You're absolutely right. It's all staged/scripted/edited.

Blah.....I like it!!! Not afraid to admit it either....

I'm more along the lines of the TLC/Bravo/Travel Channel/A&E type reality shows (they seem more documentary in nature?), although I still watch American Idol too, just because I love music and appreciate SOME of the performances on it.

nope. with the crap i have going on....it's a funny escape. i certainly don't have a problem with my brain at all. doing the books at works makes my brain turn to goo more

American Idol is in a different category as is Dancing With the Stars and other shows of that ilk. . It is more of a game/variety show. Educational/documentary type shows are also another category.

Someone did point out that reality tv is a misnomer since there is nothing real about these shows, but it is the name attached to the genre. I'm sure if you watch these shows you know which ones I mean. I could not tell you their names because I do not watch them.

Sorry, but based on what I've read and commercial trailers I've seen, those shows go well beyond the normal mindless drivel that is served up on tv. Hmmm, how can I put this?

Okay got it! Have you ever read Dante's The Divine Comedy? If so, then you know what Dante's inferno is. I'm going to use it as a basis for comparison. Let's say with a few exceptions, all tv programming occupies the different levels of hell. The ninth circle of hell is reserved for reality TV.

JMO of course.

i do know it...been a while though. for me....real, fake, stupid, whatever is nothing more than escape from reality. it's for fun, just like watching a comedy. but i'm still sharp as a tack (except now....broke my toe less than an hour ago and took a pain pill)

i DO understand your point (trust me i do) but i take it just for entertainment and to laugh

I completely understand and have no wish to deprive anyone of entertainment they enjoy. If it makes your day better that is all to the good.

The major problem I see with reality tv is the threat it poses to legitimate programming. It is popular and cheap to produce, thus it makes lots of money. This in turn causes proliferation. Hopefully it either has reached, or will reach, a saturation point and will eventually occupy a much smaller piece of the tv landscape.

just because it's "reality tv" doesn't make it real...make sense? i don't expect people to like them just as i may not like war movies/shows etc.

i know alot of people think it's all real...100%. i take it for what it's worth....entertainment

it's like what i like to say....life is a jerry springer show...you are either on stage or in the audience waiting for your jerry beads lol

I probably don't watch them either. I just DVR the good schtuff.

What about wrestling video games? With nearly naked chicks in mud? I love that game.

I'm sure many brain cells have been lost while viewing wrestling video games with nearly naked chicks in mud. However, for some, this may be a more worthy reason to sacrifice brain cells.

Only the weaker ones. Survival of the fittest and all that.

IDK, but some of these threads sure do.

I believe I drop a couple of IQ points every time I log on to Mingle2. However, I regain them after shutting off the computer and reading a book.

I did watch the first season of Survivor and Big Brother, lost interest after that. I do like The Amazing Race because of all the places they visit on their journey. I do watch American Idol, which is on tonight, but as you've said that it's a different category. Actually, I don't watch much TV in general, I'd rather listen to music.

Reality TV is really lame. I have a real life, why watch someone else's? I don't have cable, and I like a few shows which I do make an effort to watch online when I have time. I just don't want all my time to go down the drain watching junk.

The two I hate most are "The next top model" and that operation runway crud. Ug! Where's the action! I'm sorry but watching a bunch of people play dress up is NOT my cup of joe.

Bah! All I have to do to see reality is get up in the morning. Why the hell would I want to watch it on my TV at night? Television is supposed to be about escapism, not to watch so-called "reality".

I don't watch TV , period. I got tired of it a long time ago..I watch some movies on DVD...or watch it on my PC.

TV is a sickening brainwash machine.

Thought this needed a *bump*