Reality TV

Like it or not, 'reality TV' has become part of our culture. Whether if it's cooks getting yelled at by an asshole chef, people eating bugs on secluded islands or 'seven people chosen to live together' on MTV, or entertainers being critiqued by three judges, reality TV draws the largest audiences and, therefore, commands the highest rate for ad time.
http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/american-idol-2-sets-reality-tv-show-ad-rate-record-699.php
Where did it all begin? It depends on how one defines reality TV. Is it live TV with actors (soap operas)? Unsuspecting man-on-the-street folks in funny predicaments (Candid camera), daytime talk show guests trying to figure out who their 'baby daddy' is, or just seven different people who live together while being taped for showing at a later date? Is it 'Cops'? http://www.essortment.com/all/realitytvsurvi_rnzs.htm
It all depends on your perspective.
To me, I view the Real World on MTV, which originally aired in 1992, as the biggest catalyst for the genre of current shows...and there are way too many. Luckily for me, I have a life and don't have the time nor energy to watch them. I actually quit watching Real World years ago when it became too predictable. You already know the cast: an angry black guy, a gay person, a person of faith (always portrayed as stupid), a couple of hot bodied, attractive people and a few alcoholics trying to survive lving in a beautiful city in a lavish house for free. Not too real, huh?
Anyway, after the San Francisco version of the Real World, it was/is all down hill. Everytime I've wasted a few minutes watching the latest version, it appears that the producers have a template they are trying to emulate...like I stated before.
Today there are a myriad of 'reality' shows that are on at all hours of the day & night. And depending on the part of the season (sweeps week), they usually get some of the highest ratings: http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,272%7C%7C%7Cweekly,00.html
My opinion is that it taps into our feeling that: if they can do it, so can we. If these fools can have their 15-minutes, then we are all 'famous' to some extent. Watching these people allows us to feel like they are just like us. And since we are alike, aren't we all 'special'.( Just like our Gen-x parents taught us?)