Reality TV: Critics hate it, but this viewer’s love is real
COMMENTARY
Jenny Specht

This is a true story of one stranger (at least a stranger to you) who lives in a house, documents real events in her life in a newspaper column and loves reality TV.

It all began (for me) the summer after my freshman year of high school with “Real World V: Miami.” My mom, younger brother and I watched it religiously with a neighbor whose mother had outlawed the show in her home. Fortunately, in our house, the “Real World V” premiere took center stage on the living room television.

“Real World V” was notable for the fact that it was the first installment of the series that had been tweaked by the producers to make it a more interesting version of real life. By bringing a twist — the opportunity for the group to form their own small business — the show had entered into the new generation of reality TV. Shows like “Survivor” and “The Bachelor” have used the same formula engineered in Miami to ride to ratings success, and many others have followed in their footsteps.

Lately, many have criticized reality TV for being contrived, exploitative, demoralizing and stupid. All of the above are, in fact, true in turn. But that should not preclude anyone from enjoying the second season of “Sorority Life.”

The first thing to remember is that “normal” television shows (sitcoms, dramas, etc.) are not real. In fact, many of them are structured to create outlandish plot twists and to feature uniquely one-dimensional characters. Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Monica have scriptwriters to choose their words and actions; Joe Millionaire and Zora had to improvise.

The two shows may be different in this respect, but the fact remains that they are both composed of people who choose to be filmed for a nationwide broadcast with the purpose of providing entertainment.

Why, therefore, should “Joe Millionaire” be held to a strict standard of reality when we all know that, in real life, Jennifer Aniston would never, ever, date David Schwimmer?

I think of shows like “Are You Hot?” as a different version of football or “Jeopardy,” for those who fail at brains or athleticism. Without contrived ways to move a ball around (created, like reality TV, for ratings and public entertainment), how successful would Michael Jordan be?

Of course, many who refuse to make an analogy between “Married by America” and “Wheel of Fortune” cite the immorality of certain shows as what they find objectionable. And perhaps many of these shows infringe upon the sanctity of marriage. But the truth is, contestants on any marriage-driven show choose to compete.

In America, like it or not, the right to marry is one that any two people of legal age can exercise freely — with whomever they choose. However, if one marries someone of a different race, someone of the same gender or someone they met on television, dissenters will criticize.

But as long as there are 24-hour wedding chapels in Las Vegas, hasty decisions about marriage will be made, with or without reality TV. Whether they will result in a happy marriage or not, well ... this is the land of the free and the home of the brave (at least enough to use television as a medium to find a mate.)

In a time where network TV gets worse and worse, reality TV has become more appealing. Personally, I hope Ryan and Trista do get married and broadcast it in a May sweeps special. And personally, I’ll watch it.

Jenny Specht is a senior English and political science major from Fort Worth. She can be reached at (j.l.specht@tcu.edu).