Would you do reality TV?

[DrWhat]

Quite unexpectedly, I recently found out that a reality TV show is being filmed at my new job that I am starting in July and they are looking for cast members! The description of the project was sent to a group of us, and out of curiosity I replied in order to figure out what kind of loot they are giving out for the deal. They sent me an application that basically asked extremely in-depth questions about my personal life and how I would describe my personality.

I have already decided that I would never take such a risk as to be broadcast to the public when I am just beginning my career, but I am curious about what some FJers, many of whom are reality TV afficionados, would do in the situation! My rational brain tells me that they are going to do anything to create drama and throw us under the bus, but wouldn't it be fun to sort of manipulate the situation and create a hilarious character?

So I'd like to know, how would each of you try to portray yourself? What would be your signature or catch phrase? To what extent would you be willing to risk being taken seriously in your career for a run on TV? What about revealing deep personal details to the world?

[ILoveJellybeans]

I dont know...in one of my random fantasies I have 10 kids and a reality show. I dont think I would want to do it in real life though, I am a total introvert and would not like all the recognition.

I think generally my rules for reality shows, especially one with kids in it would be:

The camera does not go in the bathroom. No toilet birthing, anything you do on a toilet is right out.

No exploiting certain situations-no showing terminally ill dying grandparents being exploited for TV, and if a kid gets seriously injured the kid comes first, not the cameras.

Kids should have a choice on what about them is to be shown and anything they are in is with their permission, and if they dont want to be in it, they dont have to.

Not too many trips with kids, they need stability and their education comes first.

I think I am too boring for reality TV as I am....

[BravaAmica]

Well, you're not going to make a lot on reality TV. You'd have to land a sponsorship deal and get hosting gigs, like the Jersey Shore, for example, did.

I would do it if I could be in disguise. Hell, I once offered to be on Jerry Springer as a joke (and the free weekend away) as long as I could wear a wig and otherwise disguise my appearance. Didn't work out, though.

[Miggy]

No.

I read this out to hubby who also answer "no". (He also asked who was filmed giving birth on the toilet. He couldn't believe that anyone would allow their birth to be filmed and shown on regular tv. Filmed for education purposes, yes but for entertainment, no.)

I work as a musician and music teacher so my job is quite public. I am use to standing up and both performing to and talking to audiences. In a way, tv is just a bigger audience. The big difference is that at the moment I am in complete control of what people get to see of me and know about me. A reality show would mean handing control to someone else and I imagine pressure to reveal things that I may not have revealed to people under normal circumstances. No way am I taking myself or my family down this path.

Fully agree with ILoveJellyBeans about bathrooms though. Not going to be an issue for me as I won't ever do this sort of show but if I was director of a show like this, I would have rules never to film anything that happened in a bathroom.

[DrWhat]

I would have A LOT more concerns if I had kids that would be involved. Even if the kids give permission for anything to be shown on TV, children have no way to understand the long-term repercussions. I am starting to think that more reality TV participants are recognizing this in light of all the disasters that have happened in the past. There is always the Duggar strategy of only allowing the kids to give "good report" of each other, even though grabbing the camera in emergency situation or giving birth in front of a film crew are both pretty incriminating.

Like, does anybody watch Dance Moms? It seemed that in the first season they would allow the girls to say some pretty bratty things that could stick with them for their whole life, but as the show has progressed the girls are limited to sweet cliches while the moms fight and look catty.

[flyawaystray]

I would do it. It would be an interesting experience, I think. But I might be considered too boring for most shows.

[wild little fox]

Not at home. I am a private person.

At my job? Perhaps.

[GiGi_41]

I so would do it. My life is crazy but not drama crazy.

[miffy]

I wouldn't do the trashy kind. Its all so scripted & the producers twist things around to give you a bad edit for rating sake.

I would possibly do more high brow docu-reality shows though. Like the UP series (bit old for that now!) & The Farmers Wife.

[miffy]

Oh & also the shows like Airline, Border Security etc are boring to watch, but nobody being followed around gets humiliated because the show is about humiliating the moron trying to bring 20 roast chickens into the country from Thailand.

[DrWhat]

This particular show is being produced by BBC and is mostly centered around following medical residents at work. So it would be as classy as they come, but I still think they would edit for drama. Not to mention that all of my dumb screw-ups as an intern could in no way be portrayed in a flattering light....

[Mama Mia]

No. no. no a thousand times no.

Real people are boring. The shows have to make everything look dramatic to make it interesting. All the drama and editing seems to ruin people's lives.

I used to daydream about being on wife swap because I would come home to a spotlessly clean house and well behaved children who appreciated me. I figured I could put up with anything for a couple of weeks in exchange for that lol.

But in real life ? No.

[Wolfie]

No. Both myself and friends have been sent feeler e-mails for wife swap (we think it's because we have a certain type of animal) and none of us are willing to give up our privacy for it. (not to mention that I'm single)

[Lillybee]

Some members of the audience have a way of ferreting out reality stars secrets and have no problem letting them be known.

[Guest]

This is a difficult question! I really don't do anything incriminating, and don't have any secrets in my past, so I wouldn't have that to worry about. When it comes to drama, I feel like I would end up in tears saying "why can't people just get along?!" If I were offered money, and the producers somehow didn't realize that I had nothing really to offer, hey, why not?

On the other hand, I'm trying to get a job as a teacher, so I'd have to turn it down on that basis alone. One thing they taught us in college was that teachers are held to a standard 10x higher than most professionals, and there should be zero pictures of you drinking or in a bikini (basically the entire premise of some reality shows) online.

[snarkbillie]

If I didn't have kids, maybe. I feel like I embarrass them enough without trying though and TV is forever. I won't even go to the store in pajama pants at midnight due to fear that maybe one of their friends will see me . I try very hard not to be an embarrassment.

[AVENues]

Never. Money can come handy sometimes but what's so good about fame? Not being able to go to the store and buy food without being pestered? Nah.

[ADoyle90815]

I wouldn't do it because I'm relatively boring, and if I became a minor celebrity, my abusive ex-husband would stalk me. I also like being able to go to the gym with no makeup on and in yoga pants without being harassed by photographers.

[shrewlu]

No. Just no. I don't feel it would be fair to my kid or to me. Very rarely do people come out looking good on reality tv. Plus I'm incredibly boring.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

No way, not with all the crazies on message boards dragging the skeletons out of my closet!!

[redcurls]

Ummm... Yes :oops: One of my life goals is to compete on the Amazing Race. I promise to wear a t-shirt with FreeJinger printed across in big-ass letters.

[Tom Slick]

HELL NO!

Being on a reality show is like these people who win these mega lottery jackpots....it always (or mostly always) ends badly for them.

[Patsy]

No way in hell. Not in private, not in public, not at work.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

My cousins, siblings and I used to joke that it would be a great way to get money if all 14 of us lived in a house together and made a reality show about it.

But, I've seen what reality show fame does to people and how inviting cameras into your private lives ruins your life. So, no.

A real, scripted show, sure! But not reality.

[gravelmonkey]

I'm introverted and very private. If I were in a reality television show, I'd probably spend most of the time avoiding the camera. I'd also come across as anti-social.