It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

I remember when CBS’ Survivor hit the airways in the summer of 2000. It was the first “reality” show on TV, and it was different. It wasn’t for everyone, but all in all, it was a fun, shallow, relatively entertaining television. The fact that it wasn’t scripted – very, very heavily edited, mind you, but not scripted – almost made it worth watching. Some of the “characters” that were on the show couldn’t have been created any better by the best of Hollywood writers – Rudy anyone?

Ah, but what seemed like a good idea 9 years ago doesn’t seem like such a good idea anymore. What happened to a good, scripted television show? On a recent trip, I absent-mindedly turned the TV on to see what was on. On came “The King of Queens.” I’m sure there’s not a space reserved in the Smithsonian for a permanent display acknowledging the show’s brilliance, but it sure was good to see something that wasn’t a “talent” show. For the love of God, how many dance-themed shows can possibly be produced?

Survivor and the summer of ’00 also brought us Richard Hatch, the winner of the first edition of Survivor. While well known for winning the show, Hatch might be just as well known for serving time after the show for falling to pay taxes on his $1 million dollar prize. Unbelievably, I saw his ugly mug when I opened the paper this week - it seems a judge ordered him back to the can after he violated the terms of his house arrest early release. Hatch bitched and moaned to the media about prosecutorial misconduct and judge bias due to him being gay. WTF?

Dick – can I call you Dick? Nobody cares if you’re gay. What we do care about is the fact that you didn’t just “fudge” your taxes a little bit, rather your willfully evaded your taxes. Essentially, that’s you giving every tax-paying American, like me, the finger. Here’s a big finger right back to you and your claims of prejudice. Now, shut your pie hole and get back to the big house.

You know, it really did seem like a good idea at the time. But, “reality” won’t go away, at least not any time soon. Thanks CBS and Mark Burnett. Thanks to you, we have “Speidi,” Omarosa, and the rest of these reality assholes.

Argh!