America Through the Reality Lense

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Reality TV is a type of television programming that puts ordinary people, like you and me, in the spotlight. These types of shows have been around for years which range from talents shows to placing perfect strangers to live together in one household. Examples of reality television are MTV’s Real World and the Jersey Shore, American Idol, and Biggest Loser. Reality TV is everywhere and every major television network has at least two or three of them. I must admit there are some reality shows that I think are beneficial where they help everyday people to live out their dreams, such as The Biggest Loser where individuals who severely overweight or obese compete to lose weight and get in shape. Another good example is American Idol, where thousands of singers audition and compete for money and a recording contract. Even those who don’t win still get a piece of the fame and fortune, and a selected few are offered other opportunities to become a superstar. In the past decade or so, the concept of reality shows has revealed that viewers prefer realism instead of fiction. Because reality TV is so popular, lots of people either want to take part in them or copy or imitate what they see on television. Some of the things these cast members do on these shows can either have a positive or negative impact towards their viewers and themselves. These shows entertain us while we watch the cast members live out their lives out in the open for the whole world to see and people either love or them. And some, just “love to hate” the people in these shows. But regardless, whether viewers like the cast members or not, they are still being viewed and are driving television ratings through the roof. Jonah Goldberg points out in his article, America Through the Reality Lens (2009), how Paris Hilton, famous for being famous thanks in part to a “reality” sex tape released days

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