Picture it: being on TV, creating conflicts, saying and doing whatever you want — and getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to do it. Congratulations, you are a reality star.
Reality shows have taken over, especially in the last few years with MTV’s “The Jersey Shore,” Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of ….,” E!’s “Keeping up with the Kardashians” and countless other “mindless” shows, as my dad calls them.
Why do we watch reality shows? To escape our own reality for a little while, to come home from work or class after a long day and sit in front of the TV to watch something that gives us a break. I’m guilty of it; most people are.
But why do reality stars get paid in one episode what most teachers don’t even make in a year, or even a lifetime? Why is Howard Stern getting paid $15 million per season on “American’s Got Talent” to judge how talented or untalented a group of dancers or singers or jugglers are? The judges of “American Idol” and “The Voice” also receive a few million for just one season of these reality shows. The Kardashian clan is making $10 million for one season of their show to stand around in their bathing suits and argue with one another. Vicki Gunvalson of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” is making $450,000 per season to create false drama with other dramatic people in their luxurious waterfront homes.
Watching these jet-setting stars go on vacation, when their life already is a vacation, is silly. Most of the people on reality shows are already well off and use their money to buy more cars, more houses and more jewelry and to capitalize on the exposure of their shows to star on other reality shows — and the cycle continues.
Reality shows are the furthest thing from reality. The stars don’t deserve to get praised for starting catfights and getting drunk.Let’s focus on and commend the real stars of the world. Let’s highlight the deserving teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, soldiers and any person who makes a substantial difference in other people’s lives or the community or their workplace. The people who are finding cures for diseases, solving problems and helping those in need — they are living lives that are worth highlighting and admiring and definitely worth watching.
