TV, reality show, and a new form of slumming. It's a lot of fun, until the hooded gang members want to know whatcha doin' on their turf: Fox network is set to announce "Secret Millionaire," a new series from RDF USA in which wealthy benefactors go undercover in impoverished neighborhoods. For about 10 days, a multimillionaire meets financially destitute locals and experiences what it's like to live on a meager budget for the first time in their lives. At the show's conclusion, the millionaire reveals his true identity to the community and gives a minimum of $100,000 of his own money to at least one deserving person.
How do these things work? I catch glimpses of these "reality shows," like TV Land's High School Reunion and those MTV shows where kids are living together (and apparently always yelling at each other), and I'm always confused: How can these people be acting natural with camera crews inches from their faces? Am I really supposed to think that this is remotely real? And if no sane person would think they're real, why are people tuning in as if they are real?
In the Fox millionaire show, I'd watch every show if I thought the millionaire might get violently syringed by a crack addict, shot in a drive-by, or even harassed by some gang members. I might even watch if I thought he would genuinely interact with the folks in the ghetto, but are these people going to feel comfortable acting like themselves with the cameras rolling? I just don't get it. Moreover, my observation/objection is so simple (I'll eat every word in TDE's archive if the vast majority of TDE readers haven't thought the same thing), why aren't more people raising this point? If they are, I haven't seen the discussions.
BTW: If anyone understands reality show productions and can offer input (e.g., "The cameras are hidden"), I'd like to hear it.
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What's the problem? It's how we keep lawyers from leaving our firm: A gun-toting mariachi who held a gun on a musician who wanted to quit his band was sentenced to probation today in Denver District Court.
