Reality TV is not exactly my
favorite of all genres. In class we discussed Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty,
and cannot help but think how fake that “reality” is. I have heard before that
the men on Duck Dynasty did not used to look like that. That they actually grew
out their beards and started dressing the way they do on the show to further
our perceptions. This alone makes me wonder how real anything is that happens
on shows like that.
Honey Boo Boo, though shown as
total idiots in the show, that family is RICH. They can afford to live
anywhere, dress however they want, but they don’t. Why? Because that is not how
the program makes money. The way they make money is by furthering our
perception of the characters to keep viewers. I believe fully that people would
not watch Honey Boo Boo if they lived in a really nice house, wore nice
clothes, acted like normal people, and didn’t talk like hillbillies. That
thought scares me.
What has come of TV shows today?
People like that, and like those of Real Housewives and Duck Dynasty, are all
paid to keep a certain lifestyle for the entertainment. When in fact, their
actual life off camera is probably vastly different. But that is the way of the
world today – we live to watch train wrecks, and people different from us. That
is why those shows exist. That is why new shows like that are created all the
time. And that is also why my love for TV has drastically decreased in recent
years.
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ReplyDeleteI agree that Honey Boo Boo would probably not make it far if they acted like normal, rich people. Even the Kardashians, with their vast wealth, have so many fans/viewers because they're pretty much all idiots on camera and that's entertaining to people. And if you think about it, the only reason the Kardashians have reality shows is because they're all beautiful and rich. It isn't because any of them are famous actors or very talented in a certain field.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with Duck Dynasty, although I agree that their off-camera lives are probably very different, I think as far as their relationships and interaction with one another is probably about the same. I feel like it would be difficult to fake that kind of interaction, and with the way most other reality shows are today, it seems like disrespect, fighting and yelling, and conflict is one of the major things that gets a lot of views. But Duck Dynasty doesn't have any of that and it's been the #1 show in the U.S.! But regardless of all that, reality tv is definitely not my favorite either because I hate that the negative things are what draw people in and the obsessions that people have over the people in these shows is ridiculous to me. I'd rather read a healthy, inspiring book, haha.