We are all inherently narcissistic whether we choose to admit it or not.
The appeal of being famous has crossed our minds, especially mine.
I can remember the first time I saw MTV’s The Real World when I was about 8 years old. At that age, I thought it was a cool idea to be on television and live in Hawaii.
And as I got older, my understanding of the concept of the show, as well as the growing scope of reality television made me think I would be great for reality television.
The realm of reality television is so vast from reality competition programs (i.e. The Bachelor, Survivor) to reality social experiments (i.e. Big Brother, The Real World) to reality docu-dramas (Sister Wives, The Real Housewives) and a mix between reality and scripted (i.e. The Hills, Duck Dynasty).
Lastly, there’s the celebrity driven reality show documenting any given celebrity train wreck (i.e. Lindsay Lohan). You name it, I’ve watched it, binged it, digested them all. I’ve also learned from my countless hours of viewing what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to being on reality television.
When I finally turned 18 years old, the floodgates of reality television applications opened. The possibilities were endless. As I said in the beginning of the story, I was fascinated by The Real World.
I told everyone and anyone that I was going to be on the show. I even won “Most Dramatic” during my senior superlatives.
I had the bumper sticker hanging on my wall at home that said “what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real?” (A phrase from the opening sequence of the show.)
The stars should have aligned right?
I should also note that I take the Jeopardy online test at least once a year, in hopes of winning some big money. Unfortunately I have never gotten past the initial test. I’ll enjoy sitting at home shouting out both incorrect and correct answers from the comfort of my couch, much to the amusement of my girlfriend.
Every season I would fill out my application and hear nothing. I googled casting tips (prior to the ease of access of Twitter and Reddit), then moved my stalking to Twitter for any tidbits from former castmastes, production company employees, even going as far as engaging in borderline harassment to get their attention.
I was a man possessed by a dream.
I was a man possessed by a dream.
I took it another step further and drove two hours to casting calls in hopes of being discovered. That didn’t work out as I had hoped.
I was not going to give up though.
As we entered the Spring of 2014, a new opportunity to apply for the next season arose and a a chance of turning nothing into something was mine.
For three days, I sat and contemplated what I wanted my application to say.
This was my first impression, and I wanted to make it count. With the rise of Vine and Instagram and these “instant-fame” outlets, it was becoming harder and harder to stand out and be unique.
I also knew that as a loyal viewer of the show that I needed to have a voice. One that was definitely out front and center. After a lot of internalization and mini panic attacks, I finally clicked submit and awaited my fate.
Two weeks later I received the most incredible e-mail I thought I could ever receive.
Having received what I assumed was my own version of the “Golden Ticket,” I drove two hours to the casting to what turned out to be the most shoddy and poorly run event I had ever been to.
The “VIP” wasn’t VIP at all. I had to wait around just like everyone else did who walked in off the street. I wasn’t given any preferential treatment. I was treated like a regular person. It was extremely disappointing.
Yes, I was guaranteed to go into the casting room, but it was in a large group setting with 10 other people and they ask you ONE question. In what world does that mean VIP?
Sitting there in that group interview listening to people talk about their strained relationships, drug and alcohol addictions, lavish lifestyles (and how they got them) made me realize I’M TOO NORMAL for reality television.
Reality TV is a rotten industry and it isn’t getting any better as social media continues to mature. Photo Credit: Mario Goebbels/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Reality television is an abyss that sucks it’s cast members and spits them out at a rapid pace. Look at any of The Real Housewives.
Over the course of numerous locales and countless replaceable women, their relationships with their loved ones soured and ended, they file for bankruptcy, get bad plastic surgery, and the list goes on and on.
The most infamous reality television contestant, Richard Hatch, was sentenced to federal prison on tax evasion.
These of course are the most dramatic and most noteworthy of what life is like after reality television. Look at the girls on America’s Next Top Model for instance; did any of them truly become household names? The Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants vie for the opportunity to be the next man or woman looking for love and maybe a summer in a nice house to win some money by being awful human beings.
The cast of Big Brother and Survivor, two staples of the 2000s, have seen their fair share of racists, bigots and homophobes.
If you were to search for any of the cast members from any MTV or ABC reality show on social media, their accounts are filled with them posing for cheesy selfies hocking whatever product they’re getting paid to advertise, or their promoting bar and club appearances.
Many go back to their real lives, the ones they left prior to their television debuts, hoping their time on television doesn’t come back to haunt them.
