The American Family: Ground-Breaking Days For The Entertainment Industry

September 20, 1973 might have been one of the most ground-breaking days for the entertainment industry. On this day the first reality television show The American Family aired on national television. This reality show featured what seemed to be an average American family. The family consisted of a couple and their five children. The show became popular for two main reasons: One, when the wife asked for a divorce from her husband; and two, when their son came out to his family and the world. The American Family was a show that many people could relate to, because these were and still are prevalent issues in American family’s to-date. Unlike today's wave of reality TV, there was no million-dollar prize, no B-list celebrity catfights, or gross-out

Shows like The Bad Girls Club feature women who take pride in being “bad”. In this show these woman fight, they destroy others property, and seems as if profanity is all they speak. Usually, these woman are beautiful with nice bodies, and they talk about all the guys they get, and who man they can take. Sadly, these are today’s role models. Children aim to be these TV stars. Kids do as they see. If they see someone on TV doing something and don’t get any consequences, they feel as if they can act accordingly. The ages of these women usually range from 21 years of age to 25. Last week, on Twitter I saw a girl tweet “I wish I was 21 so I could sign-up for bad girls club.” Sad to say this is the mindset on many young girls who watch shows like this. These shows should be replaced with real-life people, people who have goals in life, and morals. If this happens the mindsets of children will change. If they see a hardworking male or female who is successful and happy, that is what they will aim for. This can also effect the future of our

Today’s reality shows do not depict “normal people” or “normal lifestyles”. Reality TV shows depict the lives of rich high class individuals who are picture-perfect and don’t have a care in the world. Reality television not only plays a substantial part in the lives of children, but adults as well. According to Medical Procedure News, reality television is attributing to cosmetic surgery procedures with more than 9.2 million procedures performed as a result of people watching these shows( ). People now believe in “coke bottle frames” and Botox. People see these stars with a new purse or new hairdo and do everything in their power to imitate. Since the boom of reality television in 2000, eating disorders in teenage girls (ages 13-19) have nearly tripled. These shows also effect relationships. The complete lack of reality in reality TV ruins relationships as well. These shows create crazy ideals that influence the people who watch them. Viewers see a man do something for a woman and expect their mate to do the same and vice versa. These shows do not depict the lives of real people. Therefore, people should not base their lives off of what they see on