The Paradox of Reality Television Fame | The debate on the meaning of reality television seems to be stuck on the
THE PARADOX OF REALITY TELEVISION FAME
May 25, 2005 | Christopher J. Falvey
"After the break, how to get on a reality television show! Learn the ins and outs of..."
I turned off the news program right there. I understand why this would interest a subset of people- they want to be famous. Reality television, supposedly, holds that golden promise that our culture has yearned for eternally: a system where any common person can become famous for doing nothing extraordinary. (Previously the only way to achieve this brand of fame was to jump wildly behind a television reporter as he or she was reporting from the street.)
The promise, however, is flawed.