JOEY
SELLAR
Television
Violence
Joey Sellar
Talk Show Host |
View
the process of creating a reality talk show. See how themes are
selected and guests are screened. Observe how the producers encourage
the guests to stay in touch with their emotions, especially near the
close of each segment before the commercial break. Hear the host of
the show defend the violent actions that are the norm for this type
of television show. Enter at your own risk!
 Behind
the scenes at "The Joey Sellar Show" we meet Elmyra,
who is on the show with a startling confession for her estranged husband.
However, Elmyra mentions to the show’s producer that she might
like to patch things up with her husband. The producer, without saying
outright that Elmyra should refrain from resolving her problems with
her husband, manipulates her into an angry, frenzied state, and encourages
her to "express her emotions" on the show. When the show
airs, the audience becomes so swept up in the violent actions on-stage,
that they too become violent.
When we meet Joey Sellar himself, he claims to hate violence. But
behind the scenes, we see him urging his producers to avoid "soft"
shows, because without violence, he could lose affiliates, which translates
to lost advertising revenue, which then translates to reduced profits.
 Understanding
how reality shows are created is an important aspect of becoming a
critical viewer. The violence on these shows seems to teach that this
is a desirable way to solve conflict. A critical viewer knows that
the guests on these talk shows, eager for their moment in the spotlight,
are willing to do and say almost anything. Furthermore, these strange
guests with even stranger problems, while seemingly representing the
average American, are selected because they are willing to act in
bizarre ways. Finally, critical viewers know that the producers encourage
the violence on these shows because it means greater advertising dollars.
|
|
