Keeping it Real

“Reality” television star Kate Gosselin has filed for divorce from her husband and co-star Jon, and TLC has shelved their “reality” show Jon & Kate Plus 8. (I use quotation marks because there really isn’t anything “real” about “reality” shows. The actors might not read scripts, but the show itself becomes scripted simply because there are roles that have to be played only because a camera is rolling. If you want reality, don’t have any cameras around.)

I’m not sure how Americans will survive this. They might have to watch the Discovery Channel, PBS, the History Channel or—God forbid—read a book.

I’d like to think that my cynicism is justified. On a daily basis I listen to coworkers talk about “reality” TV shows nonstop: Jon & Kate Plus 8, American Idol, The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, and so on. When I tell them that I don’t watch reality TV shows, I get stared at as if I had 20 eyes and six arms. When I tell them that my television viewing usually consists of things like baseball, hockey, the History Channel, or shows on politics, the stares turn into inquiries. “Why would you watch that stuff?” they wonder.

Oddly enough, I wonder the same thing about those who watch “reality” shows.

Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate once said of “reality” TV shows:

The way we live nowadays is so very strange. There’s a lot of living vicariously through others, with reality TV and that kind of thing. People come home after a hard day’s work and watch someone else live their life. That’s weird to me. We sit on the couch and eat junk food and watch somebody else have this wonderful, adventurous life.

One major Pennsylvania newspaper offers its readers regular Jon & Kate updates on its homepage of “serious” news.
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I can’t help but agree with him. I’m not sure what some of the news Websites are going to report on, since many of them—including a major Pennsylvania newspaper—have taken to daily Jon and Kate updates. In fact, today’s front page had not one but two stories dedicated to the pair on their homepage. The hard news was obviously on other pages. Meanwhile, “Kate Gosselin” was listed as the day’s number one search on Yahoo!.

Today’s top Yahoo! search was none other than Kate Gosselin.
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Perhaps it’s time to make a reality show on people who do nothing but watch reality shows.

ReferencesFlint, Joe. “Jon & Kate Plus 8 Goes on Production Hiatus.” Los Angeles Times. 23 June 2009.

Lafon, Mitch. “Queensrÿche’s Geoff Tate Describes Band’s New Material As ‘Very, Very Aggressive.’” Bravewords.com. 5 July 2007.

Rubinkam, Michael. “Kate Gosselin Says Marriage ‘Irretrievably Broken.’” AP/Yahoo! News. 23 June 2009.