Scripted Reality vs. Actual Reality

I am unashamed to admit that The OC is my favourite television show of all time. It was a tv show that swept the teenage world by storm, so naturally there was some way to exploit the series. Laguna Beach is in no way the first reality show to air on MTV. There was The Real World which premiered in 1992 (and has just been picked up for its 28^th season) and also the loud and profane Osbourne family who just seemed to swear at one another. But Laguna Beach brought a whole new aspect to this questionable ‘reality’ that was portrayed by teenagers living in the ‘real life OC’. From Laguna Beach came The Hills, which was the same people, in a different location. Another MTV gem was wating as Paris Hilton tried time after time to find her Best Friend Forever, real nail biting stuff. These shows (along with some that are so visually offensive I am against writing) were questioned as to their level of realism. Is this actually what happened, in this order, with all these fights and friendship fallouts? This instigated the term ‘scripted reality’ where circumstances only appear to be legitimate. But these shows started various music careers, book deals, fashion lines and the ever popular cosmetic enhancers. So who are we, the mere plebeians of every day society, to deny these pseudo stars their fame and fortune for reinacting their own miserably entrancing existance?
Hot off the heels of this alternate real world, came the authentic and absolutely entrancing Jersey Shore. Upon its premiere in 2009 there were questions about its political correctness but after watching it there was never any doubt to the fact this this was real, this was addictive, and this was pure viewing gold. 6.1 million viewers tuned in to the second season finale, a number that just cant be denied, and a number that has helped Jersey Shore reach such popularity, the third season (currently being screened on MTV has the housemates living in Italy). I don’t think it’s shows like Jersey Shore and Teen Mom that are the problem, but these pure unadulterated tv filth trying to pass themselves off as reality. I’d rather the line between fact and fiction stay just that, a solid line, not something to be toyed with in the attempt to increase viewings.