Reality TV

NORMA SHERRY

Together Forever Changing

An Article

TV's Reality

Something is wrong when realty TV is the extent of the network’s creativity. Something is very, very wrong in Hollywood when a viewer’s choice is between bad and very, very bad.

Fox TV is bringing back Joe Millionaire, but this time it’s International Joe Millionaire. FOX had to go abroad, no pun intended, because they didn’t think it possible to find unsuspecting American girls after the first Joe Millionaire. So this time it will be a bevy of lovelies from Europe . Perhaps to prove that American girls are not alone in their willingness to be portrayed as inane gold-diggers on national TV.

The premise of Joe Millionaire is to convince unsuspecting single young women that they are competing for the love and affection of one single and very rich man. FOX TV will demonstrate that they can hoodwink yearning-for-love women into denigrating themselves over a man who is portrayed as worth millions, but is in reality financially worthless.

The female contestants willingly compromise their upbringing and morality, as they shamelessly scantily sashay in front of cameras that follow their every move for the chance of marrying a millionaire. For the viewer, it’s the opportunity to watch the women as they strut their nearly naked bodies around the castle, in the hot tub, out of the hot tub, and as they each attempt to seduce Joe. As for Joe, well, he’s in a win/win situation no matter how you look at it – he certainly gets to eat his cake and have it too.

Another FOX creation, Temptation Island , tempts young unwed, but committed couples with beautiful and overtly willing temptresses and studs. The premise contends host, Mark Walberg, is for the couples to test their relationships and to grow by experiencing others.

In this tasteless program, the audience is privy to the participant’s most vulnerable moments. Each airing the women pick a stud to date, and visa versa the men. Then they carouse, taunt, and tease while the television voyeur watches.

By the evenings end, each half of the couple that came to “experience” is given a video to watch of their significant other’s shenanigans. It’s a nail-biting snippet carefully chosen by the producers to illicit tears or shock, or fretfulness from the girls as they watch their sweetheart smooch and flirt outrageously with a provocative playmate that is clearly willing to do anything to win the man. The resultant response is exactly what the producers anticipate. The young women react much as most insecure young women might. They throw their will to the winds and fall into the arms of the first waiting and willing young buck. The men don’t fare any better. After they watch their video, they too react expectedly. As the immature young men they are, they respond shamefully, intoxicatingly and outrageous…and this folks is TV at its best.

FOX isn’t alone, however, when it comes to insipid TV. Every network has jumped on this bandwagon. CBS brings back Survivor. This time they’re stranded on an island. As is the key with all reality TV, the participants are first thrown together as strangers, they form alliances, and then they betray one another to the bitter end and the most despicable and best conniver wins. It’s human nature at its worst.

Big Brother is another CBS program. It’s Survivor – but instead of an island, these participants are isolated in a house with beds and linens and food, although sometimes its only peanut butter and jelly. Without exception, the viewer can count on sex, intrigue, manipulation, lying, and in-fighting among the locked up participants. For those in the house the money is always worth their self-respect and dignity, because those qualities are always left at the door.

ABC not to be left out has resurrected The Bachelor with one of last season’s rejects. It worked with the Bachlorette, so as the expression goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Again, the crux of this show is 25 lonely- searching-for-love women competing for the affection and betrothal of a lone single man. The audience can rest assured that every season there will be at least one female that borders on demonic jealousy. She’s the one that falls in love instantly and cries until she is finally, blessedly sent home. The women demean themselves before a national audience for the remote possibility of falling in mutual love. Desperation or fifteen minutes of fame? Either way, it’s sad.

NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, BRAVO, OXYGEN, TBN, MTV, and PBS, have all jumped on. There are plenty of servings of depravity, sexuality, danger, risk, embarrassment, desire, intrigue, and wannabe stars to go around. With creativity such as, Meet my Folks, Marry my Dad, Fear Factor, Dog Eat Dog, Last Comic Standing, For Love or Money, Paradise Hotel, Queer Eye, Race to the Alter, The Amazing Race, The Restaurant, The Mole, American Idol, American Juniors, Extreme Makeover, Fame, The Love Cruise, The Real World, The Osbournes', Boy Meets Boy, Road Rules, Trading Places, and Nashville Star, no wonder starving viewers are turning to HBO, and FX.

