My Rules Regarding Reality TV: No Talent, No Entry
I have my own suggestion, and fantasy, regarding reality TV as it should be presented and policed in the United States.
Imagine a television industry equivalent of either the heavenly gates of St. Peter, or the hellish gates of a tough airport security line. To get through the gate, and get on television, you have to provide a satisfactory answer to one simple question:
“What’s your talent?”
If you’re, say, Justin Timberlake, and your answer is that you sing, you dance, you act, and you’re funny, come on through. Be on all the TV you want.
But if you’re, say, Snooki, and the question seems like an unfair, unanswerable pop quiz, then you don’t get to pass through TV’s gates. Period.
Go sit in the audience, where you belong.
Marry a millionaire? That doesn’t mean you have talent — just money.
Pick fights whenever anyone’s watching? In a boxing ring, with rules and a trained opponent, that may indeed be talent. Otherwise, especially with alcohol involved, it’s just sad, stupid aggression.
Think of all the TV series, and so-called TV “stars,” that a simple “No talent, no entry” rule would eliminate. Then think of all the hours of television that would have to be filled by other, better material.
- David Bianculli
From: China Cracks Down on Reality TV - And May Be On to Something
