Fake TV vs. Reality TV That’s Fake

Nevermind the awkward title. Just hear me out. Why do we watch legitimately fake stuff but not "reality" television with fake elements?

Our sister station, 94.1 KRNA had a guest on their morning show recently. Solon, Iowa's Emily Wears, star of the television show "Storage Wars" stopped by for an interview.

This set off a discussion between my co-workers Jaymz, Courtlin and I about the show. It was inferred that, while being classified as a "reality" show, there is a certain element of "fake" to it--as there is with many of these so-called reality shows.

If you're not familiar with "Storage Wars", a quick synopsis: an auctioneer (Ms. Wears being one of them who just recently joined the show) "auctions off" abandoned storage garages. It's a lot more exciting than it sounds, trust me. Anyway, to avoid the storage spaces being pure junk, a hidden gem or two may be "planted" within the haul. My co-workers noted that that's where the "staged" part of the show comes in.

I then pointed out that almost every sitcom and drama series is "scripted", i.e. "fake", but it's accepted as completely OK to watch those. There's not the same stigma about a show that's actually fake vs. one that is real with hints of fakeness. Why is that?

Before I ramble on too much more without making any sense, what is your take? Are reality shows with an element of being staged, less desirable than shows that you know are outright fiction? We won't even get into how this applies to pro wrestling...but you get the idea. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

[Via Wikipedia]