The "Real" In Reality TV
by Gillian Linman
In this day and age, society has become obsessed with reality TV. No longer are the good old days of TGIF nights with Boy Meets World, Family Matters, and whatever that other show was. Sure there are some fairly quality sitcoms on: Lost, Arrested Development (wait, they cancelled that one—idiots), The Office (which is a fake reality TV show)... the list could go on and on; if only we had writers (but that's a different story).
Now we are left with the inevitable, the terrible, the predictable: reality TV, from American Idol to Survivor, The Bachelor to The Real World (when apparently people stop being polite and start getting real), to honestly pretty much anything you can conjure up. Love, sex, drama, challenges; these shows have it all—plus scantily-clad girls.
Now let's get real: to say you haven't partaken in bad reality TV is probably a lie. To say you haven't once or twice or three times actually enjoyed this somewhat brainless experience might also be a stretch. Don't feel bad; we've all done it and will probably still continue to do it. It's sickeningly addicting to watch these poor people suffer through what seem like insurmountable odds. Or at least the odds stacked against you when surrounded with a camera crew and the occasional cue card.
This is the part where I make my plug for my favorite reality TV show. "But, wait," you must be thinking, "you just listed off two paragraphs of reasons why I shouldn't indulge in such shenanigans." (Yes, I know the word "shenanigans" really doesn't make much sense there, but let's be honest, it's an awesome word, and I'm bringing it back). But, we all have our guilty pleasures, and to be honest I wouldn't really call this a guilty pleasure, I just absolutely love this show. Before I do that however, I must admit, this show does have its faults. "Faults" being: it has the drama, the bickering, the challenges, and occasionally the scantily clad girl. However, despite its rather dramatized drama, it possesses a sense of raw talent that most other popular reality TV shows lack.
There are sixteen contestants of every shape, size, color and background. The host is an angel most would kill to meet. The contestants' mentor is both full of wisdom and a dictionary of obscenely long adjectives. And the one thing that contestants must understand is that "one day you're in, and one day you're out." (No, it is not Dancing with the Stars-honestly, who do you people think I am?) So what is this wonderfully absurd addiction of a show? It's Bravo's fantastically real Project Runway.
Some of you probably just stopped reading, while others are screaming in a fit of excitement, while still others are thinking, "Project what?" If you happen to be the latter, here's the low-down. The show is really all about fashion-how fitting since fashion week has just begun! Sixteen designers from across the country are hand-picked by the judges-in this case Michael Kors (famed American designer) , Nina Garcia (an Editor of Elle Magazine), Heidi Klum (model extraordinaire), and Tim Gunn (fabulous fashion teacher from Pratt). Each week, the contestants are given a unique challenge that tests their versatility, raw talent and innovative ideas as a designer. In the end, the final two contestants have the opportunity to show a line at Fashion Week in Bryant Park, every fashion designer's dream. The winner of the whole show gets $100,000 to help launch his or her own label, a spread in Elle Magazine, a new car... and the perks just keep on rolling.
Some of you still might be thinking, "So what? It doesn't sound that great." And maybe it just isn't your thing, which is okay, but hear me out. In my opinion what makes this show so amazing and addicting is the amount of real talent that it possesses. These people are literally sometimes given ten dollars and ten hours to create a masterpiece that represents them as a designer. Or forced to make something wearable out of the products of the Hershey's store in Times Square. Or given twenty pairs of jeans and told to make an innovative never-before-thought-of jean look. If you didn't catch my other article about the art of fashion, my opinion is that fashion is wearable art. These people are taking Twizzlers and creating an entirely never-before-thought-of look, which although slightly absurd is truly amazing.
So why watch this show? Because it shows artists in action. It shows people maybe like you and maybe me who desire to express themselves by means of design and, because of this amazing show, have the opportunity to do so. People who, with scissors, a piece of fabric and a couple of hours, turn white muslin into a fashion-forward masterpiece.
But don't take my word for it-watch the show. If not for the amazing talent and art savvy creations, for the hilarious comments of Tim Gunn-Mr. Make-it-work-and the ridiculous designers-who ever said artist were normal? We're not. All I am saying is that Project Runway gives me hope that reality TV has not completely ruined our culture. And although that sounded really serious, it's not that intense. I am just happy that it does possess a sense of reality, which is bigger than just people and drama-it is people and their creativity at work to accomplish something that they really want. And it's not just for the money or the car, but to know that their art and aesthetic has finally been experienced, challenged and accepted—something that I think for most artists is one of the most edifying and sought-after life experiences.
So do yourself a favor and start putting the "real" back into reality TV. If it's not Project Runway, find some other show where the people and their talents are real, and when the shit hits the fan, it's only because, well, real shit really hits the fan.
