Kayla’s Comments: Reality shows tap into our sensitive side

A fresh season of American Idol has begun, and millions of viewers are once again drawn in by the possibility of witnessing the rise of a new star. Well, about half of those viewers are like me and only watch the first few episodes. To tell you the truth, I could care less about the Kelly Clarksons and Fantasias of Idol bring on the William Hungs of the world! When a normally dressed, well-trained singer steps up to the plate, I roll my eyes and channel surf for a few seconds until I feel an Elvis impersonator or a male Madonna-wannabe vibe, then I quickly turn it back. They have to know that they are horrible, right? The best ones are the people who believe deep down in their souls that they are incredible but are truly close to vomit-inducing. The early episode-only viewers love to see these innocents ripped apart by the true American Idol, Simon, the voice of reason in a panel saturated with weakness and tenderness. Other reality shows such as Fear Factor and the billions of weight-loss shows tap into our need for people-bashing. It’s hard to tell why we find enjoyment in watching other people suffer ridicule and have their happy dreams crushed by reality. We are told that the world is a cruel place, and we often have our feelings hurt, face disappointments, and strive to reach goals that we may never achieve. I suppose that part of the appeal of watching others embarrass themselves, cry, and have their seemingly unimportant ambitions stomped upon is that we have to face these same situations every day. Maybe not on national television, but it sure feels like it sometimes. Viewers may find reassurance in the fact that there are other people in the world who are facing the same problems. The terrible singers on American Idol survive criticism that is a higher degree that what we normally face so if they can survive and continue on with their normal (okay sometimes not so normal) lives, we can too. On the other side, when we see the ugly ducklings and adorable go-getters make it to the top. We share in their glory. If they can defeat the odds and use talent alone to reach the top, so can we! Or even the William Hungs of the world can make something of themselves with no talent at all, even negative amounts of talent. Either way you feel, reality shows can boost our self-esteem and demonstrate how with a little luck and sometimes talent (but not always required) we can be successful in our endeavors. It always shows us how we can overcome the bad things that cross our daily paths. Reality shows can be a good remedy for a lousy day at school or work and a good “pick-me-up”/inspirational show.