The Reality of Reality TV

Every Tuesday around 10pm, if you sign into your Twitter or Facebook account there is a frenzy of updates regarding females like Natalie, Annie and Flo. I guarantee most of you already know where I’m going from that sentence. Yes, I am talking about the Bad Girls Club, for those out of the "loop". I indulged myself in BGC frenzy recently, I mean I had to see what the hype was all about. The first episode I saw, one girl Amber is in the club dancing with her legs around some random dude waist never mind that same female’s boyfriend was coming to visit the next day. In that same episode two of the residents of the house, Kendra and Lexi, have a threesome with some random guy they had just met. And I thought Pumpkin spitting in New York’s face on Flavor of Love was live!

Is there a trend going on here people? Bad Girls Club, America's Top Model, Harlem Heights, College Hill and the Godfather of Negro Reality TV Flavor of Love have taken over the conversation of lunchrooms, coffee shops and social networks. I mean, reality TV is basically now TV but it’s nothing new to America. Real World is on its “100th season” while other shows like Survivor, The Apprentice and Big Brother have been extremely popular over the years. More popular in the "non-colored" communities compared to aforementioned BGC, America’s Next Top Model etc. series. But where am I going with this piece you may be asking yourself? Research I conducted on the history of reality TV maybe? Wrong! Maybe this is about my thoughts on how the season of BGC will end being I have now been sucked back into the comforting bosom of reality TV? Wrong again! I am writing because, friends, you seriously need to WAKE THE FUCK UP! You are reading this like what is my beef, its good entertainment but the grip of these shows has gotten tighter and tighter. For you, it is just entertainment but what about the kids and teenagers who are growing up on this garbage. We had images of Steve Urkel, Alex Mack and Kennan and Kel growing up. Now Flava Flav, New York and Kendra are the topic of everyone’s conversation. Urkel's tight high waters pants never became a staple in the fashion industry but I bet you all know how to "fist pump" now. It doesn't seem like much when you’re tweeting about shorty from your block that "smashed the homies" but this is a prime example of the way our realities are now reality TV. We are constantly talking, thinking and some are even emulating all these images from these shows but what positive influence does reality TV have on us?....I'll wait. Personally, I am also very ashamed at my black queens for supporting these shows. I never sat down to watch "Rock of Love" but I don't have enough fingers and toes to count all the ignorant black bitches on BGC, Flavor of Love, Love of Ray J, etc. Do we not see how we are allowing these white corporate companies to lynch us daily on prime time television? We find it as entertainment but for white Billy from the Mid-west who lives in an all white community this is the perception he receives and believes is of black women.

We all have some sort of vice which we indulge in periodically and this is perfectly fine. (Unless it’s something illegal like smoking crack or committing murder). For example, my guilty pleasure is video games and all my friends know how much I love me some Xbox 360. Not as harmful as these reality shows but these guilty pleasures can clearly cause change on one personally (obesity, hinder development of social skills, etc) or harm relationships with people close around you. When we watch these shows even though we know it’s wrong those ratings congratulate the actions of these so called stars. A lot of dumb guys take those images, the whorish slimy women of these reality shows and what do you think goes through their heads when they ask your name in the club? Their intentions are definitely not to attend bible study class with you. I am not placing all the blame on reality television for the injustices and disrespect women still encounter on a daily basis. But when will it stop? At one point we had leaders fighting to empower females or empower the African-American race. In the 21st century our leaders are now polygamist preaching rappers and materialistic divas and model girlfriends. We are adults now and plenty of you out there have kids, or have a friend with children, are you not concerned with this generation following us? They are lost and if we stop supporting these negative images, which are being pumped into their sponge like minds, then maybe we have a chance. Just remember that you were warned. We tend to try to defuse issues when the shit already hit the fan. I was once told slow and steady wins the race so lets start TODAY.I appreciate everyone who has posted my pieces on their site, retweeted my site on Twitter or just wrote a comment on any of my blogs. That is my main purpose to spark that dialogue it is better we are discussing something positive compared to latest videos on WorldStarHipHop.com. Your homegirl who usually reminds you it's 10pm on Tuesday turn to Oxygen, reply to her text with my blogsite, spark up some new uplifting conversation. Do not look to Obama for change, change starts with you.