A couple's male cat is spraying all over their home because a female cat next door is taunting him and beating him up. He's got to find some way to prove that he's a man, so spraying it is.
To document whether the steps they're taking to stop him are working, the couple set up a video camera to keep an eye on him. A week or so later, they watch the video and, lo and behold, the female cat is actually inside their home.
Shawn Ryan"We had no idea," the shocked couple say, although shocked may be too strong a word for their "meh" reaction.
Really? You didn't know another adult cat was wandering around inside your house? And you didn't look at the video footage before it was shown on a TV episode of "My Cat From Hell"?
Not buyin' it.
Anyone who watches so-called reality shows better go into them with more than a bit of skepticism. If not, I've got a great deal on a mountaintop beach I'd like to show you.
Do you really believe that those people on "Naked and Afraid" are in desperate danger in whatever jungle they're plunged into? Is the snarky trash talk on "Flea Market Flip" ad-libbed or scripted?
Do you watch ghost-hunting shows? I do. Have for years. But I realize that actually seeing a ghost is as common as a 70-degree day in July. About the best you'll get is "Did you see that?" or "What was that?" from one of the hunters, their voices rising in amazement and fear. Or they'll record a bodiless sound that they insist is a voice from the other side saying, "I'm going to kill your family and decrease the value of your 401(k)," but all you hear is "arglebargle hissspfft."
Truth is, producers of the shows would be stupid and bad at their jobs if they filmed only what was truly transpiring; it would be deadly dull. So they ratchet up the tension.
On "Real Housewives" and "Big Brother," certain contestants are told they're going to dislike each other and to act like it. Insiders on "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" have said the men and women seeking "true love" are only in love with the idea of being a TV star. Soul mate? What's that?
Several shows have been outed. The bearded boys on "Duck Dynasty" admitted that some of their lines and situations are scripted. "Hardcore Pawn" has been exposed for using items they've already seen and judged their value.
I'm not a reality show junkie (except for the paranormal ones), so I'm just guessing here, but I figure fans of the shows know they're watching fabricated drama. They enjoy it the way they'd enjoy a sitcom.
And reality TV is certainly a bit of comedy.
Contact Shawn Ryan at mshawnryan@gmail.com.