Why are reality television shows so entertaining? What is it about specifically broadcasting one's entire life for the world to watch and judge? Take for example, the Kardashians. There has not been one event in their life, or even one day, that has not been splayed out in magazines, new articles, and social media. Everyone can judge their every move, their every argument, their every word and in the future all of this documentation can be used against them. What is so entertaining to people in order for them to continue to watch their drama and their antics almost weekly?
For some, reality television is entertaining and helps them take their mind off of their own problems. Escapism is similar to any sort of addiction, where one uses distractions to take their mind off of their own unpleasant reality. Similar to movies and other television shows, reality TV helps us focus on someone else's problems rather than our own. In a way, it eases our own reality for a while, however once you shut it off our problems have the ability to catch up to us quicker than we would ever believe it to.
Reality television is often scripted as well. There is very little "reality" about it. With cameras on you 24/7, the aspect of "real life" is gone. From each move they make, to the lines they say, it is never the celebrity's own. Many producers will create additional plots that were not there before. Take for example, the Hills, a reality television show based on a group of friends working and living in Los Angeles. Adam DiVello was host to many sets and backdrops that one would assume would look like a typical Los Angeles street, but on the contrary, would be the exact opposite.
Even if you choose to not watch reality television, it becomes increasingly difficult to try and avoid it as it's displayed on the front covers of several magazines and takes up a large chuck of TV space. There is an increasingly large social media presence of the stars as well. Kim Kardashian comes third in the world for the number of Instagram followers, with 67.8 million. Khloe Kardashian has 47.1 million followers and Kourtney Kardashian with 38.1 million. People are interested and fascinated with their lives and personalities, and celebrities continue to give to their fans.
For those that religiously watch reality television, it is an addiction. Human beings have an intense desire to fill their time doing things that are seemingly wrong for them, to take their mind off of their own reality. They irony can be comical, but also worrisome when it crosses the limit.
