Given the fact that I am latina, you can be sure that I grew up watching telenovelas every day. The songs for Chiquititas (a show about orphan girls - who ever thought of this??) are permanently encrypted in my brain. Once, I landed a job to be part of Chiquititas. Seriously a dream come true. I BEGGED my parents to let me do it, but as the great parents that they are, they kept me away from the drama of a famous life (true story!) I grew up wanting to be a TV star because I would watch these shows everyday from the time I was 6 until I was 14. When it came down to it, I started liking boys when they did, became rebellious when they did, and filled up each and every single stickers book made of them. I was kind of a big fan.
(I literally spent half an hour trying to choose which clips to put on here cause there are sooo many and somehow I am attached to all of them)
So needless to say, I'm a fan of scripted shows. Tears streaming down my cheeks hilarious comedies (Modern Family, need I say more?) and overly dramatic medicine shows (ahem, Grey's Anatomy) rule my personalized page of Hulu. But, there's more.
I, Valentina Almeida, will finally and publicly accept, that I love reality shows. There's something about them. Maybe it's The Situation's giant pecs, or the Bachelor's dreamy eyes that have me stargazing into my computer day and night. Or maybe it's the ridiculousness of people making a fool of themselves. But then there's the thrilling competition of The Amazing Race and Iron Chef. And who can make it through a whole episode of The Biggest Loser without feeling like they can do it all? They may be a bit addicting and sometime ludicrous, but apart from entertainment, I think America has changed since Reality TV began. For better or worse (and hopefully more for better), Reality TV has inspired and made us all more involved.
It used to be that girls just dreamed of being supermodels and that the fashion doodles on your notebook were famous only until you turned the page. Now, as cheesy as it may sound, these dreams are possible. Sure, there are shows that are mostly for entertainment (like Jersey Shore, Wipeout, and many many others), but even through these, we can learn about people. How else would I know that people from Jersey have a funny accent if it weren't for Jersey Shore and Cake Boss?
What would my closet look like if I'd never seen What Not to Wear? How would I ever know how to survive in a rainforest with a ill-weathered tarp and a pocket full of lint? (Thanks Bear). Okay, I may be exaggerating a bit, but on a more serious tone, I know so much more because I watch Reality TV. Apart from that, people are more actively involved. They run, travel, explore, learn of other cultures, and pursue their dreams. Have you ever heard of Kitchen Nightmares? Gordon Ramsey, the bad-mouthed, angry, never forgiving, boss in Hell's Kitchen (another show where dreams come true) shows his soft side by helping restaurant owners near the point of bankrupcy to revamp their locations and menus; all while he teaches them business essentials and takes on the role of family counselor.
(sorry about the language)
I could go on for hours listing shows that have changed America, but I think you all get the glimpse of this story. Whether it has made your dream come true or the treadmill your new best friend, Reality TV has taught us all something. Of course, there has got to be some moderation to all of it, because there is certainly some exaggeration in each and every single one of them. But if we don't become couch potatoes, chances are that we may learn something new or take on a new hobby. Pretty cool, eh?
So, let's give it up for Reality TV. Because before it's invention I would have never become a hopeless romantic, recreational chef, admirer of fashion...and as I always say, a sucker for all things humane.
I can't help myself...here's one last Chiquititas song...probably my favorite.
