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Why Do Reality Shows Dwell on Total Nonevents?

Sun., Jun. 7, 2009 6:01 AM PDT by Leslie Gornstein

INFdaily.com

Why are reality shows so scripted around nonevents? Do we really need to see Jon and Kate's kids' birthday party? Is that interesting?
—Crie, Hoboken, NJ

To the millions of mommy-fetishists who watch that show, of course it is. Jon and Kate Gosselin viewers identify with the eight kids, sympathize with them. Plenty of fans even think they're somehow friends of the Gosselin clan—swooping onto the Intertubes on pixelated steeds, poised to defend every Gosselin, big or small, just in case, you know, Kate might be watching and want to invite them over.

What's far more interesting is exactly how those birthday scenes—every reality show shot, really—gets selected for filming by crafty producers.

Whether it's a crazy naked pool scene on Top Model or a little person visiting a trainer, each shot is far more calculated than even die-hard viewers may think...

Before we get started, know that Jon & Kate is kind of an exception to every rule right now.

"All eyes have been on the Gosselins for the past several months because of the infidelity news," reality show producer Jacqui Pitman tells me. "So I don't care if these people are going to the bathroom, they already have a huge audience and it's all going to be fascinating to people."

(Quite possibly more fascinating than a kid's birthday party, but I digress.)

As for every other reality show, producers tell me they take four specific factors into account before choosing shoots:

1. Will the situation cause stress to someone interesting?

2. Can a good portion of the viewers relate to the event, or is it too inaccessible and alienating?

3. If the situation doesn't cause stress, can there at least be some emotion involved? Or in the case of Top Model, shrieking with glee at the sight of Tyra Banks?

4. Does the event bring together many of the castmembers or other interesting people? The more stressed out, emotional and interesting the people, the better.

"Getting people together to read the phone book is interesting if the cast is great," says Pitman, who developed and coexecutive produced the original Extreme Makeover and also did casting work for Make Me a Supermodel.

Indeed. Almost as interesting as me reading my weekly podcast. Almost.