Accepting applications: Is reality TV the only profession hiring?

I love New York Reality TV is quickly becoming a place where people get a start on a career in show business, like Tiffany "New York" Pollard, pictured here (Image courtesy TV.popcrunch.com)

By Liz Reyna
Edited by Erika Stack

The reality TV market is a stark contrast from the current economic state.

As we move toward throwing our last bit of hope for the economy into a fiery pit below us, reality TV has been on a slight upturn, rising on the vapors of this fire.

More and more, people are looking at reality TV, if not as a profession, as a transition step between school and professional life. As it seems, being on reality TV is becoming somewhat of a life-long, or near life-long, profession.

More importantly, though, reality TV has become so deeply ingrained in the American life that it is now a substitutable means of prolonging starting a career for some people. In fact, reality TV is a career for some people.

As one of the nation’s newest professions, reality TV powerfully resembles the world’s oldest.
(C'mon, You mean to tell me there is no connection between competing for money and competing for money in bikinis on these shows? )

Just like the oldest profession, reality TV is mostly a young man's game (The men wear bikinis too, as evidenced by last season's “I Love Money” on VH1).

So then, is the fountain of youth the natural spring hidden in the cesspool that is reality TV?

Laura Reindel, Grand Valley State University student and self-proclaimed “reality-TV guru” thinks so.

“A lot of people don’t know what to do with their lives,” said Reindel. “So, they go on reality TV to buy time before starting their real lives. It’s an easy way to make money and prolong facing responsibilities -- and being on TV isn’t a bad bonus.”

Four years at Princeton. Two years studying abroad at Oxford. Five weeks at Sharon Osbourne’sCharm School".

As it seems, reality TV “school” shows may be the next step in education. " VH1's line-up may very well be proof of this substitute education.Among the shows ringing in a slew of classes in session are: “Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School,” “Rock of Love Girls: Charm School,” “Gene Simmons' Rock School,” “Ice-T's Rap School,” “Tool Academy,” and “Tough Love.”

The ratings alone may be proof enough that these shows may be the education viewers are seeking.

According to the Nielsen Media Research TV ratings, VH1's season finale of “Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School” starring Mo'Nique, airing on Sunday nights in July last year, was watched by about 4.1 million viewers.

Throughout its 10-episode season, “Charm School” also averaged a 1.8 rating among adults ages 18 to 49, making it VH1's third-highest-rated series ever. ("Flavor of Love", where '80s rap mogul Flavor Flav tries to find his soul mate, is VH1's highest-rated.)

Shows that teach audiences how to lose weight and get in shape also reach high numbers, according to Nielsen.

This season of NBC's “The Biggest Loser: Couples” brought in 10.5 million viewers with its premeire alone.

According to IMDB.com, the Internet Movie Database, where the public can vote on reality TV as well as movies, VH1's “Tool Academy” is up 14 percent in popularity this week.

With the rampant popularity of these shows, some form of educational value is transmitted to these viewers, whether or not they know it to be happening.

Granted, while lessons like “Check Thyself before thou Wreck Thyself” and “Thou Shalt Goeth, Girl” from “Charm School” aren't necessarily the most valuable of life lessons, they are still being received, and likely processed, by an audience that continues to tune in.

Abby Hartig, GVSU Lanthorn Arts and Entertainment writer, said she sees another reason why reality TV garners such an enormous following.

“I think people that watch the shows are watching it as if it's sort of a freak show, to laugh and be entertained,” said Hartig. “I doubt that through passive watching that they manage to sponge any knowledge off of the show, and if they actually do, then I don't think it's very valuable or long-lasting.”

But even if viewers are watching the circus that has just rolled into town, wouldn’t it suffice to say that they’re learning, whether they know it or not?

We learn the consequences of being conniving, yet also the importance of strategy and planning, as contestants compete for some prize. We learn the do’s and don’ts, (especially the don’ts) of finding love, no matter how ridiculous the circumstance.

Most of all, we learn to be aggressive in pursuing whatever it is we pursue.

But the lesson changes depending on the show.

