I have a confession to make: I watched Kim Kardashian’s 97-hour wedding extravaganza on E! this week.
I’m not ashamed, but I’m also not going to be writing about the actual show. Instead, I want to talk about why people do reality television, and if they care about how they are portrayed, even if it is just all for exposure.
Kim’s now-husband Kris Humphries, an NBA player originally from Minnesota, came across as a socially inept oaf. He insulted Kim’s sisters, especially Khloe. He was late to everything from golf with Kim’s step-dad Bruce Jenner to creating the wedding registry with her and her mom Kris Jenner, and was completely unapologetic. He made fun of his future mother-in-law after she had a face lift. The list goes on.
By the end of part one, I couldn’t get over how poorly he had been portrayed during the past two hours. Was it an intentional edit, to get us ready for next year’s Kim’s Divorce Fantasy Spectacular? Did he not get to see the footage before it aired, and thus couldn’t ask to be shown in a better light? Or is that how he is and he is totally OK with it?
I know the show wasn’t strictly reality, but I also don’t think it was scripted. I have a feeling the producers probably set things up, like asking Khloe to tell Kourtney her feelings about Kris, but I don’t think the girls actually sat down and memorized lines. But even if there is some direction from producers, why would you go along with it? If someone asked me to be a jerk towards my future sister-in-law, I would respectively tell them to shove it. I don’t care that much about being on television, especially if I look like an ass.
Obviously, I don’t personally know any of these people, but Kris seems to enjoy the spotlight. I have a feeling that he is cocky enough to not care what people think of him, and to think that he can go through the rest of his life acting this way. This is his jumping off point, and with the NBA lockout still going on, maybe he thinks he can convince Khloe’s husband, L.A. Laker Lamar Odom, to join him on Kris and Lamar Do Unemployment.
For some people, any amount of exposure is worth them not coming out smelling like roses. What do they care if they look like a creep on national television, they’re making bank! So, I ask you: what would you be willing to show on reality TV? Would you enjoy acting like a villain? How much would they have to pay you? And would you try to control your image as much as possible?
16 replies on “What Are You Willing To Do For A Reality Show?”
I asked my roommate about this yesterday, who is a faithful watcher of the show. She said she got the impression he was very immature and she was a motherly figure to him. I watched few snippets of the reception and it looked stage and fake and not romantic or real. Fake smiling and cameras everywhere and having to be aware of every move you make because this is your wedding and a TV show too….gross.
He seems extremely immature, and throw in his cockiness and it’s a horrible combination. Oh, and the wedding seemed soooo fake. You could tell that everything was done so it looked good on camera, but probably seemed weird in real life. And don’t get me started on that 90 foot glittery cross on the altar…I can’t even…
So… did he come across better in Part 2? For some unkown reason I am actually curious. Guess I’ll have to do some internetting…
Nope, he didn’t redeem himself during part two! I was reading in Us Weekly yesterday (yes, I got it for free with airline miles, because I Â was never going to have enough to get a free flight) that he was on Jay Leno with Kim and made all sorts of jerky remarks. I guess marriage hasn’t matured him yet!
I just marvel that she found a person she wanted to marry whose name begins with “K.”  I don’t follow the Kardashians, so I’m kind of out of the loop but that had to be intentional, right?
The sad part is, I think that was probably a huge reason behind her marrying him. “Well, he’s kind of a dick, but at least he spells his name with a ‘K’!”
And it’s her mom’s name too…
So many K’s! I can’t.
I don’t have a thick enough skin to be on reality tv. I think the farthest I would go would be to be on a game show. I was on a court show one time. I was the good guy in the court show though, so it was easy for me. Although the landlord that I sued was more than happy to come across as a dumb slumlord for them to pay what I won in court. So that’s an insight.
But yeah. the minute someone made fun of one of my weird mannerisms or said I was bitchy, I would fall apart. Also I don’t like other people, so I couldn’t do something where you have to live with other people.
I think you mean “I kan’t”
All of this! I love watching lots of different reality shows, but I don’t think I could do any of them. Big Brother – couldn’t be in such close quarters with so many people for so long (plus I think I’d be too trusting and gullible). The Amazing Race – would be sleep-deprived and turn into a horrible stress monster and cry over everything. Real Housewives of Everywhere – just, no.
I used to think The Amazing Race would be such an awesome way to see the world, but I would much rather take my time and explore leisurely, as opposed to doing all those crazy stunts. Plus, I would probably have a breakdown if I was sleep deprived and out of my comfort zone.
Yes! I think the stress level would just be so high for so much of it that you wouldn’t really get to enjoy it; and I know that when I’m sleep-deprived for long enough, I feel like I’m experiencing the worst PMS ever all the time, and I’d be that contestant that everyone hates for being mean and rude to everyone.
I would totally go on a game show. I got to the final round of auditions for Teen Jeopardy! but I didn’t get on the show, and now I’m afraid if I was ever selected as a contestant I’d be the person who answers everything wrong and winds up in the negatives and can’t even participate in Final Jeopardy!
haha that would be my fear. Or who blows it and makes a super embarrassing mistake.