Reality Television and The Critics posted by RF Club, Group AdministratorThursday, May 12th 2011 @ 7:58 PM (not yet rated)

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.
Socrates (BC 469-BC 399) Greek philosopher of Athens

Reality Television is a somewhat new phenomenon.  I know that Survivor, the television show, has been on roughly 22 years and many argue that it is the reality show that led the way but in the grand scheme of things 22 years is not a long time.  In addition, I think a person could argue it has been more like the last 10 to 15 years that reality television has really taken off.  With the explosion of Reality Shows you have had critics of reality television pop up too!  Being a critic of reality television is tricky.  Now, a critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement.  We are all critics in life, as much as we hate to admit it LOL but the ones we 'value' typically have some experience in the area they are critiquing.  For example, critics of the movies usually have some background knowledge in movies.  They either have worked in the industry or went to school or both.  The same with literary critics.  In addition,when critics discuss actors they usually have some knowledge about acting.  Therefore,we expect those type of critics to have some knowledge about what they are critiquing in order for us to consider them a reputable critic.  But, really anybody can be a critic.  In other words, if you like movies you can give a review and discuss the acting in the movie.  If you read a book you can talk about the book and the writing.  People will listen and take your criticism about what you are talking about with what they know about you.  So, why am I babbling on and on about being a critic? Well, because critiquing reality television is slightly different.  The critics of reality television talk about the genre and the actual reality celebrities.  Now, talking about the genre in general is the same as critiquing movies,books and television shows.  You compare and contrast shows and so on.  Now, The problem with critiquing the reality celebrities is the reality celebrities are actual people.  You are not critiquing a craft.  In addition many of the reality celebrities can't take the criticism. Hey, I understand.  It must be hard to put their lives out there and then have people pick those lives apart BUT here is the big BUT they have put their lives on NATIONAL TELEVISION!  Therefore, they have opened themselves up for criticism.  Period.  Just like an actor gets a 'review' of their work a reality celebrity is going to get a 'review' of their life.  Unfortunately, if critics do not like a reality celebrity they are labeled a 'hater' and they are labeled jealous of the person.  Of course, since I am a critic I disagree with that assessment.  I don't think they have to hate the person or they have to be jealous.  In some instances it might be true but for the most part I would hazard to guess they just don't care for the reality celebrity.  In addition, they might just not care for a certain episode or the way the reality celebrity handled a certain moment of time in their life.  It would be great to be loved by everyone at all times but that isn't how life works, right?  In my eyes, the bottom line is, if you put yourself on a reality television show then I  think you need to accept the criticism along with the love.

The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Irish poet and dramatist.


So, as I stated above, I am a Reality Television critic. Now, I have very little knowledge in 'the making' of a Reality Television show.  I can tell you I read a lot of information on the different shows.  I read a lot about the difference between more scripted reality shows compared to less scripted.  I research what producers say and I try to read between the lines but I have never been on a Reality Show and I do not have first hand knowledge of producing a Reality Show.
 
Now,I tend to critique the REAL HOUSEWIVES on the Bravo network the most.  Here is why.  I am a 45 year old woman.  I frequently joke that I am retired. Critiquing Reality Shows is a hobby and I do it for fun. I think I am drawn to the Housewives because I relate to the Housewives the most.   See, I am the closest thing to what people refer to as your 'traditional' housewife.  For the most part I stayed home and raised my two children and the youngest just finished her first year of College.  Yes, that means she will be a sophomore in college next year.  Oh, my gosh I can't believe it!    My oldest will start his second year of law school in September.  I have been married for 23 years and I am lucky enough to not have to work at this moment in time but make no mistake if my husband said tomorrow, "Hey, honey things are not looking so good, time to get a job."  Well, he knows I would be out there in a second looking.  The problem with devoting your life to your children and husband is when the kids go off to college,well, you are retired LOL.  I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Master's degree in Education.  Eventhough, I was a stay at home I did work odd jobs when the kids were small to make extra money but it was always around their schedule.  Therefore, my kids have always seen me as a stay at home mom.  I waitressed, sold Avon, and babysat.  One summer I babysat all older children and it was the best summer ever.  We went swimming, to the zoo, to the park, and we had reading hour every afternoon.  I created treasure hunts and games outside.  To end the summer the kids put on a play for the parents, we even baked cookies and brownies for the guests.  It was a great summer!  My point, I have years of experience being a housewife.  See, I have hit the end, yet, I am only 45.  We chose to have our children early but I have years of experience and I use this knowledge to judge the women on The Real Housewives Shows.  Grant it, it is odd to judge women but they have put their lives out there for all of us to watch.  Therefore I am going to take my knowledge of raising a family and judge away!  Of course, just like any critic it is just my judgement with my set of values.  Of course, what makes the world go round is we all have different perspectives and set of values.  In addition, I don't expect everyone to do it 'like me'.  I understand that some women divorce or never marry or have children outside of marriage.  BUT, by having already lived a lot of life (don't worry I know I have a lot of living left to do) and raising a family and encountering many, many different people and how they have made it through life, well, I use the knowledge to compare it with the women on the screen.

In the end my critiquing in my blog posts is all fun for me!  I think it is a shame that many of the Reality Celebrities take it all a little too seriously!  Although, it is sad to watch some fans take it all to seriously too.  The fans who say they are inspired by these everyday women amaze me and the women LOVE to hear that compliment but it is funny how they don't like to hear the flip side which is them not being so inspiring at times.  Once again, you have to take the bad with the good!  This is the way I see it, if you love being told you INSPIRED SOMEONE then you have to be open to hear the FLIP SIDE that you might be setting a BAD EXAMPLE at times too.  In other words, the Reality Celebrity has put their life on film and it is a little bit of a mirror for them.  I bet sometimes it is hard to look in that mirror.  I don't like when the Reality Celebrity that says, "I never regret anything I do or say."  In my eyes, that is a bad quality.  I have lived a lot and I can look back and regret.  To me it means I can own up to my mistakes.  It means I learned from my mistakes and moved on.  If you don't regret then you don't grow and learn.

Dishonest people conceal their faults from themselves as well as others, honest people know and confess them.
Christian Nevell Bovee (1820-1904) American author y lawyer.
 
Oh, well,I do believe the reality celebrities need to learn to either ignore the critics or get a thicker skin.  It seems the Reality Celebrities love their fans and they strike out at anyone who speaks ill of them.  Labeling them 'HATERS'.    Actors have to have a thick skin and not attack the critics and I think the Reality Celebrities need to learn from the actors.  Once again the problem is the Reality Celebrities have put their real lives out into the world and they find it hard to have their lives picked apart.  Personally, I think they should have thought about that before going on a Reality Show but I do understand and feel for them.  It has to be hard having people, like me, rip them apart!   I don't care how thick skinned a person becomes no one likes being critiqued!   Personally, I know that I could never have my life picked apart by bloggers and writers!  Therefore, I get why Tamra Barney, Peggy Tanous,Taylor Armstrong, Teresa Giudice and Dina Manzo all blocked me on Twitter.  I am amazed that more of the housewives have not blocked me.  Cindy Barshop and Kim Zolciak just to name a few.  Now, I must admit I don't tweet these Reality Celebrities a lot.  I only tweet during the first airing of their show and from time to time I would tweet a blog post with their name in it.  But, I don't randomly tweet Reality Celebrities I don't like. Hell, I don't even tweet Reality Celebrities I do like.  I do feel that they need to deal with the tweeting during the first airing of their show, I mean, it is what we, the viewers, do when the episode is airing and the Reality Celebrities should be glad we are tweeting but I do totally understand being blocked if they are being bombarded outside the airing of their show. 

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