According to an article in the Black Collegian Online titled “'I Hate My Job.' A reality check on reality shows,” shows like Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" and Al Sharpton's "I Hate My Job," offer a unique perspective for students to “reflect on the challenges of the job market and what it takes to be successful in the highly competitive global market place,” author Linda Bates Parker wrote.

And learning to deal with competition is an important lesson to be learned from reality TV, Parker said, because students will “discover that your competitors will go to any means, even doing things that are unethical, to get the prized position.”

This means that students watching non-business shows, such as “Charm School,” can learn from aspects (such as conniving competition) of the real world, that although exaggerated, can prove inevitably useful.

So reality TV may be some form of education, but is it a career or means of prolonging starting a career?

Many are treating it as such.

Actress Tiffany Pollard, aka “New York,” made a career out of her appearance on reality TV.

Making her debut on the first season of “Flavor of Love” on Jan. 1, 2006, Pollard's resume ran the gamut with reality TV shows including, “Flavor of Love 2,” “I Love New York,” “I Love New York 2” and “New York Goes to Hollywood”.

She then had subsequent appearances on “Nip/Tuck,” “What Perez Sez,” and “Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School.”

With her most recent appearance in 2009, Pollard’s time on reality TV has been long enough for what most people would consider a career.

But Pollard isn't the only one living it up on reality TV.




Actress Coral Jeanne Smith, who began her career on Season 10 of “The Real World” in 2001, appeared on reality TV again in Jan. 2008, for MTV's “The Gauntlet III.”

Smith's roommate Michael Mizanin, who also appeared on season 10 of “The Real World” in 2001, signed with World Entertainment Wresting in 2006, after expressing his desires to be the world renowned wrestler “the Miz” on the show.

And those are only a few examples of many, giving proof to reality TV's standing as a profession.

More importantly, though, most of the people going on these reality shows are young or recently graduated.

Going on a reality show often takes more than three months out of these people’s lives, often putting a hold on their current ambitions.

But not just anyone can be a reality TV star or have it lead to a reality TV career; because it isn't enough to be the bearded lady -- you must also learn to juggle and swallow swords too.

Job qualifications are getting tougher, even with reality TV.

In an effort to combat these tough job requirements, reality TV gurus are offering advice to contestants ready to get in the game.

In fact, knowing the reality show game is now a skill being left to the experts.
Experts like Jack Benza—who appeared on more than 30 reality/game shows—and author of the book, “So You Wannabe on Reality TV,” says that entering the reality TV biz is a lot harder than it seems.

There are steps, he says, just like applying for a regular job that future reality TV stars must complete.

These steps include leaving stand-out messages on answering machines to get a call- back, writing no more than two sentences per question on the application and keeping your answers sharp so your personality jumps off the page.

“Don’t write out your life story,” says Benza. “These people don’t know a thing about you, except for what you tell them.
“Be genuine in your opinions… Don’t tell them you are an actor, even if you are…Do mention every achievement in your life, even if it doesn’t mean much.”

Benza adds applicants should have complete availability, a good nickname and the truth about why you deserve this love or money.

The truth is, applying to be on a reality show is just as much effort as applying for any other job. If it weren’t true, the how-to’s, do’s and don’ts of reality TV probably wouldn’t exist.

When all is said and done, there is a market for reality TV. Young people from across the globe are running the rat race in order to be on these shows.

But what can be said about a nation with a failing economy, but a thriving reality TV market?

Lanthorn writer Hartig has an idea about it all.

“I think it shows that people are always willing to bask in other people's misery and conflict, which is always part of reality TV,” said Hartig. “Probably more now than ever, watching another person's humiliation is more gratifying because of the overall dismal outlook on the country.”
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Liz's Tips for Landing a Reality TV Gig
1. Portray a balanced sense of crazy to land you a one-way ticket to the freak show. Find a happy medium somewhere between Liza Minelli and Andy Rooney on the Crazy Spectrum.

2. Find a special talent. (Note: sex, while interesting TV, is not a proper talent.)

3. Find a good candidate to "job" shadow. I recommend Dustin Diamond (VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club") and Andy Dick (VH1's "Celebrity Rehab").

4. Don't let the slightest question of your sexuality go unnoticed. Add alcohol and stir.

5. Be the best stereotype you can be