Page 150 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

CULTURAL CONTEXT

writes. “It is the social version of a love that absolves the loved one of
fault, restoring integrity and wholeness” (p. 7).
Omarosa must expect this from her fans—she insists they love when
she is naughty. Perhaps the producers of shows like The Surreal Life are
absolved by the same logic—they may be the instigators of the conflict,
but the stars decide how far they want to take the drama. Because life
in the house is, in fact, surreal, the producers never expected to create
anything but obvious fiction. As with the sideshows, the characters have
obvious flaws—their pursuit of fame, however, blurs the question: were
they victims of God-playing producers, or in the game for their own
benefit?
Perhaps next season’s cast—George Jefferson, Carol Brady, a playboy,
a couple of rockers, a model/actress, and a reality show hunk—will show
us a new side of VH1’s freak show.

Adriane Hall is a graduate student at Webster University.

135