Reality TV or ratchet reality? Prime-time ratchetness is America's guilty pleasure!
The votes are in and no matter what age, race, sex, or financial background, people seem to want more reality television. Major networks who haven’t jumped on the bandwagon are scraping together story-lines to throw everyday people and celebrities into the spotlight then slap the “reality” sticker on it. It used to be when a celebrity wanted a little publicity or some shock vale they would publish a tell all book, or leak a photo of themselves in a compromising situation, maybe even an explicit home video (hint hint); now they have reality television for all of that. Celebrities are launching reality television shows from left to right, and even the average person like me and you get cast onto these shows and become celebrities overnight.
Sitcoms and family shows aren’t doing as well, some are even struggling: constantly changing hosts, sets, adding and subtracting characters and dramatizing the storyline to keep us viewers interested. American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Americas Next Top Model, Dancing With The Stars, were all prime time favorites but reality television put a lid on that. The problem is we’re too busy tuning in to reality television shows to see who slaps who, who slept with who and who said what about who!
Critics say reality television is “garbage” and “poisonous” to the minds of anyone who allows themselves to get attached to the cast members. Then some say it’s just TV, its just entertainment. Some even go as far to argue that reality television should be in heavy review by the F.C.C for its content. But not all reality television is negative, violent and loaded with sex. There has been a steady rising of reality television geared to promoting family life and business management. Shows like Lala’s Full Court Life, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, T.I & Tiny Family Hustle, Braxton Family Values, Married to The Game, Chrissy and Mr.Jones and Keyshia and Daniel emphasize the importance of family life and can be seen on BRAVO, BET, VH1, and E!. These shows are wholesome and relatable because they touch on a range of different family issues and struggles.
Then we have what I like to call the “icing on the cake”, because reality television wouldn’t be reality television as we know it if certain shows never came into existence. Cat-fights, cursing, bottle throwing, knife pointing, spitting, high heel hitting, hair extensions on the floor, drugs, sex, teenage pregnancy, nudity, same sex relationships, infidelity, betrayal, divorce and even death; these are all of the components that make reality television what it is today. As bad as we make it sound many of us cant seem to turn away, we tune in every week, follow every episode and even meet up with our favorite cast members on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Basketball Wives, Love and Hip-Hop, The Bad Girls Club, Hollywood Exes, Jersey Shore, Mob Wives, Real Housewives of Atlanta, 16 and Pregnant, Love Games, and Bridezillas; The pantheon of reality television, or what I’d like to call “Ratchet Reality”.
Many of these shows aren’t 100% reality, and some are too real for TV. Reality television has been pushing the envelope. This is where people come to air out their dirty laundry, deepest secrets and publicize their mistakes while we’re all sitting back taking it in. There is no wrong or right because we all agree this is entertainment, and we all go back to living our regular daily lives once we turn the television set off. But what price do these celebrities pay for trying to keep us entertained? They’ve cast themselves into a spotlight that they can neither dim or remove, once you let us in, we’re in. While we love to look, celebrities and people who are anxious to gain fame from these shows need to keep in mind how far is too far. Meanwhile we love the primetime Ratchetness, and will continue watching. Reality TV is Americas guilty pleasure!