Reality TV is watching the things we think but do not say.

Reality TV will be here for a long time.  As fans, we are addicted to such shows as Survivor, Amazing Race, and Big Brother.  We also like FOX Reality TV shows.  So what makes us addicted to these type of broadcasts?

Let’s take for example a date in real life.  It may take months before a couple has a conversation regarding how they feel about each other, but on a reality TV broadcast people are asked to express their feelings through tapped or filmed conversations instantly. There are people who may say this is not “reality” because in real life, a normal date ends with a nice good bye or kiss rather than interviews. But I argue the opposite is true, reality TV is more real than real life because on TV, you are forced to open up to hard questions about your emotions and take action based on those feelings. Hiding your true intentions may be what usually happens in real life, but expressing yourself openly as people do on TV is what real reality is all about.

The closest I have come to this type of reality tv experience would be a Club Med vacation with singles. 

A coupe meets and hangs out the first day.  Dating continues every day until by the end of the week a couple has fought and broke up, or the relationship has moved on to the next level of being extremely serious.  But back at home, dating is done once or twice a week with the same person, so it takes weeks or months before the relationship can go anywhere, compared to how quickly things escalate on a vacation! And of course, I use to love the competitions at Club Med.  We would recruit our teams and compete in various events, all for the fun and enjoyment of it!  We are seeing this happen again on the new ”Survivor Nicaragua” series. 

Everyone says reality TV is fake

It isn’t and I have done my research on a few reality shows and every time, and the results continue to point to a show as real as possible. In fact, reality TV is more real and more entertaining (due to editing) than real life!  As an example, looking at a reality tv show of Big Brother show versus looking at its live feed is a big difference.  The live feed is boring most of the time, while the broadcast show is extremely entertaining because the producers cut-out all the boring moments and also the down-time of the cast. While viewing the live feed, we can tell after 24 hours that this is no way scripted . . . and I challenge anyone to believes it to be so to simply watch the live feed for themselves.  Be prepared to be surprised!

Most of the fakeness on reality TV is because people themselves are not honest in general. On TV, fake personalities are often exposed through interviews and confrontations forcing them to get real. So again, the fake person ends up being more real on TV than in real life.  Reality tv producers like to occasionally booze up their contestents with an amble supply of beer, wine, or hard liquor.  This seems to always bring out the drunks who end up becoming extremely emotional for the camera.

Some VH1 and MTV shows are almost totally scripted, and every reality tv show has to have some sort of set up for production. But for the majority of reality shows the characters are encouraged to be themselves. When production encourages characters to talk about something, confront someone, or address a particular topic, that directing makes people more real than they otherwise would be. Staring on a reality show is like being drunk, you aren’t acting as you normally would, you are extra entertaining, and you are being more of your real self than usual.

Despite our love and hate interests for reality tv, at least that’s real.

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