Reality TV offers an escape for viewers
By Anthony Jauregui
Staff Writer
Teen moms, Italian accents and countless cooking shows: reality television comes in all shapes and sizes. Some shows exploit drunken mishaps and others show viewers how to bake cupcakes in under a minute.
Though popularized by negative stigmas, reality TV brings awareness to societal issues like teen pregnancy and stupidity.
When watching, I often find myself thinking: “How can people be that way? I’m glad I’m not like them.”
Steve Greene of Steve Greene Comedy on YouTube, in his video ‘Why Reality TV Kicks Ass’ says, “The greatest reality TV shows make you even more sure of yourself.”
Reality television helps the viewer appreciate what they have and realize what they do not want to have. Bad shows like “Real World: Some Random City” shows viewers the consequences that drinking all night and sleeping all day cause.
I get reassurance and satisfaction knowing that my life is not as pathetic as the people on these shows.
People need controversy in their lives to make it interesting. We need to find something to judge someone about to feel better about ourselves.
We need to have a rotunda of events circulating to make our lives interesting and when our personal lives do not have that, we look to reality TV.
Phil Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” was banned from the show for saying anti-gay comments. This resulted in freedom of speech backlash from the public.
This is exactly what reality TV is good for: calling social issues to our attention.
According to Wellesley College economist Phillip B. Levine and University of Maryland economist Melissa Schettini Kearney, “Teen Mom” and “16 and Pregnant” contributed to a six percent decrease in birth rates from 2009 to 2010.
Sarah Brown, CEO of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said, “Reality series like these two MTV shows and other constructive programs should be seen as key parts of 21st-century sex education.”
The exploitation of these mothers brings sexual awareness to viewers. Not only is there a rewarding feeling knowing you won’t be having a child any time soon, it’s great to know you won’t have to deal with the drama they go through.
There’s also a myriad of self-help shows that spark change in viewers.
John Perritano of howstuffworks.com said, “Although hoarders have been around for centuries, shows such as ‘Hoarders’ and ‘Hoarding: Buried Alive’ have increased public awareness about a serious mental health issue.”
There are also shows about drug abuse that examine what exactly goes on behind the doors of a rehabilitation facility.
What better way to show that celebrities have issues just like us than showing them on drugs?
Reality TV has bad subsidiaries such as “Jersey Shore” or “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” But the vast amount of shows allows choices for everyone.
Yes, the shows exhibit stupidity among Hollywood’s stars. Yes, they give praise to Honey Boo Boo and her overweight family.
But, imagine a world where all we watched was news and sitcoms. It’d be dry and boring.
We need people to look at and think “Damn, what’s wrong with them?”
We need to have a variety of shows on TV. We need reassurance on how awesome each and every one of us is.