Effects of Reality TV

The effects of reality TV are vast, ranging from viewers having a distorted perspective of real life to actually becoming mentally addicted to a show. On the other hand, the effects participation have on contestants are two-fold; some individuals go on to great success while others find that the same success goes to their heads and lands them in a heap of trouble.

Individuals who tune into reality television programs week after week are shown what is perceived as reality, when in essence it really isn't. Many of these shows are staged, choreographed and edited to make the viewing public "think" that what is going on is real life. Much of what you see on reality television is only part of what is really going on in that particular situation after the editing.

To increase ratings and profits, producers and television networks show more of the embarrassing, humiliating or painful situations that the contestants participate in, rather than the "boring" everyday events. Viewers find these shows so entertaining that they come back for more the following week, or instead find it so appalling that they can't turn it off.

There are many ways reality shows are a blend of fiction and non-fiction, both of which affect viewers:

• Makeover programs shows have people believing that this - the makeover and after effects - can happen to them too when in reality only a miniscule fraction of the country's population will actually qualify and participate. What they don't tell you is how much it costs to maintain upkeep of the makeover after the show.
• Dating shows again give a false sense of reality as not only do you have to go through a possible rejection on national television, but the chance of a couple meeting on a television show and staying together is very small.
• Only a select few are physically, emotionally and mentally capable to take part in competition shows such as The Apprentice, The Amazing Race and Big Brother. To be eligible, you need to take an enormous amount of time away from work, school and your family. Not everyone can do that.

Despite all of the negative press about reality television programs, there really are some good effects:

• Improved race relations: Shows such as Big Brother and Survivor allow different cultures to come together as a team, thus doing more for racial understanding than in years past.
• In talent or game shows, it give those individuals who really have talent and who want to succeed at that talent an outlet.
• On shows such as The Biggest Losers, viewers can actually see how hard work, exercise and eating right can lead to a healthier lifestyle.
• Reality programs allow every day people to have a voice. Long gone are the days when only celebrities could have their say on national television.

Participating on a reality show can affect an individual in one of two ways. For some, the instant success is a positive thing because it opened doors to a promising future. However, for others, being on TV was not what it was all cracked up to be and the instant success had a negative effect on their lives.

There are quite a few reality television contestants who have gone on to great success because of their time in front of the camera:

• Nearly every winner of American Idol plus a few others who placed in the top 10.
• Elizabeth Hasselbeck, who appeared on Survivor: The Australian Outback is now a controversial and popular host of The View.
• Adrianne Curry, who won the first-ever America's Next Top Model, also appeared on VH1's The Surreal Life, where she met future husband Christopher Knight (Peter Brady from The Brady Bunch), as well as her own reality show, My Fair Brady. Curry has since been on the cover of Playboy and is now filming her first movie.
• Lauren Conrad of MTV's Laguna Beach and The Hills is now a spokesperson for Mark Cosmetics and has her own fashion line.
• Kyle Brandt was a heartthrob in his own right on The Real World Chicago, but that charm and good looks helped him land a recurring role on the soap opera, Days of Our Lives in 2003. In 2006, he left that role and is now writing for and producing The Jim Rome Show, a sports radio talk show.

Appearing on a realty program doesn't guarantee automatic celebrity status. In fact, usually the opposite is true. The following contestants may have enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame, but their participation on the show and instant fame affected them far more than they may have imagined:

• Richard Hatch, Survivor first-season winner in 2000, took his winning status a bit too far - all the way to jail. In 2005, he was indicted on charges he failed to report his $1 million winnings to the IRS. He was sentenced to 51 months in jail and is scheduled to be released in October 2009.
• Jessica Sierra made it the top 10 before being eliminated during the fourth season of American Idol. In November 2007, she was sentenced to a one-year probation after pleading no contest to battery and cocaine possession. She was later arrested again for disorderly intoxication among other charges. In January 2008, Sierra was sentenced to rehab for 12 months and given three years probation. Also during the same time, a sex tape titled Jessica Sierra Superstar was released on the Internet.
• Jason Wahler, who has starred on MTV's The Hills and Laguna Beach, has three run-ins with the law since September 2006. His first offense was for punching a tow truck driver and Los Angeles Department of Transportation employee. For that, he received a 60-day jail sentence. In March 2007, Wahler was busted for resisting arrest and underage drinking. He was required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. This third arrest in the spring of 2007 was for punching a hotel security guard and for yelling homophobic and racial slurs at the arresting officer. He was sentenced to 30 days behind bars.
• Mary Delgado, who was chosen by The Bachelor Byron Velvick to win the show's sixth season, was arrested in 2007 on suspicion of assault following a dispute at the couple's Florida home. The charges were dropped and the couple is still engaged.

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