Reality T.V. Promotes Gossip

  Reality television shows are changing the entertainment industry as we know it. They are revolutionizing certain aspects of the media, and the way viewer’s now process television shows. Because reality shows are consumed with gossip, it has become the social norm for Americans to speak harshly about one another behind closed doors. In fact, those who do not take part in gossip are viewed as abnormal. The gossip seen on TV in reality shows is rubbing off on American culture. Along with the cunning language, reality TV shows have also turned the entertainment industry into a place where the flaws of people are put on a pedestal for all to observe. Such flaws can lead to entertaining conversation (especially among young adults), which is merely just another form of gossip in itself. Because of reality television, gossip is at the forefront of the entertainment industry, and thereupon, has unfortunately become a cornerstone of American culture.
     In shows such as The Real World and Jersey Shore, gossip keeps everything running smoothly. Without the deceiving slander there would be less fighting (which provides entertainment for the viewers). One person says something about another person and it’s on. That seems to be the current trend of today’s reality television. The gossip is often derived from the sexuality taking place on the shows. One person slept with another person, and someone was opposed. The cameras seize moments like this so they can have their chance to catch close ups of two girls talking smack about another girl, or the big tough guy calling out someone he plans on fighting. That is reality television these days, and it is rubbing off on both kids and adults in today’s culture. People love to point fingers and put other people’s flaws “on blast.” Seeing a person criticize him or herself, however, is like seeing a solar eclipse; it is what you would call a rarity. Through the gossip and the pointing of the fingers is how we come to understand and recognize the flaws of television’s reality celebrities. We learn the heart of the gossiper, as well as the negative aspects of the “gossipee.” People’s flaws are then know nationwide, and even become the basis for conversations across the country.
     The conversing over reality shows, the gossip put on display, and the flaws reality shows reveal are all a part of today’s television industry, as well as the broader entertainment industry. Americans have given into and even conformed to such behavior. Gossip has become its own custom in American society. It has affected the world of television, the viewers of television, and the compass of entertainment as a whole in the United States and other nations.