Reality TV
Thanks to American Idol (AI) we currently have something somewhat entertaining on TV that doesn’t rely on writers. I use the phase “somewhat entertaining” rather loosely because I believe the first couple weeks of American Idol are over rated. In my opinion American Idol is wearing out the once comical auditions and they are now just down right ridiculous! I watch AI because I want to see talented singers who work hard and want to be someone some day. I don’t watch AI, however, for the thousands of people who try out just too completely make fools of themselves. When AI first aired I have to admit that the “bad” singers were comical and entertaining, but as the seasons have gone by they auditions are focused more and more on the “bad” singers rather than the good singers. I believe if the writers were not on strike and there was something other on TV AI’s ratings would not be as high as they are today. Now I’m not saying that I’m ready AI to wrap it up, but what I am saying is that I wish they would start concentrating more on the talented singers more during the auditions. But for now I’ll wait for the auditions to wrap up and I’ll tune in as soon as they are in Hollywood.
Another reality show that is gaining popularity quickly is Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. This reality show includes celebrities that have all admitted that they have some type of chemical dependency and want to get clean. I think it is a great show because it shows that celebrities are real people with real problems too! Celebrities are stereotyped as having the perfect life because they either fell into or found fame and fortune. Well this show proves that the stereotypical role that celebrities are type cast as is not always the case. This show airs the celebrities going through the actual detoxification process, and it is not pretty. For instance Jeff Conway, better known for his role as Kenickie in the movie Grease (Celebrity, n.d.), his detoxification process has been the most highly air and talked about. He is trying to “get clean” from his dependency on several drugs, such as cocaine and pain killers. His detoxification process has included seizures, which has put him in the hospital, a dependency on a wheelchair, dependency on people helping him go to the bathroom and a lot of throwing up. What makes this so bad is that this is all being aired on VH1 for the entire world to see. After last weeks show I was concerned that poor Kenickie would not survive this process, but just this morning I heard a live radio interview. While he still did not sound great and admitted that he was still taking pain killers “for his back”, he was doing well and the show was a success. This show is being talked about all of the media circuits “as the best reality show and the most real and unscripted reality show to date” and I believe has actually gained the reality shows some creditability. Many are saying that this show proves that even reality shows can actually survive without writers and if the writers strike does not end soon there could be more shows like this. At this point I say “writers keep walking the picket lines”, because I love watching celebrities living life and dealing with real issues just as average Americans do everyday.
Reference
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2008, from http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/celebrity_rehab_with_dr_drew/series.jhtml
Thanks to American Idol (AI) we currently have something somewhat entertaining on TV that doesn’t rely on writers. I use the phase “somewhat entertaining” rather loosely because I believe the first couple weeks of American Idol are over rated. In my opinion American Idol is wearing out the once comical auditions and they are now just down right ridiculous! I watch AI because I want to see talented singers who work hard and want to be someone some day. I don’t watch AI, however, for the thousands of people who try out just too completely make fools of themselves. When AI first aired I have to admit that the “bad” singers were comical and entertaining, but as the seasons have gone by they auditions are focused more and more on the “bad” singers rather than the good singers. I believe if the writers were not on strike and there was something other on TV AI’s ratings would not be as high as they are today. Now I’m not saying that I’m ready AI to wrap it up, but what I am saying is that I wish they would start concentrating more on the talented singers more during the auditions. But for now I’ll wait for the auditions to wrap up and I’ll tune in as soon as they are in Hollywood.
Another reality show that is gaining popularity quickly is Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. This reality show includes celebrities that have all admitted that they have some type of chemical dependency and want to get clean. I think it is a great show because it shows that celebrities are real people with real problems too! Celebrities are stereotyped as having the perfect life because they either fell into or found fame and fortune. Well this show proves that the stereotypical role that celebrities are type cast as is not always the case. This show airs the celebrities going through the actual detoxification process, and it is not pretty. For instance Jeff Conway, better known for his role as Kenickie in the movie Grease (Celebrity, n.d.), his detoxification process has been the most highly air and talked about. He is trying to “get clean” from his dependency on several drugs, such as cocaine and pain killers. His detoxification process has included seizures, which has put him in the hospital, a dependency on a wheelchair, dependency on people helping him go to the bathroom and a lot of throwing up. What makes this so bad is that this is all being aired on VH1 for the entire world to see. After last weeks show I was concerned that poor Kenickie would not survive this process, but just this morning I heard a live radio interview. While he still did not sound great and admitted that he was still taking pain killers “for his back”, he was doing well and the show was a success. This show is being talked about all of the media circuits “as the best reality show and the most real and unscripted reality show to date” and I believe has actually gained the reality shows some creditability. Many are saying that this show proves that even reality shows can actually survive without writers and if the writers strike does not end soon there could be more shows like this. At this point I say “writers keep walking the picket lines”, because I love watching celebrities living life and dealing with real issues just as average Americans do everyday.
Reference
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2008, from http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/celebrity_rehab_with_dr_drew/series.jhtml
1 comment:
Your comments on the current situation with reality t.v. shows and the writers strike are well taken. My question is to what degree are we a country only interested in watching the train wreck...coming/ happening/ the wrechage! What does this say about us as a society?
The first weeks of American Idol seem to be a good example of this.
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