The Appeal of Reality Television

       Many people these days are obsessed with reality television-and there are reality shows about everything you can think of. Wives-housewives, basketball wives, sister wives, (and many more)-singers, dancers, bachelors and bachelorettes.  Reality TV appeals to many people because people are interested in the lives of others, people love to gossip, people love to see happy endings and sad endings,  seeing people being challenged and pushed to their limit. There are many different reasons that we are attracted to reality TV. I am interested in reality TV programs such as Survivor, The Bachelor & Bachelorette, and American Idol.
Survivor is the ultimate of wit and skill. I watch the show Survivor because I like to see the survivors participate in physical challenges and see them interact socially with each other. I like to watch relationships grow throughout the season, and see who the “jury” believes to deserve the 1 million dollar prize.  Survivor is currently airing their 22nd season. I believe millions of viewers tune into Survivor each week because it is a reality show that actually focuses on skill rather than shows like Jersey Shore, which revolves around a group of people who live in a house together and party all the time (I absolutely do not get the attraction of that show). The survivors have to play the perfect social, physical, and mental game to make it to the end of the show and have a chance at the million dollar prize. Survivor fans are interested in watching the sneakiness of the game, and also the loyalty aspect of the game.
I also enjoy the reality television show, American Idol. American Idol singing competition whose goal is to find THE American Idol, the last one standing. American Idol attracts many people because America gets to participate in the show, and they get to vote for their favorites, and ultimately decide the winner. I like watching American Idol because I enjoy judging the talents of young singers and watching their potential continue growing throughout the season. You get to experience the contestants lives change throughout the show, and also you get to experience them growing as performers and singers. American Idol is appeals to a wide range of people because there are contestants of all ages, and talent of all varieties. American Idols can give aspiring singers hope and challenge them to continue to live their dreams. The winner of the show is granted a record deal, and their dream of becoming a superstar is fulfilled.
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette is a show that tries to set up the Bachelor or Bachelorette with their soul mate. It is show that is based on love and trying to find your perfect match. This show attracted me because I like seeing happy endings and witnessing others being in love. I do think that this show is highly destined to not fulfill its goal. Only like 3 of the Bachelor or Bachelorettes (out of 18) that are still together. I think that I just watch this show for entertainment purposes and to see if the couples can break the chain, and still be together in the end. I think that these shows appeal to many because of the drama that goes along with the show, and the hope for a happy ending.

Reality based lyrics

I think that it is really important for lyrics to be reality based. For people to like or respect musicians, their music has to be about problems, issues, or about life in general, that can be relatable to their audience. Music is a great form of therapy and people can turn to music for comfort or for a feeling of togetherness. Lyrics that are reality based help us not feel alone. We can turn to music when we need to hear words that we can relate to or when we need to be brought back to reality.

               Eminem gets credit for “keeping it real.” His songs are about real life situations and hardships that he went through as a young child. His lyrics talk about things that are sometimes hard to hear. From his song “mockingbird,” Eminem writes, 

               “I remember back when you and daddy had no money

               Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up

               And stuck 'em under the tree and said some of 'em were from me

               Cuz daddy couldn't buy 'em

               I'll never forget that Christmas I sat up the whole night crying

               Cuz daddy felt like a bum, see daddy had a job

               But his job was to keep the food on the table for you and mom”

This song is written for his daughter-and it tells of his care for her despite all of life’s issues. These lyrics are definitely important because they are reality based. People can relate to his lyrics when they grew up in a poor family and/or struggling with family problems. People turn to music when they need an outlet; an outlet for fun, sadness, or a new reality.  Eminem’s songs can be that outlet for some people because his real life experiences are relatable and can take us to a place of comfort, in knowing that you are not alone in the hardships in life.

               Non-reality based lyrics can be fun to listen to, but they are not as important as songs that are really relatable. I think that most songs we listen to contribute some meaning to our lives. When you can’t express yourself, you can turn to music to say the words that you cannot.

               For me, I think that country music is the perfect example when it comes to reality based lyrics. Country singer Brad Paisley sings a song called, “This is country music,” which I think describes what country music is all about. In the song, he says, “This is real; this is your life in a song-Yeah this is country music.” You can find a song about pretty much any life situation in the country music genre. Having “your life in a song” is a really important way to express yourself when you cannot think of the right words to say.

Elton John, "confounding the image"

When I think of an artist who “confounds the image,” I immediately think of Elton John. He often dressed very eccentrically and always had a new costume to show the world. Elton john was very diverse in his music abilities, crafting music from pop, rock, soul, and country, just to name a few. His versatility in the music industry, his flamboyant stage performances, and his charisma confounded the image of the 60’s and 70’s.  

 The definition of androgyny is when masculinity and femininity are not conceived as having different characteristics-you can have one or both or neither of the gender traits of your choice. Elton John liked to dress both masculine and feminine-but whether male or female; his style can be described as outlandish. Johns clothing is very much decorated and accessorized. For example, he regularly wears platform shoes, which are not typically worn by males, and he often changed his hair color, which is also not considered manly. Elton John’s accessories are very flashy and unique.

Another way Elton John “confounded images” was by his sexuality. Elton John was admittedly a homosexual- which was not widely accepted years ago-so many fans were shocked. In an interview, he talked about bisexuality, and his belief that “everyone is bisexual to a degree.” Some fans reacted negatively to John's sexuality, and his audience began to shrink somewhat in the late ‘70s. 

Known for his flashy clothes and numerous hit records, Elton John tells no lies about who he is and is never ashamed to be himself. But above all of this is the fact that he has created some of the most timeless music we have ever known.