A couple weeks ago news networks reported that 6-year-old Falcon Heene was trapped in a balloon traveling high above the ground of Colorado. The story captivated the nation for about a day, but audiences were shocked when it was later revealed that the event was a hoax concocted by the boy's father, Richard Heene, who had hoped to secure ... a reality TV show.
The Heene family had been featured twice on the ABC reality show Wife Swap. Heene, however, had wanted to create a show focusing solely on his family and its daily inner workings.
While it is definitely not worth trampling your family's name and humiliating your loved ones, reality TV has become a cornerstone of television programming. Networks such as VH1 and MTV are the "leaders" in reality television, spitting out a couple new ones every few months.
Many of their shows are centered around a bunch of drama queens locked inside a house having "reality TV moments." The common way of getting the "reality TV moments" out of a show is for the producers to tell a cast member to do something that will outrage another person in the house. This occurs, cameras roll, ratings go up and money is made. Rinse, repeat and you've got a hit.
Most of these shows usually focus on the negative side of life, elevating these "classic" moments of frustration and anger on a pedestal. While I understand that sex, lies and violence get ratings, there's a certain amount of moral accountability that has to take place on the part of any network. I mean, some of these shows make you lose faith in humanity (The Real World *cough*). Are they entertaining? Absolutely, but so are tabloids. Most of that stuff isn't true either - I just have a problem with people calling the shows reality.
There are plenty of reality shows that deserve recognition for benefiting our culture while still entertaining. For example, American Idol captures several of the nation's hearts and minds every season, letting us see men and women who have true talent strut their stuff and get a chance at fame. Simon Cowell's commentary isn't boring either. For example, I'm from Richmond, and when Elliott Yamin started gaining momentum on the show, the city went nuts. Everyone in the 804 was hit with Yamin fever. Although he didn't win, people saw his talent and he still makes records and sings around the world.
Another show worth noting is Jon and Kate Plus Eight. Though it started off as a boring show about a couple with eight kids, it has now become a show based on a family going through a divorce. The show has been called "therapeutic" for many families who are going through the same crisis.
So, the question remains: Will the Heenes get their own show? Sadly, they probably will. Whether it's like the VH1-MTV trashy-reality Real World or like the emotionally captivating American Idol, reality TV has definitely made its mark and is willing to make anyone famous, no matter the cost.
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