Kelly's World | Reality TV makes you forget reality
Published:Thursday | January 10, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Recently I had some time off, so I was at home for a few days (don't clap, it wasn't all that great).
Anyhoo, because my pockets aren't long enough for me to 'braff', I decided I would spend most of my time watching television. The only problem with that is there really isn't anything on. By the way, my cable provider kindly let me know that there are a few channels which I will no longer be able to access. Hmm, don't suppose my bill is going to decrease likewise. Better yet, they will probably replace said channels with ones that I'm not going to watch. But that's another column for another time.
So among the shows I was able to find was the Miami edition of Love & Hip Hop. Now let me make a disclaimer. I'm not a fan of reality TV, especially since I realised so many of the shows were fake. At the very least, some of the content in many of the shows is fake. Added to that there is the fact that unless you have an actual interest in any of the characters, it may not be your cup of hot beverage.
ESCAPISM
But as you get older, you give stuff a chance. So I decided to take in a few episodes of Miami edition. About halfway through episode three (note, I'm not even sure what season of the show I was watching), I kinda realised why people watch these things. Truth is, there's so much bad news on TV, from murders and government shutdown and impending war in foreign lands, that people need an escape.
I am all for people keeping abreast of what's happening in the world. But seriously, if you've heard about one suicide bombing, you've heard of them all. If you read about a stock market crashing in, let's say Singapore, it's general knowledge, but are you really going to NEED it? I know people who will listen to talk radio from as early as six in the morning. A whole heap a chatting that. Jeez.
Surely, there is a place for 'mindless' entertainment. Granted, the constant feuding of the reality TV characters and the fights can be a little tedious. But then again, our politicians are always feuding and fighting and we tune in to watch that every time. Plus, if you think about it, our politicians only feud about certain things. If they are proposing to increase their salary, I guarantee they will be all in agreement. Plus, we know some of these members of parliament and senators are really good friends outside of Gordon House. So who's to say their 'beef' is any more real than the one between these TV stars?
Personally, at least, I found Love & Hip Hop Miami to be comedic. And for a guy like me who walks with his head down half the time, and who sometimes feels like the world is against him, I'm glad when I can find something to make me laugh. Life is too short to not have fun, so if part of your fun comes from watching TV, do your thing.
Now let's not get carried away. I'm not addicted to the show or any other reality TV programme. First off, while the women are pretty, there's a little too much 'extra' stuff on them. From the boobs and the butts to the fingernails (seriously, how dem peel banana?), sometimes I just want a more
natural look. Two, the cussing can get a bit tedious. All when dem nah quarrel bout sumting, dem a cuss. And can they please stop fighting and a dash weh food? Nuff people woulda love the likkle chicken.
As for other reality shows, I'll judge them one at a time. But there's one I'm sure me not watching. I'm not about to take my eyesight and try keeping up with dem people deh whose names I won't even write. Even with reality TV, I draw the line somewhere. Later.