"Almost" Reality TV

What a concept, huh?

Reality shows. I don't watch them.

It's not a social statement, or a protest. I don't watch anything.

Well, that's not entirely true. I'll check out West Wing every once in a while on a Saturday night when only the police and pub crawlers are still awake. I like it for the snappy dialog more than the politics. And I do turn on a ballgame if I happen to be around a TV and don't have anything else pressing at the moment - especilally during baseball season.

But sitcoms, entertainment shows, etc. Not on my radar screen. And no reality shows.

Like I said, it's not a social or political statement. It's a lifestyle choice.

Here's the thing - I listen to other people talk about them. At first it sounded entertaining, especially considering a bunch of them sounded like things that might actually happen in real life. Someone was struggling with fixing their house up, or dealing with a child's misbehavior, or something that any of us would go through. I could relate.

Then things seem to get more contrived. All of a sudden the circumstances were being manipulated...

The boss became the "big, fat obnoxious boss."

The rich guy became a poor guy pretending to be rich... or Donald Trump.

The daily struggle to do more and do better became a struggle to eat bugs in 60 seconds, or walk a tight rope, or whatever.

Sorry if I'm not getting this right. It's all second hand. I heard others talking about it, or saw a ten second promo somewhere, etc.

But lately it seems a bunch of the new "reality shows" have started to focus on losing weight and toning up. I walked past the TV last night and saw a bunch of fat celebrities sitting on a scale.


It's the kind of stuff you wouldn't have imagined in your wildest dreams ten years ago.. But there it was.

Like I said, I don't watch them and don't really care all that much what's on. The only thing that would make me care is if my daughters became Reality TV zombies. That's why we monitor their TV watching as closely as we do.

But here's the thing I'm seeing - the reality shows are starting to reflect the needs of the population they "serve." There are still get rich quick, date my mother, fire my boss type of shows...

But there's also the aforementioned lose weight, change your life, get physically, mentally and emotionally healthy type of shows.

This is a good thing, right?

Let's talk about it...

Diane and I were talking about this trend. It's an interesting phenomenon - she said that people want to watch OTHER people change their lives. Most aren't ready to do it themselves.

That's the main reason why I don't watch TV. Too busy. I live my life actively, not by watching others do it.

That's why Reality TV - even the ones with situations that are like real life - are "Almost Reality TV"...

It's not your reality.

Some person's dating a nymphomaniac? Great! How about you?

Some person kissed and made up with their spouse? Great! How about you?

Some person married a millionaire? Great! How about you?

Some person got fired by "The Donald?" Great! How about you?

Is the "Almost Reality TV" your fantasy life?

Do you get all emotional and caught up, then head back to the same self-mutilating patterns of behavior?...

Or do you look at slimming down celbrities and reformed slobs and say, "now it's my turn?"...

Or are you too busy designing and creating YOUR OWN REALITY to get caught up in someone else's?

Want a reality show? Live in your own!