We all know that RTV isn't exactly reality. But it is sure a lot closer than other scripted television. I think reality television became the tour de force it is, in part, because the average American viewer was getting a little tired of the politically correct writing coming out of Hollywood being rammed down their throats every night.
Reality TV offered the viewer a chance to just watch "average" people interact and compete without some Politically Correct message being worked into each show. It was refreshing.
But as time has gone along, those writers and producers who had been stripped of their political voice in the new medium have sought to find ways to bring back the Politically Correct viewpoint they love to espouse. This was done by always casting at least gay guy or girl, or one or two minorities here and there.
But recently these efforts have become even more transparent, and in my opinion, threatens the watchability of reality television.
A couple of examples. The show 30 Days, produced by Morgan Spurlock (of Supersize Me) has featured episodes in which we are expected to ignore the obvious political bent of the setup. The last two episodes feature a Christian living with Muslims, and a Christian man living in a gay community. Hmm? Where are the episodes of the Muslim or gay living with a Christian? Oh wait, that wouldn't work because the whole point is to try to force the Christian to accept a religion or way of life they don't believe in. It's engineered to try and force an outcome.
Then in a recent episode of "The Scholar" the two teams of students vying for a scholarship are forced to debate the issue of same sex marriages, one team taking the pro position and the other taking the con. Of course it is edited to show us the students who are pro easily coming up with arguments for their position while the con students struggle to disregard their conscience and good sense to take up a ridiculous position mired in stupid religious beliefs. Can you guess which team wins? Gee, what a surprise, I am sure that wasn't fixed. NOT. How about having them argue something a little less political and something in which we don't think you are trying to again ram a political belief down our throats. We aren't stupid. It's not like we don't know what the producers are trying to do.
Many, if not all the field trips the kids from "Amish in the City" had some kind of political statement buried in them, from environmentalism to religion and race.
If shows continue down this path, it is my guess they will start to disappear from people's TiVo lists. Note to producers: just show us reality. Stop trying to push your political point of view into the shows. You can annoy us with your politics when you give your Emmy acceptance speeches.
Evan is a Web Designer and Corporate Training Specialist by day, and a Reality TV junky, author, and movie reviewer by night.
You can write to Evan at RealEvan@RealityTVCalendar.com
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