Do We Really Want to See?

There is some dispute as to when Reality TV actually began. As far back as the 1940s, people were being portrayed in unscripted situations. Candid Camera, which debuted in 1948, has been called the “granddaddy of the reality TV genre.” Whatever the actual source, it has spawned dozens of reality shows involving such diverse subjects as celebrities (Hogan Knows Best), dating (The Bachelor), sports (The Contender), and competition (Survivor). Whether it’s The Osbourne’s, The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, or Extreme Makeover, it appears we love to watch.

It’s been suggested that reality TV heralds “the death of drama.” Why? Because real people acting naturally — as opposed to scripted or rehearsed responses — resonates with viewers’ experiences and expectations, something even the most talented actor cannot achieve. Forget that the medium is producing a generation of voyeurs — if it’s spontaneous and genuine, we want to watch.

But as compelling as reality may be, sometimes we’ve got to close our eyes. Fear Factor jammed its unblinking eye into the grill of contestants attempting to muscle down maggots. We watched with hideous glee. The recent skateboard accident at the X Games turned Jake Brown into an overnight sensation, partly because he lost both shoes on impact, and partly because the incident was replayed ad nauseum by the networks. And we couldn’t turn away. In a way, I wonder that we watch these things in the hopes of witnessing something ghastly or shocking — at least, skirting the edges of tragedy. We secretly hope the idiots on Jackass bust their heads or the Crocodile Hunter loses a few fingers. Granted, that’s the dark side of reality television (not to mention our own nature). Nevertheless, it fires our fascination for the genre.

Yet, despite our capacity to endure the abhorrent, Big Brother has deemed some things unwatchable.

For instance, back in May, 2004, two high school teachers were placed on leave for showing the videotaped beheading of an American hostage to their class. It’s understandable that the parents would be enraged. What’s not understandable — at least, to me — is why the American media shields the public from this stuff.

According to the CBS News website:

The brutal and gruesome execution of American Nicholas Berg, videotaped by terrorists in Iraq, is refocusing attention on a growing controversy in our times. What should the public — especially young people – see and who should decide what is made available for viewing.

Berg’s execution is an example of war at its worst — barbaric, inhuman behavior — a textbook case — and that’s the dilemma, reports CBS News Correspondent Lee Cowan.

In high schools from California to Alabama, some educators have chosen to use the grizzly videotape as a teaching tool.

“I see nothing wrong with it,” said Deborah Brown, a high school junior. “They showed people jumping out of buildings on 9/11. I mean I don’t see the difference.”

I happen to believe that showing this side of the war on terror would change (at least, better inform) the tone of the debate. No doubt it would require a disclaimer and an opt-out clause. But isn’t this what reality TV and the American media should be all about? Instead, we shield the public and force these videos into cyberspace.

A case in point may be the new documentary by Tony Kaye, entitled Lake of Fire. The project was 16 years in the making and attempts to give an even-handed, if not in-your-face, presentation of what’s become one of the most contentious, galvanizing issues of our age: abortion rights. Surprisingly, Kaye does what pro-lifers have been suggesting since the inception of Roe v. Wade — he shows an actual abortion.

Is it any wonder that, according to the L.A. Times, the results were life-changing:

DIRECTOR Tony Kaye says he was forever changed witnessing the second-trimester abortion. Audiences who see Kaye’s new documentary “Lake of Fire” may very well share the British filmmaker’s reaction.

The film has received great reviews, primarily because of it’s balance. Some claim the documentary will become a defining piece and reignite discussion on the abortion debate. Nevertheless, several reviewers hedge at the film’s bluntness, calling the abortion sequences brutally distasteful.

I’ve long felt that a violent contradiction exists at the heart of the pro-choice movement. While they tout a woman’s reproductive rights, they shield us from the actual consequences of that choice. But what good is reality TV if we can’t see the skateboarder plummet to earth or the contestant gag on a Madagascar cockroach? Likewise, if we’re going to tout abortion rights, then why not show abortion consequences?

Much has been made of what we watch (by the networks) and why we watch (by the therapeutic industry). But there’s a third category: What we don’t want to see. I will watch someone make an ass of themself, dislocate their arm, gorge upon hot dogs, drive a motorcycle over a canyon, or walk a tightrope without a net. But God forbid I see people plummet from the Twin Towers or have a child torn from their uterus.

In the age of reality TV, it’s startling how much we refuse to watch.

Whatever Mr. Kaye’s political opinions, I applaud him for having the guts to show the truth. Perhaps this will start a trend. Because, in the end, the things we don’t want to see may say as much about us as what we ogle.