Women's Studies 2161A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Celebrity Culture, Revamp, Supernanny

• School: Western University
• Department: Women's Studies
• Course: Women's Studies 2161A/B
• Professor: Nichole Edwards

Document Summary

Part 1: unpacking reality tv: producers and tv is concerned with ratings not social issues etc. Characteristics of reality tv: deeply varied subgenres, competition, dating, makeover/transformational, social experiments, red-neck reality tv, survival/wilderness based, trends (within reality tv) So popular because they are embedded in social beliefs of gender in society. Incredibly cheap to make a reality show: often dismissed as harmless fluff, but women are most often criticized and demonized (not men) Judgemental female contestants are treated poorly: stereotypic casts, hate on single mothers (too desperate, cast for the "crazy, bitch / villain, virgin. Incentive for the production crew to stir up drama: use of the word fairy tale, using past history and medical files as ammo against contestants. Feels more authentic: but the editing is super important, are authentic moments but may be taken out of context to suit the program.