Reality shows are getting ever more stupid.
It used to just be Survivor, and a bunch of challenges, clicks forming, rivalries forming, classless interviews and actions by the participants.
But even that seems almost outdated, compared to the reality shows out there now.
And the sheer number of these reality shows!
Shows about swapping wives. Shows about real housewives. Shows about stupid young people living on a beach and getting drunk.
Shows challenging people to do stupid things, demeaning things, for money and prizes.
Shows showing people doing stupid things, surely hurting themselves, and the hosts adding their little quips and comments, narrating the pain and humiliation of others.
Shows following celebrities around in their private homes.
Shows set in pawn shops, and having crazy people come in trying to sell any manner of stuff, and then making a scene, surely for the benefit of the camera. maybe this is set up this way, to be overdramatized. or, maybe the people are aware, and playing it up for the cameras.
Whichever way, it has the same effect.
Shows centered on, and relying on, people humiliate themselves. Apparently, we have found out an undeniable truth, to boot: there is no shortage of people ready and willing to make a fool of themselves before an audience.
It does not matter how one gets famous, so long as one becomes famous. That is the lesson here, perhaps.
And I wonder where these reality shows had their roots.
My mind hearkens back to the eighties, to shows like "America's Funniest Home Videos" and "Cops".
Am I wrong?
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