They seem to be the lone options for contemplative, entertaining, and thought-provoking television with programming such as, Six Feet Under, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, and 24. But as long as voyeurism and despicable human interaction draws 13 to 25 million viewers and the networks don’t have to deal with prima donna actors insisting on millions of dollars per episode, Reality TV will be here to stay.

The losers are our dignity, humanity, and good taste.

Links to Our Pages

The Purpose and The Vision:

Our Purpose

Our National Proposal and Vision

In Defense of our Civil Liberties

Articles by Norma Sherry

The Day Democracy Was Put On Hold by Norma Sherry

Freedom is Just Another Word for Nothing Left to Lose by Norma Sherry

Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Farm No More (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry

Bye, Bye Miss American Pie (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry

Dear American Worker (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry

Once Upon a Time in America (Not a Fable) (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry

I Believe (A Retrospective and a Promise) by Norma Sherry

We Can Make a Difference by Norma Sherry

What Price Glory? by Norma Sherry

Six Steps to Get The Vote Out by Norma Sherry

Not So Gay Times by Norma Sherry

...And God Said by Norma Sherry

Where, Oh Where Have All The Jobs Gone? by Norma Sherry

Never Again by Norma Sherry

A Deadly Secret by Norma Sherry

Pathology of Malpractice by Norma Sherry

Reality TV by Norma Sherry

One for the Gipper by Norma Sherry

Jobs, Jobs, Everywhere Jobs and Not a Job to Find

HIPAA and Other Assaults Upon Our Civil Liberties by Norma Sherry

Eyes Wide Shut by Norma Sherry

Skewed Vision by Norma Sherry

Sugar-Free Reflections of a Democratic Convention by Norma Sherry

Michael Badnarik: Libertarian Candidate for President by Norma Sherry

Que Sera, Sera by Norma Sherry

Suffer the Little Children by Norma Sherry

Katrina's Wrath, America's Shame by Norma Sherry

If it Were Up to Me by Norma Sherry

What Have They Done to my Song? by Norma Sherry

A Child's Dilemma by Norma Sherry

The Ride Home by Norma Sherry

Whose Life is it Anyway? by Norma Sherry

Reaping Profits for the Reaper by Norma Sherry

Genocide by Norma Sherry

A Tribute to the Life of Reverend Dr. Taylor Scott IV by Norma Sherry

Articles by Philip J. Rappa

Warning on Yawning by Philip J. Rappa

What Have We Learned Since 911? by Philip J. Rappa

Rhapsody for Democracy by Philip J. Rappa

Help Me if You Can, I'm Feeling Bad by Philip J. Rappa

In God We Trust by Philip J. Rappa

Fear and Loathing in America by Philip J. Rappa

Open Letter to the President of the United States of America by Philip J. Rappa

The House Always Wins by Philip J. Rappa

Alpha and Omega by Philip J. Rappa

Oh-Sum-Bodies-Been-Lying by Philip J. Rappa

Requiem to the Silliness I Learned in Civics Class by Philip J. Rappa

Storm and Strife by Philip J. Rappa

The Ill-Begotten: Reflections of Unconstitutional Precedence by Philip J. Rappa

High Noon in America by Philip J. Rappa

Do the Hokey Pokey by Philip J. Rappa

Articles by Others

Lawyer's Band to Save the Constitution

Raid on Patrons

Philip's Story:

Philip's Personal Story

Philip's Presentations on Personal Responsibility

A Little About Norma:

All About Outsourcing:

Businesses that Outsource

What You Can Do About Outsourcing?

Press Releases:

Front Page Story of Creator's Norma & Philip

Back to Top of Page

If you are interested in joining the growing number of American citizens worldwide who wish to investigate the crimes of the Bush Administration and want to begin the process of impeachment, please visit the following websites:

More of Our Favorite Websites:

Visit www.Penstrokes.biz for effective writing.

If you need words that get results, Penstrokes is the scribe for you!

Commondreams