Reality TV is Managed by Morons

Those on whom the blame can rightly be placed for that abhorrent virus known as ‘Reality’ TV are apparently deeply concerned.

“ANTM”s Tyra Banks, “Survivor’s” Mark Burnett, “Millionaire’s” Michael Davies, and many others held a lavish lunch for themselves at the Beverly Hills Hilton today, and desperately tried to define why their self-serving passion for relentless product placement was mysteriously failing to make them rich quick enough.

Tyra Banks told the room that ad executives don’t realize how ‘savvy’ viewers are, and that an obvious plug will scare them off. She admitted that she is often shocked by how badly a product was ‘woven’ into her show. “A lot of times, we fail.” she confessed to the crowd.

The EP of ‘Millionaire’, Michael Davies, told the guests that his show’s blatant promotion of AT&T for the  ‘Phone-a-friend’ section was ‘a brilliant piece of placement,’ but it wasn’t clear how much AT&T product it had helped sell.

Mark Burnett then made it clear that abusing the audience to line their own pockets was due to get harder, as some of the misguided souls who let themselves suffer these serialized billboards now have the audacity to use DVR’s and skip the incessant promotions. And that, so far, there’s no solution for this ‘problem’.

…This entire debacle is beneath parody. Only those intellectually vacant enough to commit the offense in the first place would need to hold self-indulgent symposiums to discuss if it works.

Not one of the guests had the mental acuity or ingenuous guts to mention that their so-precious shows are not meant to be relentless commercials – the networks already put commercials around them; The shows are supposed to be entertainment, not for beating your audience over the head with endless logos to make lots of money, then whining in ballrooms because it won’t work.

And the DVR ‘problem’ is both tangible proof and a symptom of this; People watch to be entertained and enjoy a good show. Hijack that show for your own selfish gain and the audience – the single most vital element in all of TV – will either record it and skip over the ads, or abandon the show altogether.

…And then how will these avaricious ingrates make a fat profit??

I detest all ‘Realty’ with an implacable passion, and such self-absorbed greed is one reason why. Am I alone in this allergy, or is anyone else sick of being abused?

___

Photo by Borman