Reality TV is one of those things you either love or you hate. Some reality TV shows have been around for years and are well-liked and accepted by the public, while others are short-lived and smeared in the media. “The Amazing Race” or “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” are great and entertaining, but others fall flat and embarrass Americans by simply being aired on television. I mean, we have reality TV to blame for Jon and Kate Gosselin. Here’s a list of seven reality shows that I think should have never made it on TV.
1. The Swan
The reality show where you just needed terrible self-esteem and a bent nose to get on, The Swan premiered on FOX in 2004. The show took “ugly ducklings” and turned them into “swans” by giving them all kinds of plastic surgery and completely changing their appearance.
Two contestants were chosen each week and given a team of specialists: a coach, a therapist, a trainer, cosmetic surgeons and a dentist. The specialists worked together to transform the contestant from ugly to beautiful in only three months. At the end of the three months, the contestant who looked the prettiest and changed the most would move on to the “Swan Pageant” and compete to ultimately be “The Swan”.
2. Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?
On February 15, 2000, it was confirmed that some women really don’t care about love, honesty, or a real relationship when “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?” aired. The show proved some women really one care about one thing: money and lots of it. The FOX show had 50 women compete to be the bride of a mystery millionaire who was only shown by his silhouette. In the end, the millionaire, Rick Rockwell, chose Darva Conger and they married on the TV show that night. Shockingly, Rockwell and Conger couldn’t make the marriage work and Conger soon after filed for it to be annulled.
3. Bridalplasty
The most recent of the terrible reality TV shows to air is “Bridalplasty” on E!. The show puts 12 soon-to-be brides up against each other and the winner gets a dream wedding and the plastic surgery of her choice. Whoever wins the challenge each week, gets to have surgery! While most normal people don’t want to willingly go under the knife so they can have a more slender nose or thighs, these crazed brides will do anything to for the procedures. Including sacrificing their bodies, health, and future reputation! I’m sure they will all make great mothers someday.
4. Average Joe
“Average Joe” attempted to prove the other shallow, self-centered love reality shows like “The Bachelor” were all wrong and that when it comes to true love, appearance doesn’t matter. The show featured an attractive woman who suspected her suitors would all be hunky, tanned, and macho only to find out that instead, it featured “average joes”. The guys were nerdy, looked as though they had never been on a date with a woman, let alone slept with one, and awkward.
The show would bring in “rival guys” who were hot and sculpted to compete against the nerdy ones where the ultimate prize was an intimate vacation with the hot chick. Proving that women would rather have arm candy than a guy who can fix her computer, the girl ultimately ended up picking the attractive guy over the average Joe.
5. Joe Millionaire
“Joe Millionaire” is yet another show that reinforces the stereotype that women are gold diggers who just want to marry rich, no matter who it is. The show followed Evan Marriott as he dated and eliminated potential brides each week while he looked for real love. The catch being that Marriott isn’t a millionaire, but a construction worker. The women all believe that he is a millionaire, and the truth isn’t revealed until the finale when Marriott picked his “true love”. The catch is that if the girl stays with him, even though he lied and isn’t a millionaire, then they will get a check for a million dollars. Ultimately, Marriott picked a lady who stayed with him long enough to split the check and get out before any ones real feelings were hurt.
6. Paris Hilton: My New BFF
The title speaks for itself with this fluffy, egotistical reality show. Sixteen women and two men competed to become Paris Hilton’s “best friend forever” through a series of challenges and tasks littered with guest judges and celebrity friends. Now, why on earth would someone go on this show? Paris is obviously not going to be your best friend in real life. She’s making you do things for her, and pick up after her, not trying to get to know you. You might be photographed with her a few times, and get to go to TAO in Las Vegas, but you’re just another person in Paris’ entourage. Reality shows aren’t real, and the people who go on shows likes these are either blind, brain dead, stupid, or fame whores.
7. 16 & Pregnant
MTV’s hit show about teenagers who get pregnant is one of the networks top rated TV shows and has already created it’s own spin off, “Teen Mom”. Since the show debuted in 2009, two full seasons have been shown and one is currently airing on MTV. The show typically follows a young girl who is in her second trimester all the way to the birth and a few months after her baby is born. The show does shed light on how hard it is to be a teen mom, and the very real consequences of unprotected sex. But I think it also glamorizes teen pregnancy through the show, with young impressionable girls maybe wanting to get pregnant so they can be a reality TV star.
