braver than I am. I have never w...Bev: You're braver than I am. I have never watched a single "reality" program, and don't intend to start now. The previews alone have kept me away.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.com