The most glaring issue with reality television is that it gives people a false sense of security.
For the viewers, it’s an escape from their daily lives by watching other people ruin their own, while those on the programs we watch are hoping to change their lives financially by participating on these shows. They don’t often consider the long-term effects of their appearance.
For better or for worse, reality television will continue to be around, but the men and women who grace our screens will be scratching to extend their 15 minutes of fame. A fame I no longer find desirable, especially if I need to make a mockery of myself to attain it.
The actress Meagan Good said it best: “make sure your desire to do what you’re aspiring to do is deeper than just fame and being a celebrity.”
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. Anyone can write for you us as long as you are fiercely interested in making the world a better place.
Cover Photo Credit: Justin March/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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DOGG: Snoop Dogg Launches Own Line Of Marijuana Based Products
Snoop Dogg, the well known rapper and lover of marijuana has launched his own line of weed called Leafs By Snoop.
The line is available for purchase at 10 Colorado marijuana stores and has a flashy website.
Snoop Dogg launched the line at a party last night at what Rolling Stone Magazine described as a “surreal suburban house party” in Denver.
“It’s a true blessing that I can share the products I love so much with y’all today,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement obtained by CNN. “From the flower, to the concentrates, and edibles – it’s all hand-picked by yours truly so you know it’s the hottest product out there. It’s the real deal and you gotta get out to Colorado to try it first!”
The line includes 8 types of flowers and multiple edible choices from peanut butter gems, fruit chews and gummies.
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Cover Photo Credit: Leafs By Snoop/ Youtube (Screenshot)
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I Traveled Around Europe And Took Lots Of Selfies With People Making Out In The Background
When I studied abroad in Prague from February to June 2015, I spent a lot of time exploring parks and green spaces.
I also quickly noticed I was one of the only people walking along without some sort of dog or lover companion.
For people who don’t often make eye contact with strangers, Czech people have off-the-charts PDA.
I thought this was stunning and hilarious so I decided to take advantage of it through a photo series. Most of the photos are from Prague in the daytime, and I expanded as I traveled to other cities across Europe.
When I saw people locking lips on the street, I would snap quick selfies. I challenged myself to make sure the people in the picture didn’t know I was taking it, which was never really much of a challenge at all:
Prague:
I found these two making out on the sidewalk as I was on my way to meet friends in downtown Prague.
Objects are closer than they appear.
Just about all of these were more than quick pecks – I had to have the time to notice the pair kissing, find my phone, position it and snap the picture all while they were still smooching.
I felt like pictures in bars were kind of cheap shots, but this happened at my table so I made an exception.
Not my best work. The three of us were the only ones in sight, and I was happy to keep my distance.
This one was an accomplishment. Partly because I ran four miles before I took this picture, partly because it was my only horizontal find.
Madrid
In this one, it almost looks like one person sitting on a Madrid park bench. It looked that way in person too
Italy
These two were feeling the heat on a balmy June afternoon in Italy. Really, what better way to pass the time between train strikes?
Poland
Krakow, Poland, is surrounded by an outstanding green belt. These two took full advantage of it.
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RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. Anyone can write for us as long as you are fiercely interested in making the world a better place.
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The Sims 4 Will Now Give Sims “Customizable” Genders
The realm of virtual reality knows no bounds, and that now includes the boundaries of gender.
On June 3rd EA Games announced their newest update of The Sims 4 will now have the option to Customize your Sim’s gender.
In the original gameplay while creating your Sim although you could alter their physical appearance almost any way you pleased, there was only a “male” and “female” option when selecting their gender.
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This was true in all four versions of the game until this recent update.
But now, you can still choose the traditional male and female options, but now may also “Customize Gender.”
This option asks a variety of questions about the Sim you are creating including if your Sim has a more feminine or masculine frame, what their toilet behaviors are, and whether or not the Sim is able to get pregnant.
Clothing selections will also not be limited based on a male or female Sim and will be able to be worn by any Sim.
On their official website, thesims.com, this is what the team had to say about the newest update:
“The Sims is made by a diverse team for a diverse audience, and it’s really important to us that players are able to be creative and express themselves through our games. We want to make sure players can create characters they can identify with or relate to through powerful tools that give them influence over a Sims gender, age, ethnicity, body type and more.”
This update can be done for anyone who currently owns the Sims 4 game, and will a permanent feature to any future buyers of the game.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: EA Games
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