*Ask Jen: Reality TV Edition

Shank writes, "What is it about this disgusting programming known as reality TV that draws us in?"

Let me ask you a few questions: When the police show up at the neighbor's house, do you look out the window to see what's going on? Do you either stay at the window or keep going back to the window until after the police leave? When you're watching sports on TV, do you express your outrage over boneheaded plays, and think you could do better?

Reality TV taps into the same basic behaviors, I think. Most of us are nosy and maybe even a little voyeuristic, plus we love to play Monday morning quarterback. "Colby should have voted Tina off! What an idiot!" As for Fear Factor, I think people watch that for the same reason they watch horror movies--the thrill that accompanies vicarious terror. You watch someone with giant spiders on their head and imagine yourself with giant spiders on your head. You don't actually have spiders on your head, but you get the adrenaline rush anyway.

Plus it's nice to have actual proof that there are loonier loonies running around than ourselves.

Do you have a question for me? You can e-mail it. If I know the answer, I'll answer it. If I don't, I might make something up.

Posted by Jennifer at August 18, 2005 02:43 PM | TrackBack

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