Hi Ms. Bennett,
I am a junior in high school and in my AP English class we are writing blogs about any op-ed writer of our choice. I chose you to write my blogs about. If you would like, you can see my blog here: http://www.mollygerth1.blogspot.com/
For our last blog we had to write about an article from our writer and discuss the claim of the essay and whether we agree with it. I wrote about your article The Problem with Women on Reality TV. I enjoyed reading that article of yours, especially because there is a lot of truth in everything you wrote. In fact, I mentioned that in my blog post. I really enjoy your feminist view in all of your writings. As a woman, it is empowering and nice to see someone else stick up for women in our world today. So, if you have time, I would really appreciate it if you could look at my blog and give me your opinion. Also, if there are any other articles of yours that you would recommend to me, that would be much appreciated as well. I look forward to reading more of your articles in Newsweek.
Thank you,
Molly Gerth
Monday, December 20, 2010
Pool of Knowlege: The Problem With Women on Reality TV
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/11/the-problem-with-women-on-reality-tv.html
1If your main source of knowledge about women came from reality TV, this is how you’d see the world: a place where your mom is a conniving, deceitful gold digger, your sisters and girlfriends vicious and catty. You would learn that “sisterhood” is a thing of the past, as Pozner puts it—and that girl friendships are not powerful but spiteful. And you’d understand that women were put on this earth to compete for male attention—when, of course, they’re not busy pulling each others hair our or lounging half naked in a ot tub.. (Bennett's claim)
2.)None of this is to say that reality TV is not entertaining—because, let’s be honest, it is. (concession)
3.) a. And Conger, who auctioned off her ring for charity, might as well have been the secretary of state compared with today’s reality-TV divas, who are portrayed, at least, as money-grubbing, plastic-surgery-plumped fame whores—a cadre of women who seemingly can’t resist a good catfight (or eating disorder).
b. “With few exceptions, [these] shows have framed women as unaware that there is anything more to life than tossing back martinis, lounging in hot tubs, and as Bachelorette Christine suggested, meeting their husbands at the door with dinner and a foot rub ready,”
c. So instead, women are cast to fill specific, sculpted roles that are morphed and manipulated by producers.
1If your main source of knowledge about women came from reality TV, this is how you’d see the world: a place where your mom is a conniving, deceitful gold digger, your sisters and girlfriends vicious and catty. You would learn that “sisterhood” is a thing of the past, as Pozner puts it—and that girl friendships are not powerful but spiteful. And you’d understand that women were put on this earth to compete for male attention—when, of course, they’re not busy pulling each others hair our or lounging half naked in a ot tub.. (Bennett's claim)
2.)None of this is to say that reality TV is not entertaining—because, let’s be honest, it is. (concession)
3.) a. And Conger, who auctioned off her ring for charity, might as well have been the secretary of state compared with today’s reality-TV divas, who are portrayed, at least, as money-grubbing, plastic-surgery-plumped fame whores—a cadre of women who seemingly can’t resist a good catfight (or eating disorder).
b. “With few exceptions, [these] shows have framed women as unaware that there is anything more to life than tossing back martinis, lounging in hot tubs, and as Bachelorette Christine suggested, meeting their husbands at the door with dinner and a foot rub ready,”
c. So instead, women are cast to fill specific, sculpted roles that are morphed and manipulated by producers.
- Women on reality TV are almost always shown as stuck-up, snobby people, who buy their way through life. It is ridiculous to see what people will do to be known or to make money on a television show. It is also ridiculous to think of the fact that people enjoy sitting at home watching women fight or debate over which 1,000 dollar coat they should buy. I don't see how this is considered real television, or even television worth watching.
- I agree with what Jessica Bennett writes. First, reality TV isn't even reality anymore. Women buying things at a budget of 10,000 dollars is insane. No one in the real world does that. Maybe that is why people are so interested. They see someone who has what they do not so they watch them to see the life they do not have. Also, the portrayal of women is insulting. The women on reality TV have no clue of the what the real world is like. So, it is annoying to see how people who do not even have to work, get paid to have a show about how "wonderful" their life is. Even if it isn't exactly how their life is, the fact that they are willing to put their "life" on TV according to a script given by a producer is just plain stupid. If it is a scripted show, it isn't reality!
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