Wednesday, June 3, 2009

The Reality of Reality

I love television. There, I said. Love it, Love it, Looove it! I have been addicted from the first day that I was able to recognize the shapes and colors on Sesame Street. I could not wait to get home and munch as I watched The Facts of Life, The Cosby Show, St. Elswhere, Magnum P.I., okay, I'm dating myself, but you get the point. One of the worse thing that has happened to TV is the emergence of the reality show. Now most of us believed that reality TV is something of a recent phenomenon, but according to WikiAnswers the first was The Ozzie and Harriet Show, which is more than appropriate for what I'm about to say.

There is only so much reality that I need. I admit I am a fan of some shows. The Amazing Race, Hard Knocks, and I even like Operation Repo. Yet, there is a brand of reality that I am not fond of-the I-had-a-ton-of-kids-so-look-at-me reality show. There is Jon and Kate Plus Eight, 18 Kids and Counting, Table for 12, Raising Sextuplets, etc. Now, comes the announcement that "Octo-mom" Nadya Suleman has finally gotten a reality show. Well, congratulations Nadya, you get to exploit your children a little more.

Most of these shows are on TLC. I use to love TLC. The Learning Channel. So, TLC, what have I learned? I have learned that if I have a astronomically large number of children, I can get a TV show. I can exploit my children for wardrobe, help in my expenses, book tours, travel, and the only talent I have to have is one that almost every woman in the world has-to have a baby. It wasn't enough that you were showing families having babies. Now, we get to follow the lives of these families.

Jon and Kate-if that's not a trainwreck, I don't know what is. I have never actually watched an episode of this show, just clips. From those clips, as well as the commercials that are shown ad naeseum, she is obnoxious, and he looks as if he can't believe that he is a part of this mess. He appears to wish that someone would put him out of his misery. Sure the kids don't really get it, but they will be able to see these shows later. How embarrassing it must be to see this story unfurl before the world.

The other families, once again simply relying on commercials, seem rather normal. As normal as a family can be that is making money off their ability to produce an abnormal amount of kids. Why are these shows so popular? Now, WE brings in Raising Sextuplets, and then, enter Nadya Suleman the biggest freak of all. This woman has it all, I guess. This woman has parlayed a single pregnancy into a payday. She has moved into a furnished 1/2 million dollar house with her 14 children. 14 CHILDREN!!!! Are you kidding me? She should not be rewarded for this. As a matter of fact, I don't think those children should even be with her. How much time can she legitimately devote to these children between the sheer number of kids, press conferences, book deals, whatever.

Do us a favor networks. Stop this. This can not be good for these children. Exposing everything they do to the entire world. How many of us would like our uh-uhs and boo-boos exposed to the world? Children have a hard enough time adjusting in the real world. How well adjusted could these children possibly be? I wish them all the best. Good luck and God Bless. As for me, I won't be rubber-necking these car wrecks.

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