The Joys of Reality TV

I caught a glimpse on Yahoo news on the internet of the bearded camo-clad "star" of Duck Dynasty. Let me rephrase–one of the stars of Duck Dynasty. Apparently there are two brothers, along with two sons of one of them. They all sport full beards and camo clothing. They made the Yahoo news feed because they are halting production of their cable show for more money. It seems that on A&E this show captures 8.6 million viewers in their 10 PM Wednesday time slot. Go figure. With this kind of following the producers are likely to pay attention.

This brings me to the crux of this blog. What’s up with all the ridiculous reality TV shows? They aren’t limited to cable TV. On any given night, or day, for that matter, you can choose from dozens of shows depicting supposedly real life drama. The only thing I can figure out is that a.) the sponsors are willing to throw money at them and b.) they are cheap to produce. Think of the money they are saving on real life actors. You’re not likely to see Sandra Bullock starring in Housewives of Tulsa or wherever it is. Brad Pitt is not likely to be wrestling swamp creatures.

Some of the tantalizing choices to be found are Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, and American Pickers. These are all based on the theme that there is junk in every attic or storage unit. Ha. Obviously no one has looked in my attic. That’s where we keep our old out-of-date computers, 21 boxes of assorted decorations for anything from Presidents’ Day to Christmas, assorted motorcycle trophies (not mine). Oh, I also forgot–nine totes of fabric which I’m sure I will need someday.

Along with this Duck Dynasty show you can be amazed by Bigfoot Finder. That one is likely to go on forever. If they find a Bigfoot they’ll have to cancel the show. Looking for more outdoor adventure? How about Swamp People? Something a little more domestic to your liking? How about Sister Wives? Or while we’re on the subject–Wife Swap? And for your viewing pleasure you can tune into two versions of that one. One on cable and one on network TV. Let’s not forget Ax Men. That’s all about the life and hard times of a variety of loggers who all know how to swear and get into an occasional fist fight with each other.

Ok. So you don’t like the outdoor stuff or the swapping of sister wives or whatever. Maybe you’d like to catch some shows with an entrepreneurial theme. Undercover Boss, Shark Tank, and of course, Celebrity Apprentice. Donald Trump is the mastermind behind this breathtaking cliffhanger. In the past he has managed to find someone to publicly exchange insults with during the airing of his show. Hmmm. Could it be to boost the viewer numbers?

I’m thankful for major league baseball. It saves me from all the drama of reality based TV. Go Mariners!

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