for those who Love to Hate reality tv

I just read a brief discussion of Jennifer L. Pozner's new book Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth about Guilty Pleasure TVon Racialicious, and really enjoyed it. At first, I thought the book would be marketed to me, since I'm not a fan (at all) of reality tv, but after reading the review, I suspect it's probably aimed at my wife, who enjoys nothing better than watching reality tv shows and complaining about them.
Since I haven't read the book, I won't try to convince you to read it or discuss it's contents too much (Arturo R. Garcia does that well enough over on the Racialicious blog), other than to say that if I see it in the store cheap, I will pro'lly* buy it. However, based on what I can tell, I know which groups of people are most (and least) likely to enjoy the book.

1. First of all, people who LOVE reality tv should probably NOT buy this book. Don't even pick it up and read the back. You will likely walk away feeling insulted and talked down to... you may feel angry and maybe even a little guilty, and who needs that?
2. People who hate reality tv can feel safe reading it at the store or checking it out at the library. Pozner has done the research and provides analysis that will confirm what you already knew: Reality TV is garbage. It's pro wrestling without the athleticism or porn without the sex. The people who create it don't think much of their stars and think even less of their audience. Pozner has swept lots of behind- the- scenes dirt into a convenient, easy- to- reach pile just for you. However, if you truly HATE reality tv (like me), I would say don't pay money for the book UNLESS you (like me) have a close friend, spouse or significant other belonging to group number three:
3. People who Love to Hate reality tv are probably the best market for this book. My wife, for example, enjoys watching shows like Flavor of Love and The Housewives of (fill in the blank with a city that means something to you), and alternately being embarrassed by or hating the characters on the show. But her enjoyment of the show doesn't come just from watching... her joy isn't full until she gets a chance to gang up with others (by phone if necessary, but dinner parties work best) to discuss the foolishness in detail. She enjoys putting her considerable intellectual might to good use by filleting the casts of these shows, mysteriously supporting and condemning them at the same time. Reality Bites Back will be useful to her, because the last two chapters will empower her in her critical analysis. She will be able to eviscerate the producers of the shows as well as the cast after reading it!

Anyways, if I bought the book, I would read it until it got on my nerves, then pass it on to my wife, who could REALLY use it! Feel free to click here to buy a copy on Amazon, or click here to read more about the book on Racialicious.

holla!

-samax.

ghettoManga.com

comics. hiphop. news. art. culture