JOE MILLIONARE” AND “The Bachlorette” are just the latest in a long list of reality television shows to invade the homes of million of Americans.
Beginning with MTV’s “Real World” series, teens and adults alike found themselves caught up in the reality TV phenomenon.
“Reality TV seems to have become the trend and it has actually become a bit out of control. Reality TV has taken the place of sitcoms and daytime game shows,” said junior Martha Stoecker.
Why are these shows so popular? Sophomore Darcy Kimmich watches “Joe Millionaire” because “it’s funny to watch a bunch of chicks fight over a guy who doesn’t have any money anyway.”
The notion that the characters’ lives are filled with the so-called drama perhaps enlivens the more ordinary lives that viewers lead. Another theory is that such shows create a “real” human aspect that audiences can relate to. On MTV’s latest season of “Real World,” two characters dealt with a common issue, pre-marital pregnancy. In an interview after the taping of the series, the cast members commented that they hoped by going through that on TV they, in turn, helped viewers facing a similar situation by demonstrating how they reacted and handled the problem.
Although the cast members of reality TV are not professional actors, they are chosen by producers and placed in “alternate worlds,” which change their lives. “The Bachelor” and “The Bachlorette” are both created to find something that drives many in society today, love. “The Bachlorette” arose from the response of the male viewers falling in love with, or feeling attracted to, the runner-up contender for the love of the star of “The Bachelor.”
“The guys are cute, but it’s interesting that they (the male contestants) fell in love with her through TV,” points out junior Cara Marranzino.
American’s obsession with these reality programs is unique.
Junior Emily Petrilla, who studied abroad in Italy, said, “After living in Europe for a while, it is interesting to see the difference in family values between Europeans and Americans. The United States seems to focus on gossip and the lives of others, not their own.”
So, while reality TV can be entertaining, it wouldn’t hurt to turn off the television every once in a while and face our own reality, not that of others.
