I have long been fond of reality TV. I grew up watching many forms of the genre, from Jersey Shore (which I should not have been watching so young), to competition shows like American Idol, to hidden camera prank shows like Impractical Jokers, and so on. I, like many ardent viewers, would like to believe that what I watch is truly “real,” that despite the edited cuts and post-production fanfare, the final product maintains the core integrity of the original sequence and atmosphere. Of course, I know this is not really the case, but I would like to remain in my little fantasy bubble.
My bubble was slightly burst last week as I walked into class at Annenberg taught by Henry Jenkins and Robert Kozinets. Rob immediately announced “Henry will be joining us later because he’s at a taping of Masterchef Junior.” Imagine my initial delight! I grew up watching Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef, Kitchen Nightmares, Ramsay’s Christmas specials, you name it. But when Henry came back, he spilled the beans on what production was like. They were filming the Christmas episode, though it was only the end of February. Most of the time was spent waiting for something to happen, and production instructed the crowd to cheer at specific times, giving them props in support of the contestants. It was not particularly exciting, as a number of contestants finished with ample time left on the clock. All of the child contestants were media-trained to give satisfactory answers whenever microphones were pointed at them. And interestingly, all of the dishes sat in the open after they were prepared, getting cold for 45 minutes before they were even judged.
My excitement for Masterchef is dampened now, though I will probably push my gripes aside the next time I watch it. For now, I will let post-production work their magic and once again bestow me with the illusion of reality.
Bonus, two of my favorite reality TV clips:
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, dinner fight
South Beach Tow, Bernice gets hit
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