Is Reality Television Real or Fake

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Reality Television is a programme, featuring “real life” people on how they react to real life situations (“Reality TV”). The first reality television started around 1948. “Candid camera”, a show hosted and created by Allen Albert Funt (Clissold 33). Clissold said that this show served to provide a cathartic relief for people during the Cold War period (33). He goes on saying that in the show, Funt converted the act of surveillance into a humorous act (33). Initially, the people responded negatively towards such behavior (Clissold 40). However, Funt suggested, it is during the reveal that the comical element of such shows is portrayed; the moment when the ‘victims’ realise that they are being documented in a television show (qtd. in Clissold 40). This started a whole new era of reality television. Catering to the different types of audiences allows reality television shows to captivate them. Reality television can be broken down further into talent shows and game shows. In talent shows like “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance”, contestants compete for prizes and fame. Other examples include “Hell’s Kitchen”, “Project Runway”, and the “Amazing Race”. Game shows such as the “Amazing Race” create obstacle courses for the contestants to compete in. There are also shows that help the participants through makeovers and workshop. Shows, like “Extreme Makeover” and “The Biggest Loser”, help people to feel better about themselves. Another reason people like reality television is because it’s relatable. The audiences are able to empathise with the participants and relate to them. In the past, reality television serves as a form of entertainment and cathartic release. However, as time passes, reality television has become a medium for exploitation for personal gain (Holmes, 111). However, the popularity of reality television continues to grow. Owens highlighted that people like reality television because they like the dramatic scenes. He goes on saying that people are willing to do the most absurd things for money. Reality shows exploit people by making them do abnormal things, like eating insects (Owens). Over time, reality shows become more and more mainstream. It has benefitted the audiences in many ways, but it has created a false perception of fame and the true meaning of reality television is lost as the shows become less ‘real’ and more scripted.

Reality television has benefitted the audiences in three main ways. Basically, reality television serves to entertain the audience. One very good example is “Fear Factor” where participants challenge themselves to face their own fear. The participant has to go through a series of challenges and if they submit to their own fear, they will be eliminated. These challenges were made to scare away participants; and the last man standing would walk away with a grand prize of fifty thousand dollars. Another example would be “The Real World, Big Brother”. This show brings together a group of unfamiliar people and forces them to stay together; it pushes the ethnical boundaries by creating racial, gender and socioeconomic conflicts to build up a dramatic effect (Essany 10). Besides entertaining the people, reality television provides allow people to showcase their talent. The participants go through a series of auditions and for people who made it pass the auditions, they are given a chance to perform in front of a live audience. One example of such shows is “Star Search”, which debuted in 1983, hosted by Ed McMahon. This show provided the youths with a platform to perform in front of live audiences (Star Search). Another good example is “American Idol”, a show hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Twelve contestants would be selected for the finalists, and they will continue to fight for the million-dollar contract (American Idol). The judges give critiques to the contestants on how they can improve, which helps them in their future endeavors. The contestants benefit from this programme as they gain experience. Lastly, there are also inspirational reality shows which aims to aspire people with stories of people struggling in life. One example is “The Tyra Banks Show” which is hosted by Tyra Banks. The show was popular because Banks talked about those things that people are afraid to voice out. This show inspired the audiences to be brave and stand up for themselves. Another show that has inspired people is “Project Greenlight”. “Project Greenlight” is a show featuring a filmmaker struggling to fulfill his dreams while going through many challenges (Essany, 12).

Even though these reality shows has brought to the audience many benefits, they have created a false illusion of fame in three main ways. To begin with, reality television always portrays celebrities as flawless and perfect individuals by showing that celebrities have the perfect face and body that everybody dreams of. They always look so polite and graceful in shows. However, these shows only show the positive side of these people, while hiding all the negative aspects of these people. Some of these people look good because of all the plastic surgeries and these people often end up in scandals; these are some of the things, which are not mentioned in the shows. This proves that celebrities are not role models, and people are blinded by all these reality shows that has created a fake fantasy of celebrities. Another thing is that talented people can become famous. This might be true in the past, where singers can sing and actors can act. However, as time passes famous people are famous for being famous (qtd. in Holmes 111). They tend to do stuff that catches paparazzi’s attention to get into magazines and shows. One example is Mae West, an American actress, she created a scene where she was caught and spent a day in jail to get media coverage to advertise for a screenplay (Sherman, “staged”). This proves that some of these “realities” are fabricated. Lastly, reality television always shows celebrities enjoying life but the hard work and effort that is put into the show is not shown. In shows, celebrities are always having fun playing games and talking about their lives. However, all these are skin-deep, the sufferings are hidden from the audiences. In actual fact, during preproduction, the major story points are plotted out (Essany, 137). This means that some of the scenes are actually planned out and rehearsed.

Apart from misleading the audience about the life of showbiz, reality shows are actually planned and scripted and they are actually putting on a public façade. In the show “Big Brother”, debuted in 2000, its participants are transformed into celebrities and every move they made are revised and screened on television (Tincknell and Raghuram, 254). Tincknell and Raghuram suggest that the reason why this show is real is because the audiences are included in the eviction of inhabitants (255). The show also confirms the sense of liveliness by emphasising on the invasion of privacy by taking images of private spaces. All these elements show that the people and actions in the show are real. However, all these are not real. If thirteen people of different culture back ground are put together in the same room, they are not going to hang out together and get along together so well in such a short time. Real people would not show their real self if every single move they take are recorded down and shown to the world. The people are definitely going to act in a different way so as to portray themselves better. Next up, “Survivor”, a show termed as a reality show by the industry, by the media and by the audience (Crew, 62). Crew suggests that in this show, cast members are carefully selected, storylines are well crafted and the reality is staged (62). Crew goes on saying the reason why “Survivor” is entitled as a reality show is because of the lack formal scripting, cast of ordinary people and the element of surprise (68). Still, the show was edited; this is because a reality show would be boring if it’s completely real. Only the interesting parts of the show were shown, this shows that reality shows are not showing the reality at all.