wheel of fortune

It started innocently enough. Back in 1938, 40 years before I was born, a show came on the television called Spelling Bee. It was the very first television game show. Like the Colorado River making the Grand Canyon, that first game show resulted in an entire cable network devoted to game shows, past and present.

Not only do game shows keep appearing (and reappearing- thanks a lot, Howie Mandel), but at some point, a television producer realized that people loved when the contestants were bat-shit crazy. The more emotional and out-of-control the contestant, the more the viewers watched. It wasn't just being able to guess prices or answer trivia or avoid whammies. It was people acting a fool at the chance to win a freezer and a mid-sized sedan. Reality television was conceived.

Reality television preys on the unstable, who sign up to participate, and the schadenfreudeian nature of humans to take pleasure in the suffering of others to account for viewers. What began with things like American Idol became Survivor and then Rock of Love and so on. There is now a cable channel devoted to reality shows. There is a show where someone is locked in a room by themselves to see how long they can last. That's it. No other premise than trying to drive someone insane.

There is a reason why reality television is so popular, and it's not because viewers like it. They do like it, but they also liked Seinfeld and Cheers and The Simpsons plenty of other scripted shows. The main reason is they are moneymakers. Major moneymakers. It's all economics.

On a scripted show, the producers have to pay writers and actors in addition to the stage crew. Writers and actors who belong to unions and guilds. Writers and actors who, if the show is successful, will be there for years, getting raises and new contracts.

On a reality show, they throw out about a million dollars in prizes (money, goods, contracts, whatever). They spend more than that on lawyers who can make sure every contract is ironclad. The insurance takes up some cash, but it still doesn't compare to the total for a scripted show. And these shows are getting a LOT of advertising money. Some finales are scoring ad revenue that only the Super Bowl can dwarf. People watch, they vote, they go online and discuss. American Idol takes in ad revenue, and then shows those kids around the country while selling tickets and merchandise that would make Miley Cyrus green with envy.

I don't really watch reality shows (does Iron Chef count? what about House Hunters?). I don't really watch scripted shows either. Some HGTV and Food Network, Daily Show and Colbert, and sports. I'd always prefer to live life than watch it. I have cable, but not DVR, and the idea of having to be home to watch something instead of spending time with friends.

I guess you'd say I prefer reality.