10.03.06
Taking the “real” out of reality TV
I try not to watch reality television anymore. But like driving past a wreck it’s hard not to take a look sometimes. It’s become the playground of the self-absorbed who have such a desire to be famous, that they could care less how they come across on the tube as long as they’re on it.
I did watch the first few seasons of The Real World, the MTV series that started the craze, but eventually lost interest when I started living in the real “real world.” Somehow living watching other Gen Xers’ drama on the tube seemed like a waste of time when I had my own life to lead. Plus, living in a waterfront home with unlimited resources to start a business with your housemates is not reality. And the people on that series became more unlikeable.
I did catch part of the Bachelor Rome on ABC last night, in particular the part where Lorenzo, the bachelor, meets the 25 women he’ll choose from. My first observation of the women is that all of them, except maybe one were white. Of course, all of the bachelors on the show have been white. Ratings reality? Probably. For whatever reason network executives don’t seem to think their audience is ready for an African-American, Asian-American or Hispanic bachelor. Yet, as interracial relationships proliferate it seems odd that almost no women of color would be in the pool. In the larger sense, I don’t really care. Network television is behind the times or becoming irrelevant. We have much more to choose from now. Still it would be nice to see something other than white entertainment television on the major networks. For the real down-low on Asian-Americans in pop culture check out angryasianman.com And for the Asian-American male perspective see singleasianmale.com
