I admit it. I watch two of the Real Housewives series [to be clear, I mean NY and NJ— no ATL for me, that’s alll mutineer Vinod ;)]. When it comes to mindless entertainment with which to while away time on a cardio machine, this reliable train-wreck is mesmerizing to behold.
Earlier this month, when Bravo introduced their newest programming, it looked as if my adopted hometown would not be the next player in the RH cesspool. After all, Bravo proudly announced that Beverly Hills would be the next frontier for fame-whoring, with nary a peep about boring, old DC. And yet…
Today, the Daily Beast has confirmed from two sources that the so-called White House gatecrashers, whose prank ultimately cost presidential Social Secretary Desiree Rogers her job, are poised to take center stage once again as the most visible members of the upcoming Bravo series “The Real Housewives of D.C.” After one of the most visible reality series auditions in history–yes, Bravo cameras were on hand as the Salahis arrived for that ill-fated White House event–the couple has now been fully embraced as the focal point of the series, expected to premiere in July.
A source close to the series tells the Daily Beast that Bravo executives were more than relieved to learn the Salahis wouldn’t be prosecuted. In-house viewing of the audition footage and sample programs made it obvious that it would have been next to impossible to edit out the commanding presence of the statuesque platinum blonde, Michaele. [db]
Oh, good! They won’t be punished for their dangerous antics. Whew, that’s such a relief. I mean, let’s focus on what matters– good television!
According to Gawker, footage of Tareq and Michaele crashing the State Dinner which was held in honor of Indian PM Manmohan Singh will be shown during the DC season finale. Bravo’s slogan is “Watch What Happens”, and I probably I will. Am I rewarding bad behavior? Yes, but if I had the self-restraint required not to gawk…I wouldn’t read Gawker. Or enjoy Bravo.
You know what the key is to turning away from reality tv?
Stop believing that any of it is actually real because it is not.
Bravo had something to do with them getting in the White House. The Kardshians dont actually have care free conversations with 5 cameras watching them. Strangers dont just go up to people surrounded by cameras and then act as if those cameras are not there. People dont cheat on boy/girlfriends on camera and then act as if they didnt and that there is no way in hell they could get caught. Dr. Drew has never cured anyone of anything and Dr. Phil has done more harm than good.
The 1st hardcore reality tv was “The Jerry Springer Show” and I remember going to an actual live episode for fun back in 2000 and at one point the audience started chanting “Fake fake fake fake fake” because actually seeing this stuff live gives you a sense of how phony it all is. This was before the writers of that show stopped trying to produce realistic plots and started with the “My wife is cheating on me with a gay prostitute dwarf” story lines.
None of it is real.
Shallow Thinker, what makes you think I want to turn away? 😉 Dude, I know it’s not real. That doesn’t prevent it from being a guilty pleasure. It’s not Masterpiece Theater, but it is fun.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for reminding me of Jerry. My college roomies and I loved watching that together. 🙂
I can’t watch the Real Housewives. They actually evince this awful choking reaction in me; like a cat with a hairball. And I want to choke all of them.
The only reason trashy crap shows like “real housewives” exist is because people want to what people doing stupid things– the problem is it isn’t just “regular” t.v.– it affects the real world whether or not the characters in a “realty” show are real– their actions exist in the real world. The only way to really get rid of this pathetic mindless t.v. is to stop watching it… which no one seems willing to do. I guess we will just have to live with disrespectful people being rewarded for pulling mindless and dangerous stunts, and being responsible for people losing their job, while they themselves get fame and money to do it. awesome.
I’ve mostly managed to avoid being sucked into the RH empire so far (I did catch that NJ table-heaving incident, which was pretty riveting), but I’m interested in the Salahis.
We all know it’s fake, but somehow you just can’t turn that stuff off. I have no other explanation for why I work-from-home breaks always seemed to fall during airings of Wife Swap. Don’t judge me.
Everyone would be better off without television altogether.
If Bravo got them in, Desiree Rogers fully deserved to lose her job!
Two words:
Joizee Sho’.
“Shallow Thinker, what makes you think I want to turn away? 😉 Dude, I know it’s not real. That doesn’t prevent it from being a guilty pleasure. It’s not Masterpiece Theater, but it is fun.”
The only question going through my mind right now, is “How far back in line will the reality tv producer be at the pearly gates, when it’s his or her time?”
Philo T Farnsworth’s son said his father held this opinion about his ubiquitous invention:
“There’s nothing on it worthwhile, and we’re not going to watch it in this household, and I don’t want it in your intellectual diet.”
I neglected to mention, Philo T. Farnsworth is credited with inventing the CRT that eventually was used in the television.
bila kaifa!
A bad look.
White women can look awesome in Desi attire provided they make it go with their coloring. Bright red against her alibaster skin and hair looks jarring. She needs to go with light pastels, put her hair up in a French Twist and put on some sparkly dangling earrings and she’s good to go.
anti global: Anyone can look awesome in Desi attire.
Speaking of reality shows, anyone hear about the Asian American version of Jersey Shore being cast? I sense a Desi alert..