Coallition Against Reality TV Executive Money Monglers

[Jon Thompson]

This where those who despire reality TV will convene in means to insult it, degrade it and unjustify it's reason for still existing. Reality shows eat up time for good television shows. They cost nothing to yet they make millions of advertising.

Take Extreme Home Makeover for instance. People say it is entertaining. I don't understand what is so entertaining of remodeling a house (there is what a thousand shows involved with this?) and families cry and there is a lot of emotion. Worst is the networks look all 'kind and loving' by helping out families. If they didn't make ten million dollars (sic) an episode at the cost of, at maximum, a million an episode (Ty Penningtons ridiculous salary included) would they be doing it? They use people to make money then leave and they look like the good guys.


Does anyone remember that show The Swan? It's bad enough 80% of the women on reality TV are hot and beautiful but they actually created a show explaining how image is everything and ugly women competed to become the most beautiful. I seen a woman with masking on from plastic surgery running on a treadmill practically crying she couldn't take it any more. Absolutely disgusting. That is no entertainment, it's practically torture. 'But we're giving them the oppourtunity at beauty', yeah, fake beauty. You ever seen Paris Hilton with then without make up? Beauty is what you portray it as.


There are some reality shows I don't like 'American Idol', 'Survivor' but it's more of a contest. But then you've got Flavour of Love with Flavour Flav. I'm am guilty enough to say I've even sat down and watched some episodes of it. It was, essentially, women fighting and Flav trying to shag them all. Trash TV more trash than Springer. Perhaps that's why I found it so amusing, it was so horrible and low brow I couldn't help but laugh at it.

American Idol - The show that managed to turn 80% of North America into believing they can become a pop star. Thank you very much Ryan Seacrest, you douche. Worst part about Idol is I watched an episode near the end of a season and we had four commercial breaks before ANYTHING of significance happened.


At the base of it, reality TV is the biggest racket the networks have decised. They can have free talent by hanging the possibility of winning something over their heads. So they pay one person the cost of regular television actor for an episode and save a bundle. Best part is there is no need for writers, actual production or thinking. They can do the same thing week after week after week. It's flawless, really. No way without reality TV could Flavor Flav break out of being a has been. He was in like three reality shows!



Who else dislikes reality and would like to join in on the dislike?

[rubah]

They're just catering to what people want-- that's what you get with capitalism; at least most of the dumber ones die after their first seasons.

Did people use to complain like this with contest shows? It seems that would be the closest approximation to the previous generations.

[blim]

It is all crap, but then again what would we get instead, more repeats? Just dont watch it.

[oddler]

Yeah, pretty much all TV is crap these days and that's why I don't watch it. Sort of tied in with what rubah brought up, game shows are actually the only thing on TV that I "like" to watch. And not the ones where you watch someone emotionally break down and take an hour to decide whether they want to keep playing or not. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Win Ben Stein's Money. Those are good.

[Madame Adequate]

They're just catering to what people want

Nothing to add.

[NeoCracker]

Of course its what we want. Nothing quite beats a scrawny white boy getting his butt spanked by a crazy Stereotypical Black Chick.

(I got really board and started Watching I love New York. I feel ashamed.)

[Vincent, Thunder God]

The thing is that the title "Reality" is just there to detract from what it actually is - completely scripted, edited, and fake.

It's also utter garbage, and if it's going to be all that's on other than reruns, I'm going to keep avoiding TV. I hope if other people hate it, they will try to discourage it by not watching it, and only watching quality programming.

[Vermachtnis]

The only reality show I watch is Last Comic Standing. But, that's like an exception to the rule. All other reality shows are bad and just what you said.

[Rengori]

The only things on TV worth watching these days are NBC sitcoms, Adult Swim, some of Comedy Central, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I can't really think of anything else that's good.

And damn, 80% of America was watching American Idol? Jesus Christ, I knew people with any taste in music were rare, but damn.

[Madame Adequate]

The only things on TV worth watching these days are NBC sitcoms, Adult Swim, some of Comedy Central, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I can't really think of anything else that's good.

House and BSG spring instantly to mind.

[Jon Thompson]

And damn, 80% of America was watching American Idol? Jesus Christ, I knew people with any taste in music were rare, but damn.

Well, not 80% of them watch it. The show often pulls in anywhere from 25-40 millions viewers a week. Their finales have done over 50 million before. Then you've got all the people who don't watch American Idol but will try out simply for the hopes of getting on television. Why else do horrible singers try out for this stuff?


