January 2010 Issue
Hello There,
Here we are with a new issue on the new year. Our Jan issue is themed “Sibyl” and we are all set to take you on a journey in to 2010 and beyond. Filled with short stories, poems, book reviews, movie reviews and our usual columns, we are sure you will gobble this up.
Dont forget to tell us what you think. Leave a comment or email us at editor@thebanyantrees.com
Reality TV
Reality shows are no more the cool new kids on the block. They are now like that one uncle who keeps dropping by at our place uninvited. He is the one we simply cannot stand, and do not understand why our parents let him visit us. He is quirky, irritating, irrational, stupid, funny at times, says the wrong things at the wrong time, but he is an inevitable member of the family who will never leave you at peace.
What started out as competitions to help showcase budding talents to the world soon escalated in to a “Who is meaner, stupider and irritating?” contest. I keep wondering how these shows even make it to Television, not to mention getting the nod and another season. How can Rakhi Sawant after her ridiculous tantrums and laughable histrionics get another show? How can MTV Roadies, in which no one utters a sentence without a bunch a swear words, be one of the most popular TV shows in India? How can Big Boss, which is nothing but a bunch of people in one house sitting on their bottoms and bitching about one another, come back for the nth season? Have these questions bothered you? Do you know when these questions hit you? Just when you are watching Rakhi playing with your senses, not telling you who she is going to choose as her muse. It hits you then and you ask this question to your roomie, who is as engrossed as you are in the show and does not appreciate being interrupted.
After some deep soul searching, I think I may have figured out why! Where these reality shows win is in understanding the human psyche. It appeals to the exact hypocrisy that we all detest, hate and abhor, but can’t get rid of. It satisfies that secret craving that we all have. Just like how we all gossip (Did I just say that out aloud?). To see celebrities go about their lives just like normal people do is tantalizing to us. We are even ready to understand the vagaries of their lives that do not resonate with us.We understand that they have to shop in Armani, Vera Wang or expensive boutiques. We empathize with them when they say that their boyfriends are not interested in taking them to an exotic trip in the Bahamas. We understand when one of them gets pregnant and goes on and on yapping about whether she wants to keep the baby or not. We try to understand what it is that Rakhi Sawant wants! Trust me, we try!
If I try to don the oracle hat and predict what is going to happen in the coming months or years, I would say that this is just the beginning of the end of good television. The fact that most of these reality stars dont have any real talent except making fools of themselves on television, makes them an easily available commodity. There could be a never ending supply of such people. Imagine a couple of more Karshadian like people, balloon boy parents, Rakhi Sawants and those absolutely delightful roadie folks. Its going to be “Attack of the reality stars” in years to come.
Reality television might be a lie. It’s not reality, everyone knows that. People who make reality shows know that. We know that they know that we know. Really! No one can act that stupid on television on their own. It would just be a gross violation of each person’s individual sense of discretion. But for a few thousand rupees and some 15 minutes of fame, most things, well anything will be done. But reality television has in it, deeply ingrained an universal truth. Beneath all the suave, seasoned, refined, sophisticated cover that we wear, there lies the crassy, unspophisticated, gossip hungry, back biting chimpanzee that we grew out of.
Yes, that uncle shows no sign of leaving us! He just got a little more comfortable.
By Nivethitha Kumar
