I was riding the jeepney the other day going downtown. While in the jeepney I saw bunch of college students ahead of me sitting just at the rear side of the jeepney. I went ahead and sit not far from the driver. Those students they were gigling and they were talking about the Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) show on TV. They were talking about how cute some of the guys are and they were so fascinated by them. As they continued talking they also talked about how to become a contestant on that show. They said that you have to go through lots of obstacles to get there and they said you have to have money to be one of the contestants. I didn’t bother to ask the students.
When I got home, while eating our lunch I was asking my nieces and nephew about what I heard from the jeepney. If its true or not? I guess my nephew said that a family of a friend of his already did pass all the necessary stuff to be one of the contestant. I guess the draw back for that friend of his is that they don’t have the money to give to the TV station for some insurance thing. I thought they already have, but who knows. I asked them why would the contestant give any money? They explained to me but I just didn’t get it. My mind was just clouded in disbelief. They said you just take a look at most of the contestants here in the Philippines the families of those people own big businesses. In short they have the money, the rich and the famous.
Really all of us were just saying “Oh well, they are free to accept who they want to accept.” You know what I mean? Can’t force them. I am still hoping that it’s not true. Hmm… I thought that you have to be good at the screening or audition to get into the show. The regular PBB just ended. They were just started the PBB teen edition like a couple of weeks ago. Some people in our house are hooked to it. 🙂
I doubt if it’s like that from the West. I know there if you pass the audition, then you’re in. No strings attached. Really interesting for me to hear stuff like that here. I mean I should not be surprised. It’s just not good to hear though. But as what I’ve heard most of the time, here they said its always good to have “who you know on the higher level.” They also said that some people will get into higher position with their intelligence and wit, others if they have a family in a higher level, then they’re most likely the person that will get the next position.
Anyway, back to the subject I was talking about. Like it would be interesting for me to see people from the boonies and be a contestant on the reality TV. Send them to be in the middle of Makati or New York and let them work for food, and the persons from the big city, send them to the deeper mountains and let them work for their food and let them work the manual labor. We will see who will really survives at the end. That would really be interesting.
Honestly I am so tired of the survivor, all they do is whining and gossiping. I want that they have to work really hard to earn what they put in their mouth instead of talking garbage with other people, and from the start make alliances. It’s boring. Reality TV is the big money maker now. Look how many reality shows are on TV right now all over the world. Some are good and interesting. Some were just dumb and boring.
What your favorite reality TV show? Time to share here.
Have fun watching on your show.
Mabuhay!
Hi Feyma,
From a cynical old mans point of view I have no idea why people watch these trash shows that are an insult to most peoples intelligence. And the commercials are even more ridiculous. These programs are part of what’s wrong today. These programs are “NOT” reality at all anymore than cartoons are. They lead to false expectations. Young kids need to be encouraged , no not encouraged, the patrents need to tell them “no” you are not watching that garbage. Who makes the decisions in the homes today ? The little kids or the “so called parents ” ? Kick their little rear ends out of the house away from the TV and tell them to be creative and find something constuctive or fun to do. No, don’t give them money to go to the mall to get the out of your hair, let them earn it.
I have to ask , why do you watch that Survivor thing when you don’t like it? You know it’s all about someone making money advertising their products one way or the other. But then again I wouldn’t give you 2 cents to watch some over-paid so called sports person play some game. I say don’t be couch potatoes, get out there and play some game/sport yourself ! This world just baffles me.
And life is not fair and neither will any of these shows be fair. They select people that can jump up and down, squeal loud, and all that so called attention grabbing foolishness. People young and old need to “get a life”. Do your own thing, be your own person. This may come as a shock to a lot of people out there but “TV is not Reality”.
We are going to buy products anyhow hopefully based on the quality, usefulness, and value of the product. We don’t need cost added to the product for some nuts on TV to get rich from insulting advertising.
Nice post.
Have a fantastic day,
Charlie
“Don’t just do things right” “Do the right things”
Hi Charlie Tuna – I know what you mean. Nothing wrong with watching TV though, as the saying goes “do it moderately, not 24/7. I’ve seen good shows on TV too. Like us in our household now we have few days a week that TV is not allowed during daytime. That’s the time we keep ourselves busy for something useful. It’s really up to the parents on what the kids should watch and what not.
Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your input. I really appreciate very much. I’m sure that some people also here shared same sentiments as you.
Have a good weekend!
Hi Feyma. I just cannot be bothered to watch these shows. In fact there are a lot of programmes I do not like to watch. I do not know whether it is the quality of the programmes or me who is getting picky in my old age lol.
I think Charlie is right there are plenty of other things kids can do, and I do not mean getting stuck in front of a computer.
Hi marjorie – Honestly we don’t really watched lots of shows here. Our fave channel here were just news channel. We are mostly on the net. Our family now hangs out a lot outside, either they are playing or we are all talking outside. Kids playing either basketball or badminton or volleyball, usually Bob and I were the cheerers.
Hey, we are all picky on what to watch on TV. Ha ha ha… Good excuse for you to be outside nowadays, its springtime in your part of the world. Have fun…
Good to see you again here. God bless!
It’s Springtime OK. We are getting lots of April Showers in our part of the UK. More showers than sun unfortunately, but I get into the garden as much as I can.
Your right we are all picky regarding programs on TV. I hope we soon get some warm evenings and I can sit outside and read.
Mrs Feyma,
Good post about Reality Shows. The only one i like is “Undercover Boss”, which is halfway decent. All the others are really not worth watching. Take care, have a nice day.
PapaDuck: My question about Undercover Boss has always been, how do you go undercover with cameras and boom operators following you around. Seems altogether ‘unreal’ to me.
Hi PapaDuck – We like that show “Undercover Boss” too. But I wonder how long would it last now. I’m pretty sure the workers will figure it out soon that its really an Undercover Boss show they have in the work place instead of what the guy/lady said. Anyway, it’s always fun watching the boss having a hard time working in his own company.
Anyway, thank you again for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend!
Cheers!!!
Feyma,
When competing PHL TV Network Giants ABS-CBN and GMA-7 started importing those reality tv shows, I began to squirm. Aren’t there enough TV shows worth emulating abroad or I was thinking, whatever happened to Filipino creativity? Why do these networks have to pay hundred thousands or probably millions of pesos to get the rights for these shows? The answer is globalism. Yeah, we even import AI type singing contest shows. Whatever happened to “Ang Bagong Kampeon”? Isn’t it a 100% Filipino production we can proudly call our own which spawns such international talent like Regine Velasquez?
Hi jonathan – I can see what you’re saying. But it’s always the revenue that they are looking for. Most viewers must now wants shows from outside the PI, if it’s not they are not franchising shows from abroad then.
Yes, I grow up with the Ang Bagong Kampeon era. I remember watching that every week. I still remember when Regine Velasquez won. It was really neat and fun to watched. Yes they really got a good singer then (Regine Velasquez). She’s still very good today. Hopefully shows will improve more here.
Thank you for your good thoughts. Have a great day!
IMO, I think most of those shows are just mindless entertainment and are all about ratings and advertising. The producers seem to know what sells and what doesn’t. But I agree with you, the ‘fish out of the water’ contestants would be more interesting to watch. The only reality show that I have watched from time to time is “Deadliest Catch,” which is somewhat more of an education for me. I’ve learned that that is one job I would never want!
HI RandyL – For us we just watch the shows that interest us the most. We do monitor what shows we let our kids watch. That goes with the movies they watched too.
We like that Deadliest catch too. Gosh, when I first saw that I told Bob that I will never eat the King crab. I felt sorry for those people. But then again that’s the bread and butter for those guys. So I will still eat King crab if we have it here in the Philippines.
Thanks for sharing your comment. Have a fruitful weekend!