Most of the television I watch is Showtime, HBO (many of my shows done). It's not even technically television. When it comes to official, networks it comes down to Lost, 24, Family Guy, South Park, Daily Show/Colbert Report and The Simpsons. While I like My Name is Earl and The Office (30 rock is turd) I never remember they are one. Well, I love the hackness of wrestling. Its something I've loved since I was a young kid. It's my own guilty pleasure. The amount of times I've heard 'what do you know about taste you like wrestling lolz' is ridiculous.

I'm not a person to defend my tastes or push my tastes on others. I just watch reality TV (I don't know, maybe it's because I love film and fiction) that I don't get anything from it. There is no substance, no theme or discussion. It's bone bare. I've always wanted to know..."What is the appeal of Reality Television" The name alone is an oxymoron. With networks it's advertising dollars, I don't understand it for the audience. Instead of watching reality, live it.

Reality TV makes my head hurt. When people starting to the camera about how they feel over inane conflict number 27 it really pisses me off. It's reality TV where the 'real people' get professional hair and make up done.


Has anyone ever heard of that show 'The Hills' on MTV? Talk about the worst piece of trash ever created. It's a fictional drama designed to look like a reality TV series to convey the 'drama' as reality. They even have an after show where three chicks and the token gay guy discuss it as if it's actually real. It hurts my head how popular :skull::skull::skull::skull: music, movies and television are. It's as if people ceased even the slightest attempt to be creative or unique. No problem just going with the flow, striking the iron when hot.

Sadness overwhelms.

[rubah]

I spent a month last year in a study hall where MTV was on every day almost. I was more than happy to change it out for one elsewhere, even though it meant abandoning one of my best friends to the drugery.

Seriously, the shows on MTV at 9AM are so inane. such drama queenery. It's pitiful.

[oddler]

Seriously, the shows on MTV at 9AM are so inane. such drama queenery. It's pitiful.

They're like that all day long. MTV is Satan in media form. :barf:

[NeoCracker]

MTV is to music as Fox News is to News.

[escobert]

The Flava of Love was obviously the best show in the last 30 years!

[El Bandito]

*insert response about how all TV is crap and an elitist spiel about how America is full of idiots*

I've met literal geniuses who adore I Love New York and that Tila Tequila show. Whatever entertains you is your preference. I don't see why people love to talk so much about how bad certain music/movies/television/books are when they could spend that time talking about things they like with others who like them.

[Jon Thompson]

My argument is that it's mindless and contributes nothing to the furtherment of mankind as a species. A decade of entertainment, wasted on making rich people richer. The movie industry has undergone a similar problem. I expected it to die out in a few years while it seems to just keep getting momentum. Every three or four years we have a game show craze. In ten years no one is going to care who won Flavour of Love 2.

[DK]

My argument is that it's mindless and contributes nothing to the furtherment of mankind as a species.

So what? Hardly any TV does. Stupid argument, tbh.

I'd take an amusing reality TV show like Dog the Bounty Hunter over soap opera drivel any day of the week.

[Jon Thompson]

Dog the bounter is GONE. Yep, his show is GONE. BOOYA. Man, that guy was a mega douche. I watched half an episode of that show and will never watch again...

I can't believe you'd rather watch Dogg over say 24, Lost or even CSI (which I don't like).

My most hated reality show right now is 'Intervention'. Talk about some sick entertainment. I love twisted and dark stuff butt his is just messed. Publicly displaying people at their worst, making a spectacle of drug/alcohol addiction. I don't find people crying/killing away their problems entertaining in the least.

[The Ceej]

I can mark the beginning of the end of good television with the premier of Survivor. Yes, there were reality shows before that, but America wasn't obsessesed over them. Networks hadn't yet realized that television doesn't have to be good to get people to watch. I mean, why should they spend all sorts of money on good writing, producing, directing, acting, etc. for a show that might be good when they can spend practically nothing and be assured that everyone's going to watch it? The problem is not with them, it's with us. We've proven Americans will watch whatever's on television just because it's on. Why should they put money and work into quality shows if we'll watch whatever crap they churn out?

Since reality shows took over, sitcoms (the backbone of primetime television) have more or less died and there's hardly any crap worth watching anymore. Fortunately, thanks to the invention of the DVR, I don't have to watch commercials anymore. I record the few good shows that are actually on television and skip past the commercials. I'll be damned if I'm going to reward the behavior of making all TV crap by allowing myself to be subjected to commercials (which, by the way, are also crap, though they always have been).

Seriously, I could go on all day about the death of good television at the hand of reality shows, but you've heard a couple of my better points. The solution? Change the channel or turn the TV off. If no one watches crap, they take it off the air for new crap. Eventually they'll see no one wants crap and put real TV back on the tube again.