Marc Lamont Hill is one of my favorite academics and just one of my favorite people in general. Recently, Hill became the host of VH1 Live, a show on VH1 that typically gives reality stars a platform to discuss their behavior on various VH1 reality shows such as Love and Hip Hop, and Basketball Wives LA. When I first saw the commercials for VH1 Live, I was surprised to see Hill. Hill frequently tweets about different reality shows he watches, but I think I grew accustomed and comfortable to seeing him in forums such as CNN and The Huffington Post.
The thing is we all watch reality tv, even those of us who have PhDs, and there is really isn’t anything wrong with watching reality TV. It seems as if, reality tv since it’s conception was destined to take the world by the storm. One of the first reality shows, COPS, is one of the most successful shows ever, with it’s infectious theme song, and humiliating co-stars, because ultimately, it is entertaining.
I think that the many people didn’t have an issue with reality TV in past decades because there was more of balance of what was on television. There were great scripted series, dope television movies, and interesting reality TV shows. Now, there isn’t so much of a balance, and television channels are completely consumed with reality series. When looking at how well shows liked The Real World , Flavor of Love, and The Hills did, it seems inevitable that reality TV would become so popular. Although, reality series today are very different from those earlier shows, the shows are still making stars out of people we wouldn't have known otherwise, i.e. Keeping Up With Kardashians.
Also, we spend hours a day watching what is called reality TV, we spend a lot of time asking ourselves, is it even real? It’s violent, hilarious, and entertaining, but it seems at many points unrealistic, and if it isn’t, do we even care? Reality TV is there because we watch it, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere, and even through the midst of reality TV shows reign, there are still successful and engaging scripted shows.
Some people point the finger towards the reality shows' producer, but are people like Mona Scott Young really the devil? Although, in a way these people do capitalize and exploit people with giving them the ability to be famous, they aren’t the culprit. Viacom is using Young just as Young is using Joseline and Joseline is using Young, so it’s really hard to point the finger at anyone.Reality series are monopolizing television just as Viacom has monopolized it, the reason behind why the BET Awards were broadcast on Nickelodeon. In school, we are taught how monopolizing is just a common part of economics.
It's like a part of me needs Karlie Redd's messiness and Tommie's antics on my television screen. Netflix exists and television doesn't serve the same role that it did before. We have the internet and television recognizes that and reality TV might be it's way of still being relevant and entertaining.
I’m going to reiterate what I said before, there just needs to be more balance, because I couldn’t imagine TV without reality stars as entertaining as New York, because to be honest, she was extremely and still is entertaining.In a way, Marc Lamont Hill hosting VH1 Live provides that necessary balance when it comes to reality, because someone like him is going to give a different prospective and the show give him exposure allowing people to discover who he is, allowing them to exposed to work he's done before. Who knows, maybe Deray Mckesson needs to be on VH1.
