Reality Isnt Always

This summer I happened to hear an interview with Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. They were talking about their "reality" program. In the interview they were on a roll talking about how they were directing, acting, producing and even writing the script. WHAT? They tried to correct their answer to say that they write the scripts but their reactions are real. Now, if you know what is coming up because you wrote a script, how can your reactions be real?

This got me thinking. How much reality entertainment is actually scripted? Less than you would think.

In the late 1980's, early 1990's record companies hire people to call radio stations and ask for certain songs to be played. Radio stations would think that a lot of people must like the song and artist so they would be added to the station's rotation. This would also help inflate album sales but the truth would be found out when some promoter would book the group to a local arena and nobody would be the tickets.

Reality TV was supposed to be different. The first season of Real World was different. They would just let real life happen and then show it on tv (of course it was edited to show whatever the desired outcome was but for the most part it was real). Suddenly it seemed every show on tv was a reality program. Scriptwriters were brought in to make the shows more lifelike. Casting was used to make sure certain things would happen when the cameras were rolling and producers make sure certain characters stay around for the show to ensure ratings.

Look at Bret Michaels and Flavor Flav dating shows. There would be someone as a potential suitor that would be just crazy. This person would be up for elimination several times but would make it almost to the end of the show not because Bret or Flav liked the person but because it made for good tv. Look at this season's Top Chef. Hung was up on the block several times and would usually tell the judges they just didnt understand good food but because he was good tv, he was kept around and eventually ended up winning.

Sometimes things happen off camera that the producers/directors want on camera so they get the cast to try to re-create it. Miami Ink when Kat was fired/quit is a good example. According to some internet reports, Kat quit the day before. The producers had her come in to the shop and had Ami tell her it wasnt working out. The reports claim that they were told to just go at it for as long as possible. The scene ended with Kat saying "whatever dude" and walking out of the shop.

With all of this manipulation of "reality" I cant help but wonder what other things might be manipulated. I am not saying the world is one big version of "Wag the Dog" but it makes you wonder.