Reality shows have taken over the American airwaves during the past few years.
What started out as shows documenting challenges and plots of everyday people in unfamiliar surroundings now has transformed into celebrities being followed around in their homes by cameras.
The two most prevalent cases of these new reality shows have been the MTV hits “Newlyweds” and “The Osbournes.”
During the first season of Newlyweds, a show that follows the daily lives of pop stars Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, an average of 2.7 million viewers watched, according to Nielsen Media Research from Sept. 29 – Oct. 26.
The same success was felt by the Osbournes during their first season on MTV in 2002. The show averaged 6.6 million viewers; however the numbers have dropped to 3 million viewers for the second half of this past season.
So what makes these reality shows watchable? Why do millions of viewers tune in each week to hear how many f-bombs Ozzy will drop or if Simpson will once again think tuna is chicken?
James Pinkerton, a Newsday columnist, has written several columns on reality television.
He said people watch reality shows because they are “searching for what they think is real.”
Hollywood production is so extreme that although it is effective, it looks fake to people, Pinkerton said. This is the reason they turn toward reality shows for realism in entertainment.
Students on campus are among those turning their television dials to reality shows each week.
Monica Morgan, a biological sciences freshman, said the outrageous behaviors of the characters on the shows are reason enough to watch.
“They are goofy, and they do not care about anything else, and they just do their thing,” Morgan said.
Lynda Naquin, a studio art freshman, said she does not watch many reality shows, but like many other students when she does tune in, she tunes in to watch “The Osbournes.
“I really like ‘The Osbournes’ and I would watch that anytime,” Naquin said. “It is so funny.”
Naquin believes the reason most people watch reality shows is because the lifestyle and behavior on the shows typifys the lifestyles of many families.
“Everyone’s families are not the perfect portrait,” Naquin said. “They act a certain way when company is there, and then when everyone leaves they act themselves and it is a lot more funny and entertaining. I just think it is really cool that [the Osbournes] would let cameras follow them around.”
Jason Shepard, a general studies senior, said he does indulge in several reality shows including “Fear Factor” and “Real World.”
“On ‘Fear Factor’ it is really cool to see people eat stuff that is nasty and that I would never eat,” Shepard said.
Shepard said he has seen “The Osbournes” only once.
“Ozzy is all messed up,” Shepard said.
He also thinks the lifestyle the Osbournes live makes for fascinating television.
“It is cool to see how it is to live when you have so much freaking money and you are famous,” Shepard said.
Steve Smith, a biological sciences freshman, said the only reality shows he watches are the ones that poke fun at people and attempt to trick them.
“I watched the first Joe Millionaire,” Smith said. “I liked that one because I just thought it was funny to get all of those gold diggers and trick them like that.”
Smith said he has yet to watch the newest forms of reality shows.
“I do not get the point of it. I mean, they are just following them around because they are famous,” Smith said.
But Smith said he could understand how other students may enjoy watching them.
“Because they are celebrities. You can get a glimpse into their life and see how they live, being that rich and that famous,” Smith said.
But Smith said the message students get from those shows could be negative.
“If they look at [reality shows] they could think that it is a lifestyle that they should be leading or a lifestyle they need to have to be successful,” Smith said.