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cbrf4irider

Reality TV

cbrf4irider
18 years ago

Mimi had a good idea, so I'm starting this thread on her behalf.

Reality TV isn't dead. The actors screwed themselves when SAG went on strike many years ago, and that helped spawn the reality TV saga because that's what producers decided to do with the lack of actors. You just film "real people" who don't have expectations from the industry about pay and everything else. SAG is no longer on strike, but the American people took to Reality TV so well, it's still a great equation for producers. For instance, shows like Wife Swap and Nanny 911--they pay a family 10K for the whole deal. The family signs off on reshow rights and whatnot, and the producers have no further negotiations, royalties to pay, or really any ties at all. Good deal for producers. Of course, the reality TV stars are known for being on that show, and not much more. They are associated with whatever dirty laundry they aired until the public forgets about them altogether.

Are we a reality TV show? I'll say no. Each of us has something interesting to share, but a show about orchid geeks would only appeal to other orchid geeks. Might work on HGTV, but that's it. I think audiences would get tired of watching me logging onto the forums three times a day pretty quickly. They'd have to create some other drama to keep the show exciting ... which brings me to my final point ...

Reality TV is not real. Families would not trade and accept wives on their own. "The Real World" is the only place where 5 strangers share a free appartment with a perpetually stocked bar. Let's face it: The Bachelor is a fantasy. And shows that follow households like The Newly Weds and The Osbornes is HOLLYWOOD reality. Even those families have suggestions from the producers on what to do for excitement.

There, I said it!

Comments (23)

  • ladybug_ok
    18 years ago

    Oh, contrare...lol...imagine if you will the various characters as we know them. Their community interactions that we see taking place here and other places. Then as interactions unfold, you find yourself seeing the puter screens with the "real" personas behind the keys and their "real life" happenings. That's when you realize, tada! that the people are all filtering/altering/amending their "real" lives into their internet personas.

    I don't know about you, but it would be fun to try to put the "real" characters with the "internet" characters to see who's who....kind of a who's who sort of game.

    I need more coffee..........

    Maggie

  • varmint
    18 years ago

    Ok. Then flip it. What about the voyeuristic aspect of us logging in to see us? Isn't that a little like reality tv viewers logging in to see the people who are not really actors on the idiot box?

    I rarely come here to read about orchids any more. It's more about seeing what all of you will say.

    We are the content here. When you think about it, isn't it just a little odd?

    Where is Sue when you need him? I am sure he could add something existential to this discussion!

    -Mimi

  • tuezday1
    18 years ago

    I thought reality TV was on it's way out. I think I read that awhile ago. I never got into it anyway.

    Personally, I thought the first Desperate Housewife's shows had more of a hint of reality, which is what made them so funny.

    French lesson for the day: "au contraire". Def: apparently Laura's mood.

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    18 years ago

    It must be on its way out. I do watch the tube and have noticed there isn't that much out there anymore compared to a year or so ago. Remember some of the terrible stuff they had? Sometimes I would tune in just to see how low the standards for entertainment had fallen.

    I think people were originally drawn to the whole concept because they thought they were going to see some really shocking stuff - stuff you didn't see on regular TV.

    I agree with L. Desperate Housewifes fits the bill more than any 'reality' show. So does Southpark. Both crack me up.

    K

  • cbrf4irider
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I was wondering if anyone watched South Park when we were having the whole Wal*Mart discussion.

    It's kinda crazy to think about, but yes we are the content here! Those are some interesting ideas, but I think it would be a better movie than TV show.

  • clintdawley
    18 years ago

    Nicole, I love South Park and the Wal-mart episode was great!

    The only reality TV I enjoy is Bravo's Project Runway...I like it because of the talent involved and actually getting to see a dress being made is kind of awesome to me, as I have no talent in that area...

    Beautiful women wearing interesting clothing is really appealing to me..anyone else like this show?

  • Driftless Roots
    18 years ago

    Clint! Last season I got so hooked on PR that I swore I wasn't going to watch it at all this time around. I was sure it couldn't be as good and fresh as the original. Then I made the big mistake of idly channel surfing one evening and caught the second episode. THAT SHOW IS LIKE FREAKING CRACK! I now rush home from bowling on Wednesdays to see who Santino is sneering at. Do we need to start a separate PR thread?

    That is, I believe the only "reality" show I've been able to watch for more than a few minutes. I'm proud to say that I've never watched even one second of American Idol.

    The orchid growers reality show would go something like this: Growers would be locked in a large home with attached large greenhouse and a random selection of 1000 healthy but non-blooming plants. During their stay they'd have to care for the orchids and see how many they can get to bloom. Periodically during their year (at least)in "the compound" they'd rate each other on thier contributions to the plant care and eliminate participants. "Adios! You're Compost!" Surprise challenges would include getting a shipment of new plants that have bugs they have to eradicate, creating displays of plants for judging, identifying obscure species, making mother flasks, etc.

  • clintdawley
    18 years ago

    Shady..I know..Santino is talented..but I prefer Nick's designs and attitude. I really liked Diana's techno slant to things and I was sorry to see her get eliminated last week.

    I'll sign up for the orchid grower's reality show! Sounds FUN!

  • Driftless Roots
    18 years ago

    I wasn't all that impressed with Diana. She seemed like one of those "producer's gambles" and was included just to make it "interesting" and maybe she'd work out/maybe not. As opposed to Marla *cough*Star*cough* Right now I'm also liking Nick as well as Chloe and Kevin. Part of me hopes they really will choose the best designer from the group but I'm afraid they'll eventually steer clear of Santino/Emmet/Nick/Andrae/Kevin just to avoid having another man (gay man?) win two seasons in a row. It's pretty obvious they shot for a more diverse slate of candidates this year and I only wonder if it's because of the accusations of racism when Kara "shoe cheater" Saun wasn't chosen last year.

