Mini-project #1

Jennifer Klotz
CMN 690
Dr. Ron Bishop
4/22/07

Mini-Project #1

Last weekend my boyfriend’s parents were in town so I decided to take advantage of the situation and ask them what they thought of reality TV shows, the people who appear on them and if they would ever consider being on one. First, I’ll introduce my interviewees: Erick, my boyfriend, Hal, his dad, and Maria, his mom. Erick does not like reality TV at all. He thinks that all the participants are trashy and people out to get famous for doing nothing and that have absolutely no talent. However, he has admitted to watching American Idol, something I have not even done, not being a big fan of reality TV either. But Erick is also going to grad school at Temple to be an Orchestral Percussionist, so he claims that he watched American Idol to see, musically, if the people had any talent or not. It was also when the show first came out a few years back and I happen to know they are a big TV watching family as a whole so this tidbit of information doesn’t really surprise me.

Then there is Hal who back in the day tried out for some game shows but never actually got to be on any. The story goes that when he finally did make the final cut, the game show he was scheduled to be on got cancelled days before his big appearance. He is currently a pilot for American Airlines but then he was a Navy pilot and the family lived in California so whenever Hal got back for a month or so, he would audition for game shows! Hal is not a big fan of reality TV shows that do not require any actual talent of the participants on the show. Although, he does like the reality TV shows, like Top Chef where the participants actually have to possess talent and then they have to compete to see who is the best. Hal says that he watches the first show and picks out his favorites for the series and then roots for them for the remainder of the season.

Maria, on the other hand, has watched American Idol on and off but has not really committed to watching any other reality TV shows except for when Hal is home and then she will sometimes watch Top Chef with him. Maria says she is busy enough without having to waste her time watching people with no talent compete for something. If she has time to watch TV then she is at least picking a show with real actors and actresses, like Desperate Housewives! She is not above being entertained by the TV, she wants me to know, she just has better things to do then watch reality TV.

Erick and Maria both claim they would not be on a reality TV show no matter what. Hal says he might consider it, depending on what the premise of the show was, but then after careful deliberation (about the length of our dinner out) he changes his mind and decides he would not, under any circumstances, be on a reality TV show. “The media always finds one of those unsuspecting people to hound long after the show is over, and with my luck, and charm, hahaha, I would be the unlucky one to get hounded day and night. And I like my life just as it is right now without changing it like that!” Well said Hal, the voice of wisdom speaks again!