 Like a psychopathic killer in a scary movie, it creeps up on you,
determined to do you harm. It stalks you, its hideous chill tainting
the very air you breathe. Each time you hope it'll be different, that
it won't make you afraid to peek out from behind your eyes, or walk
down the street for fear of seeing something awful, or cause you to
scream your lungs out. But, every year, it's the same.
Every year, I end up a crazed woman with an irrational fear of everything media.
Why? Because Big Brother is back and it seems to impact on every aspect of my life.
Every summer for the past ten years I've had my finger almost glued to
the remote control so that I can flip over not only when Big Brother
comes on but when the adverts for the show and the multitude of after
shows it's spawned appear on my screen. I've had to carve out a fantasy
world to escape into when those around me start to yammer on about the
latest goings on in 'the house', and I can't go into newsagents' and
read the headlines nor buy magazines because it'll invariably be about
something to do with that show. I've even been abandoned on a nights
out by friends who are desperate to see the eviction show. And for
God's sake, it's just a TV show!
I
have a very complicated relationship with so-called reality TV.
Complicated in that I can't stand most of it, but with my passion for
telling stories that are based on the reality of human experiences, I
sometimes feel I shouldn't say how much reality TV - particularly Big
Brother - gets my goat.
It's not all reality TV that makes me
want to throw things or shout at the TV. I'm quite partial to a spot of
MasterChef, Come Dine With Me, The Apprentice and Project Runway (the
American version of the clothes' creating show). One of my secret TV
shames is America's Next Top Model (but I was living in Australia at
the time and there was nothing else on at that time of a Sunday
evening). I consider those reality shows on the good side of the
sliding scale of reality TV because the contestants are trying to
achieve something: trying to become a professional chef, trying to be a
good dinner party host, trying to make it in business, trying to make
it in the fashion world, trying to out-Tyra Banks Tyra Banks. They have
a genuine passion, and are trying to do something about it. The rest of
those who participate in reality TV shows seem to be there with the
express point of becoming 'famous'. They seem to be chasing fame for
fame's sake, not realising that most of the stars – sportspeople,
actors, musicians, writers, etc – are generally famous because they
have poured their hearts and souls into whatever it is they've become
famous for.
I do understand the appeal of those shows, a lot
of people I know love them, but for me they do nothing. Nothing good,
anyway. I suppose part of my dislike for those shows is that I have no
desire to live my life in front of the world, I'm pretty sure no one
will be interested what I wear to bed, or which side of the bed I sleep
on, so I'd never apply to be on a show that thrusts all those things in
other people's faces. I prefer my work to represent me 'out there', and
my work to bring me anything coming close to 'fame'.
I suppose what
I'm saying is this: for all my interest in people, the human condition
and what makes people tick, I draw the line at taking any interest in
Big Brother and shows of that ilk.
And my wish for the summer is that the programme makers will get a
big reality check and put an end to my misery by cancelling the show.
But, I have this feeling that with the size of the real cheque that
Channel 4 receives from Big Brother (someone told me it's something
like 20 per cent of their revenue) I'm going to be suffering for a
long, long time.
© Dorothy Koomson 2009
|
reality TV shows that I can bear to watch
Project Runway
A group of wannabe fashionistas try to out sew each other to win a lucrative design contract and the chance to start their own fashion line.
MasterChef
Hundreds of contestants try to realise their dream of opening their own restaurant by learning cooking techniques from the best chefs the world has to offer.
 The Apprentice
A group of business-types perform a series of tasks to try to work at the feet of Sir Alan Sugar.
Come Dine With Me
Over the course of a week, four or five people hold a dinner party each night for a group of strangers, in an attempt to win £1,000.
Previously on dorothy says . . .
|