  • clintdawley
    18 years ago

    I think the shoe cheat did Kara in. The producers weren't happy with her getting an unfair advantage and they chose Jay's god-aweful techno-homo designs over real class (i. e. Austin Scarlett).

    I think Nina Garcia will eventually eat Santino's yellow chiffon before too many more episodes. Being confident and able to explain your designs is one thing--being an a**hole is quite another. Andrae is a big drama queen and Emmet is not that creative.

    I think Daniel Vosovic's designs are too "Sin City"..if that makes sense. Chloe is great, but a lot of her stuff looks like Bergdorf's or Chanel from 10 years ago.

    Kara Janx is too plain-jane. Zulema designs too much for the "bling bling hos".

  • shannon_widmer
    18 years ago

    Yay! PR fans! I'm rooting for Nick. I wish he would quit pairing up with Santino.

    The only other reality show I watch is Miami Ink. I'm dying to get another tattoo, and Chris Garver is just incredibly yummy.

  • clairewags
    18 years ago

    We don't watch much reality TV. Survivor is usually the only one DH and I watch more than one of. Currently he is making me watch "The Flavor of Love" and I don't want to talk about it.

    Reality shows just make me mad. A lot of the people cast want to get into the 'scene'- they want to be discovered. Those people aren't real anyway.

    I have watched a few minutes of PR- I just saw the one with Nicky Hilton.

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Flavor of Love

  • cbrf4irider
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I mainly watch the train wreck reality shows, such as The Flavor of Love! Damn, I hope New York falls hard (hopefully) when she gets the boot. I hope Country girl wins ;)

    Also, Breaking Bonaduche was hard to pull away from.

    There won't be much TV at all for me for a while, as I am at school w/o a TV. Claire, you'll have to fill me in!

    Shady, I think you should be the one to pitch the orchid reality show. You've obviously thought it through!

  • clairewags
    18 years ago

    I'll keep you posted all right. I hope that New York gets the boot. One of these days she'll get on Oyster's bad side, she'll snitch to Flav and NY will be gone. If by Country Girl you mean Goldie- she should win!

  • tuezday1
    18 years ago

    When the ex was living here, I used to joke with the neighbors that with neighbors like us, who needed cable.

    There was the time he decided some kids we were watching needed a water slide. So he put a couple of tarps in the front yard, which is on a hill, and turned on the hose. Picture a 50 year old guy needing to loose about 25 pounds, without a shirt on and multiple tattoo's, shorts that won't stay up (more crack than New York)and a beer in his hand, sliding down a tarp in the front yard on his stomach. By the time he got to the bottom, at the street, his shorts were somewhere down around his thighs. This went on for about an hour. The kids loved it.

    All the while, one of the neighbors was having her annual BBQ for her church with a wonderful view of all this. Whoops.

    I live reality TV.

  • cbrf4irider
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Love that story!

  • clintdawley
    18 years ago

    Project Runway last night was a travesty?

    How long can they keep Santino when he just misses the point completely? Did anyone else see the skating dress he designed for Sasha Cohen? She could have put mini-me in all that junk in the trunk. *rolls eyes*

    If Santino does something stupid and isn't out in the next episode, I may just quit watching.

  • shannon_widmer
    18 years ago

    Clint, I'm right there with you. DH and I were both outraged that he didn't get the boot. That outfit was a monstrosity! What did you think of Zulema's design? I didn't like it. The open stomach made the model look like she had a pot belly!

  • clintdawley
    18 years ago

    Shannon:

    Zulema's wasn't my first choice either. Sasha is pretty atheltic and probably has a great stomach, but I would have chosen Chloe's design--it's not like any skating dress out there and the ruffles were very feminine and the color was great.

  • Driftless Roots
    18 years ago

    I missed last night's for a wedding :( but I'm sure I'll catch it in reruns.

    Santino is being kept for his personality. It's obvious. Once they get down to a real level of competition it will become more difficult for the producers to keep on people only their for the flavor they add.

    I have to go find a summary now to see what I missed.

  • clairewags
    18 years ago

    Dang. I was eating wings & drinking. I didn't see it either.

    That Santino guy bugs me. The episode before last he told Michael Kors women who shop at Bannana Republic don't know who he is. Oy. Michael should have female dog slapped him off that runway.

    I agree he's being kept around for his personality- and that's it. The judges probably giggle about it back stage. "Oh. I can't wait until you tell him he's out!" *snicker snicker*

  • shannon_widmer
    18 years ago

    Shady & Claire you have to catch the rerun. Let me just say that you'll get a great laugh over what Santino has to wear.

    I liked Chloe's dress, too. The color was fantastic.

  • Driftless Roots
    18 years ago

    They ran last night's episode again this evening. Santino looked so perfect in his hat. That's all I'll say.

    That, and that Emmet was cut just for being bland. His outfit was fine. But bland. Santino should have been cut for adding thirty-seven pounds of crap to the suit of an ATHLETE who needs to jump into the air. That's all I'll say.

    That and that I would pay big bucks for tickets to the Celebrity Boxing episode that pits Santino against Nina Garcia. I was SO disappointed that she wasn't there the put the fire extinguiser to his "Phoenix." Please. That's all I'll say.