Favorite reality show is “The Amazing Race.” Been watching “The Amazing Race Asia” also. Noticed that some of the representatives from the different countries aren’t what you expect. I’ll narrow my example to the Philippines. The 1st season had natives from the Philippines although, I later found out, they were celebrities/media personalities. From then on, the contestants were people who worked in the Philippines but not actually born and raised in the Philippines. I raised the point that wouldn’t it be nice to see a taxi driver, jeepney driver, teacher, Jolibee’s worker, or some “regular” Filipino race around Asia and see how they do? The response is that I shouldn’t be complaining because they are Filipino “by heart.” In the U.S. version, there are some celebrity contestants but there are also farmers, factory workers, students, cops, and others that represent a good slice of the U.S. TV 5 is making its own version of “The Amazing Race” and one of the requirements is the contestants have to have a Philippine passport :-)!
Hi Opus – We’ve been watching the Amazing Race USA. We liked it a lot. But lately I got bored with it. I guess co’z I’ve seen almost all the places they go to now through amazing race or some other travel channel. I know theirs twist and turn but I got to the point that I don’t care with the show anymore.
I saw the Amazing Race Asia sometimes while flipping the channel here on our cable. It didn’t appeal to me too. I guess to each his own though. I’m sure that if TV5 have the amazing race version they will have the Filipino people hook to their TV for that. Especially the people in the provinces that don’t have the cable. At least they have some show to watch and informative at the same time. For some people they might start betting who will the winner be.
Thank you for sharing here. I really appreciate your comment very much.
Have a nice day!
Hi, you know The only reality show I usually watch… American Idol. I’m that cheesy but there are many good Filipino singers.. they should be given a chance. You’re right we are being inundated with so many useless reality shows! Uhm, I don’t mind some the reality cooking shows though.. he he 🙂
Watching them cooking shows will make you mataba Sugar!
Hi RandyL – Try to substitute with low fat ingredients…. Then again it would not be tasting good then. Ha ha ha… 🙂
Have a good day!
Hi sugar – We do watch American Idol too. Of course we are rooting right now for Jessica Sanchez. Yes we have good local grown singers. I hope they will really be known all over the world like Charice is right now. We like to watch cooking shows too. Lots of good ones out there. I also like to watch decorating shows and DIY shows.
Anyways, good to see you here again.
Have a pleasant Monday morning!
Hi Feyma.. Can you believe—I have never watched a “reality” show. True.
Sometimes I watch a baseball game and even more rarely a sitcom show–last one I think was that 70s show. Mainly I addicted to Internet. LOL. I do not see the appeal in a reality show at all… but then I used to hang around Live Video and places on the net where I don’t really know people either and lurk. Kind of like people watching at the mall I guess…I haven’t done that in a while either.
Hi Pete – Its okay, I’m pretty sure a lot of people do the same as you do. With the net available anywhere with easy access with the mobile, people now tend to just be on line then. Easy access to YouTube too. We had friends that don’t like to watch TV too.
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Have a great day!
oh, sug mentioned reality coooking shows–I have seen a few cooking shows where the cooks go at it and the host head chef r whatever is mean…but i just thought of them as that–cook off shows.
Hi Feyma, the show “Coast Guard Alaska” from the Weather Channel in very good. Real life happening. Produced by Al Roker, the weatherman and the US Coast Guard Airstation, Base and some other Alaska Airstation like USCG Sitka, etc. Very entertaining and can watch your tax dollar in action.
Regards,
Mars
Hi Mars Z. – Hmm, we will have to check that out. Sounds interesting. They might be the coast guard that’s being called when the Deadliest catch guys in trouble in the middle of the Bering sea.
Thank you for letting us know, something new to watch now.
Have a nice day!
Cheers!
My fave is Come Dine with Me from UK and I believe there is an Australian version too. Good fun, commentator is really witty.
I know that I will get a lot of flak for this post, but …. here it goes.
I personally think that all of these Reality TV shows are dumb, stupid, and an insult to our intelligence (as viewers), therefre, I have no interest in watching them. But from a TV producer’s point of view, it is a mindless easily produced show and realtively inexpensive, where you have a big number of people willing to undergo difficulties, in the hopes of being the “winner” of some money, and hopefully become “famous”.
The only reality TV that I would watch are those “XXX videos” where you watch on TV, where at least, the performance “is real”. Pun intended.
🙂
Hi Feyma,
Personally i have no interest in watching reality “wannabe celebrity” shows.
The OFF button is my friend, lol.