Evolving.
You know there's always an unexpected twist (or two or three) with reality shows. That's what makes them...uh, real. Right?

In the manner of a train wreck (yeah, that's the analogy everyone uses to describe their [morbid] fascination with these kinds of shows), I watched about a half hour of NBC's 25 Million Dollar Hoax tonight before H decided that we could be doing better things. In that half hour, I see the girl spending all the money on herself and not her family, as per the producers' plan. Okay, fine, whatever. I don't think the $400K for her family in the end is worth it, but it's not me.

Meanwhile, we have end-of-the-day one-on-one shots with each family member, telling how they were disappointed/frustrated/angry/etc. over Chrissy spending all her money on herself and ignoring them--or worse, buying the things they wanted. They're telling the camera how angry they are, how upset they are, how they're trying to rationalize that it's her money. And then we have Chrissy all dolled up and crying over how she hates this, how it isn't her...but in the end it *is* about her and the money, even if it's not $25M. It just makes you wonder: is Chrissy really the only one in on this hoax?

Let's digest this for a minute.

First of all, we've got a complete character change in someone the family've known for 20-odd years and we the viewers have known for about an hour. Would she really ever tell her brother "You deserve to be poor"?

Second, there are cameras around. All the time. In fact, the family is never around Chrissy without one. Obviously they know it's reality TV, but shouldn't they suspect that it might not be "reality"?

Third, they're obviously being asked about how they feel about her spending all this money on herself. Isn't that kind of a tip-off? (And I do think they're being asked that directly because sometimes they repeat the question back again, i.e. "How do I feel about her spending all that money? Like crap. She's being...." etc.)

I don't want to call them stupid--they seem like genuinely nice people, and frankly they're not altogether convincing that they don't know what's going on. But they have to have some suspicions--edited out in the editing room, I'm sure. They can't be that dumb. Can they?

This would be the greatest time for NBC to be punking reality TV viewers. "Ha ha, we got you invested in a show that was a lie about the character, her family, and YOU." Then maybe the viewers would know how it felt to be the family in that kind of a situation.

I admit to watching the end of "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance" and hating every sleazy person who was in on the show, especially the girl. Her father told her, "It isn't about money." That's awesome. And frankly, I'm surprised it made it in the final cut. It's probably the only "real" thing I've ever seen on a reality TV show.

As for Chrissy, if this isn't a hoax on viewers and her family is genuinely hurt about this, then she's an awful person if they really believe she'd say and do these things. If the shoe fits....


Comments
on Nov 16, 2004
Interesting analysis. It makes sense to me. I have watched some of these "reality" shows and my wife and I just look at each other in wonder at just how over the top clueless and stupid the people seem to be. To be honest, I don't believe they all really can be. Reality TV is becoming just as scripted as other TV, they just have to pay the participants a lot less. Sort of makes it boring.
on Nov 16, 2004
Well, the flaw in my brilliant analysis is that if NBC really did do a hoax on the viewers, they'd probably alienate them because they'd be making fun of them, in a sense. And no TV station tries to alienate viewers. But I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks people can't really be *that* dumb....

-A.
on Nov 16, 2004
But people CAN be that dumb! Some woman spent a $200.00 bill at a clothing store that had a picture of george W. Bush on it.......
The rest of the story: The clerk gave her $100.85 in change!
on Nov 16, 2004
So, then reality TV is just slightly more intelligent Americans watching stupider Americans make fools of themselves...? Brilliant.



-A.
on Nov 17, 2004
I came in for about 10 minutes of the middle chunk of it. It's horrible. Negative energy all around-- a show that not only makes you feel disrespected and bitter, but gives you that extra self-induced guilt-trip! As far as the viewers go, it's just another tv show that serves as an escape from their own problems..."Oh, I'd WISH that that was my biggest problem!"

There was a brief series called "American High" a couple years ago, which I actually enjoyed (I've never been pleased with the approach and objective of most "reality tv" shows, which is the main problem that I have with them...but then again, I've never like daytime soaps which they try to mimic in displaying the pettiness in every person)
on Nov 21, 2004
You should put the times and the channel to 25 million dollar hoax. I'm trying to look for the channel and the time, but you don't have it. So I would get the time and channel on your site, because I bet 25 million other people are looking for the time right now. So get the time and the channel. Oh and I give your site a 0. ha ha
on Nov 21, 2004
How can you give them a A-. This is to Angloesque.
on Nov 22, 2004

Reply By: stormy t.(Anonymous User) Posted: Sunday, November 21, 2004
You should put the times and the channel to 25 million dollar hoax. I'm trying to look for the channel and the time, but you don't have it. So I would get the time and channel on your site, because I bet 25 million other people are looking for the time right now. So get the time and the channel. Oh and I give your site a 0. ha ha


How can you give them a A-. This is to Angloesque.


Sometimes, anonymous users' comments are useful. Like this one. It showed that there are, indeed, idiots in the world. And here I was ready to give them the benefit of the doubt....

-A.
on Dec 23, 2006
I've never even heard of this show. I just happened to run across it when I stumbled onto something called the "Fox Reality Channel" today. I don't get it. Some chick spun a wheel that said she won $25 million, then her family went nuts hugging her then it turned out she didn't really win anything. I don't see the hoax part. Hoaxes are usually harmless, but funny. This was just... dumb and dumb. How messed up and lame are you if you find this a source of amusement?! This is possibly the least interesting few minutes of television I have ever watched -- and I've suffered through an entire episode of 1 vs 100, Weakest Link and Deal or No Deal!
on Dec 23, 2006
Are you retarded?!