Reality TV and Why I Love It

OK, so I admit it - I love reality TV. Now I know this is nothing new anymore - reality TV is everywhere, but I still love it. Not all of it - just the really good stuff. I don't know why. But maybe it's because I can picture myself doing well in Reality TV shows. I can watch baseball and know I will never be a baseball player. I can watch Dirk do incredible things on the basketball court and know I will never be a good basketball player. I can watch rock stars and know I will never be one of those (which is why American Idol is not one of the reality shows I like - plus it's kind of boring.) But let me watch Aras walk off with the million dollars, or the hippies struggle to win the Amazing Race, and I think - maybe, just maybe I could do that. (I mean, if I got in shape a little.)

If only one reality show was allowed to be on the air, I would choose Survivor. It's the original and it's the best. Yes, I get "tired-head" listening to Jeff Probst explain how the challenges work - but to see people interact, to see people who are oblivious to their idiosyncrasies, captivates me. The classic illustration of this is from this past season when Courtney (the fire-dancer - what's that exactly?) was so upset because people voted her the most annoying. What me annoying?, she asks. Then, with Bruce writhing in constipation pain, feeling like he is going to die, Courtney starts singing to him. In pain he says, "Stop." She continues singing, Bruce in more pain now and obviously annoyed by Courtney once again asks her to stop. She doesn't even realize that she is annoying him. We all know people just like that - if you don't, then you are probably that person.

[On a side note, when I think about Survivor, I am always reminded of my preaching class in seminary. After one of my sermons for the class in which I used an illustration from Survivor (this was season 2 back in 2001), one of my classmates, during his critique said, "I think we as Christians should not watch such shows as Survivor. It's just un-Christian." Really? My text for that sermon was Deuteronomy 23:12-14 and was titled "Being a Responsible Camper." Of course, if you know that passage, you can probably guess that if someone was upset with Survivor, they would be upset with my choice of scripture as well. (And I admit one of the reasons I used the scripture was to rock the boat a little.) When someone in the class approached me after class and said "I think your text was inappropriate." I replied, "Well, God said it to Moses, and Moses shared it with the people, are you saying that God is inappropriate?" He nervously laughed.]

So Survivor shares a special memory in my life. But it is also a fascinating look at people. As hard as one may try to put up a front, ultimately, Survivor reveals them for who they really are. I think we as Christians could use a little more "Survivor" in our lives. To be forced to interact with others that we normally wouldn't. To learn how they tick, to see how they view us. We as Christians should be open to sharing our strengths and our weaknesses. To take off our masks and admit that we don't have all the answers and that we are not perfect. (This is especially true when we are around other Christians - we so often put up a spiritual front to look good.) To admit that, yes, we are hypocrites and we do wrong people at times. To take risks, build relationships with strangers, and stretch ourselves physically and mentally. And to remember that when all seems hopeless and when we have been bruised by life, we know that our hope is not found in what we can or can't do, but our hope is found in Christ. He is the one who gives meaning to life, who accepts us whether we are annoying, hypocritical, etc.

Reality TV - we do star in it, I guess. People do watch us, we do vote people in and out of our circles, we do compete for prizes in life. I guess that's why I like Survivor so much. Ah, now if only I could just throw a baseball 95 mph...