Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comReality shows such as "American Idol" and "Apprentice" have almost no physical violence, but a new study suggests their rampant displays of name-calling and snarky gossiping still make for a much meaner TV-viewing experience compared with watching fictional TV shows.
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This guy is comparing reality shows to fictional shows.Reality shows are fictional,reality shows have script writers.What part of the word reality don't people understand.They are not REAL!
Exactly. There was a girl on Bridezillas that was seen acting out by her probation officer on the show. Her behavior violated her probation sentence. She was called in front of a judge and told the judge she was told to act that way by the producers or she would not be used on the show. I have yet to find a follow up on that story to see what the judge decided.
My ex-wife met a guy from Big Brother a few years ago at a charity event in Milwaukee. They tried to get him to talk about the show but he wouldn't. He claimed he might violate his contract. He said he could not talk about the show for ten years. It makes you wonder what they're trying to cover up. Probably the fact the whole thing is scripted.
We are becoming wimps.Where's the strength that people used to have?
Well, we used to have something called "strength of character." The things people say to each other...just in casual speech...these days, coupled with American entitlement to say and do whatever the hell we want without consequences has resulted in the "Mean"-ing of America.
Personally, I blame Seinfeld, which has its roots in Cheers.
I think the point is that these "Reality TV" shows simply foment, model, and indirectly encourage nastiness....period.
Agreed. The reality is people get off on watching people treat each others this way.
This is why I have always refused to watch reality TV. If I am going to pay money to watch cable TV, I am not going to watch people who depress me. I much prefer to be entertained by quality fictional entertainment or the History Channel.
I wish they'd take all this trash off TV. It has no redeeming social value, but it's cheaper to produce than anything that takes some thought and creativity (come to think of it, there's not a lot of that around anyomore, either, except on PBS), so unfortunately, we'll probably contintue to see more of it; one more reason to turn off the TV and pick up a book.
Things done on so-called Reality Shows could land people in prison for years in the real world (no pun intended).
That's one thing I have yet to figure out. Have you seen the shows about repo companies. People flash and shoot guns, start fights, and assault them. Yet they never call police. I worked with a guy who's brother was a repo man in the west. He said they call cops all the time when some one tries anything. The same thing goes for process servers, you can't assault them or harass them in any way that I know of besides lie about your identity and I think that may cause you trouble also. I don't understand the failure of the FCC to regulate these shows in some way about the violence.
The sad thing is that there is a large audience for that reality show nonsense.
I've watched like 33 complete minutes of reality TV, and that's it. I caught snatches of Cops (racist), American Idol (stupid), America's Got Talent (it doesn't) and a few more. I can't stand these shows, and hope they fade into oblivion. TV has always been geared to the average American IQ level (around 43), but these shows beat that. Those who create these shows know the secret - make it as crass, vulgar, gross and stupid as possible and people will watch. God, maybe these shows really do reflect the character of America - I hope not.
Jeff..... Please don't blame me (average American IQ level of 43) for these crappy shows , they're an insult to my IQ. Books are just as bad now days.
People eat up these low-brow shows. Sorry, but I think you have to have a bit of mean-spiritedness to begin with to want to watch people be hurt and humiliated, as they are on many of those shows.
@ Al -
I agree with you about Cheers and Seinfield. And you forgot to mention "Will and Grace". The laughs on these shows depended on putting someone down or making fun of them.
I NEVER watch any of these reality shows!! All of this namecalling, insults, taunts clearly illustrate just how low American culture is falling--rather quickly I might ad! And now it's spread over into politics (or came from it, Im not sure). The question is, who is going to do something about it??? It has to be us!!!
Okay, but when viewers vote on Idol they're voting to keep someone, not to vote anyone off.
I gave up television 2 years ago and have never regreted it. I've noticed that even the Disney shows for kids rely on people putting each other down and backtalking adults and otherwise being rude and insulting, for laughs. Not Funny!!! Besides, If I want to be exposed to something rude, crass, insulting and stupid, I can always read some of the comments on Newsvine.
It's REALITY TV. In "reality" people are "MEANER" than in fiction!
All you have to do is read a post from some one who "disagrees" with you, right here on "REALITY" Newsvine.
Read how MEAN people are!....LMAO!
the shows mentioned in the article are not "reality shows." they are scripted, with a group of people who had to audition for their role. if you want true reality try watching such shows as "cops," america's most wanted,or animal planet, national geographics, discovery channel, realtv. those are reality shows. my favorite is "big cat diary" on animal planet.
nothing is more "real" than watching animals going about doing what they do by instinct
Actually a lot of animals have better behavior than the majority of people in America. At least my dog won't call the neighbors an @!$%#, she just barks & pees on the lawn :P
Has anyone ever watched Worlds Dumbest Criminals or Worlds Dumbest Dares?? They are so dumb, they are funny!!
As usual, it's all about the bottom line. As long as these shows are paying off in viewers and more importantly, advertising revenues, they will continue. The problem is, these idiots on TV are being validated and rewarded for their awful behavior by all the attention they get. The only way to get rid of this kind of programming is to completely ignore it, and that's not going to happen, because there are too many people watching. And then, those people watching think that it's okay for them to behave that way also, and so on, and so on.
You know what I find funny? My family makes fun of me for enjoying my weekly doses of WWE and taunt me saying it's fake, when I've explained I -know- it is, and it's just fun to watch (Undertaker FTW!). And yet, they watch these reality TV shows and talk shows. I've tried to point out that they're scripted and told to act certain ways and it is just as fake but they do not believe me. Isn't it healthier to watch WWE, in which the line between reality and fiction is much clearer, than watching these reality shows which portray all their events as completely genuine? And to think I've heard the phrase "You watch -WHAT-? I thought you were such a smart girl..."
My vote for one of the worst shows is Toddlers and Tiaras. At first, from the commercials, I thought it might be an expose on child beauty pageants, but instead it glorifies it. Sad. There's also the LA Ink and Gangland shows, which could convince almost anyone that civilization is at an end.
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to see this discussion taking place. Finally!! I've been noticing for quite a while how prevalent verbal aggression has become on TV shows - both reality and others. I truly believe it is having an impact not only on adults, BUT ON KIDS! I believe it is having an impact on the amount of bullying cases we've been seeing in which kids are committing suicide as a result of bullying. Now, obviously, there are many other factors that contribute to bullying, but I think watching the aggression on reality shows is a big one and something needs to be done about it. How can kids watch adults taunt, humiliate and insult each other and not say, "Hey, I saw it on TV. I guess it's ok for me to do it." I agree with Tom - we're the ones who need to do something about it. I for one, starting today, am turning off my TV whenever I see this hurtful behavior and will write a letter to the producers of that show. Anyone want to join me? We can all make a difference, one person at a time.
These shows only reinforce the existence of man's inhumanity to man, and it is being reflected in an increased level of meanness and violence in general open society. Therefore I have watched them little over the last 10 yrs. I prefer to exist in higher energy levels. Anyone wishing to mimic attitudes they see, can steer clear of my life.