Fish in a Fish Bowl
“This is the true story… of seven strangers… picked to live in a house… work together and have their lives taped… to find out what happens… when people stop being polite… and start getting real” (Robinson par. 8). The reality television program, The Real World, by MTV, had its first airing in 1992 and is one of the longest-running shows in MTV history. Initially, the program was designed as an outlet for young individuals to express common issues of adulthood ranging from prejudice, religion, AIDS, sex, and substance abuse, but eventually it evolved into a showcase for immature and reckless behaviors.
Creators of The Real World, Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray, originated the idea of casting regular people to live together and tape their day-to-day lives; thus, eliminating the cost and time of hiring paid actors and writing a script. The first season took place in New York. Seven people were paid $2,600 to appear on the series. Typically the producers receive around 5,000 applicants a season, but as Murray specified“… it ultimately comes down to who are the seven best people. All the story has to come from the cast. If you don’t have people with layers that are going to be peeled off throughout the season you’re not going to get your 24 episodes of series television” (Peyser par. 5). Picking seven people for the first season was relatively easy because no one was aware of the show and they did not go on the program seeking fame and fortune. The original season also referred to as “Season 0,” received harsh and negative reviews, but viewers could not get enough. There was something fresh and powerful that those unique seven members brought to the screen. An example of this raw experience i...
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... irrational, embarrassing behavior for the sole purpose of entertainment. The fish in a fish bowl metaphor is a perfect descriptor of what The Real World has evolved into.
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Sipple, L. (2011). The appeal of reality television for teen and pre-teen audiences. Journal of
How much of television is comprised of real life? By examining one show within its context, one can find the answer. Reality is reflected in the themes; rhetorical strategies; and audience, importance, and popularity. By examining the situational comedy series: Drake and Josh, a popular teen show from 2004, it is possible to see how reality shapes television. Drake and Josh is centered around two brothers in San Diego, California: Drake and Josh. Drake is portrayed as the suave, charming, bad boy in a band. He gets all the girls, leaving Josh in the dust. Josh is a nerdy brainiac, who has an unhealthy infatuation with Oprah Winfrey. They also have a meteorologist father and a kooky mother. Plus, a younger sister who painfully pranks them in
Herbert, Bob. “Hiding From Reality” They Say I Say. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 564-567. Print.
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Seger, Linda. "Creating the Myth." Signs of Life in the U.S.A.: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. 4th ed. Ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2003. 316-325.
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Beginning around the early 2000s Reality TV has shifted to a more viewer engaged format. Mathijs of the University of British Columbia
Main Point 1: According to Oxford Dictionaries, Reality TV is a program in which people are continuously filmed for entertainment purposes rather th...
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...bout the “real” real world.” Psychology of Popular Media Culture, Vol 2(4). Oct 2013. 237-250. PsychARTICLES. 29 Nov 2013
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