But I don't mainly like reality TV shows because in actual fact, they have naff all to do with reality. If you read the media press these days, you will note from their "Wanted" columns that they audition for "actors or contestants" for reality-type TV shows.
Reality is reality: take camera, walk down street, film what you see. Exploited by many great photo journalists from when the camera was developed to now. Reality TV is just a market-concept title, where by you the viewer enters an unreal world concocted by the producer/director of that (un)reality production.
The "greatest" (no, can't use that word, makes people think that I could actually like this tosh....). OK then, best known reality TV show is Big Brother. You see, in the show's title, they already tell you that its not reality, its made for TV in a confined space, sat somewhere in West London.
So imagine my disapointment today, when I read in the online version of the South Wales Echo that Cardiff is to get its own version of the latest reality TV craze, the thing that is known as TOWIE. "The Only Way Is Essex" seems to have been written by a combination of advertisers, comedians, non-PC politicians and shot by a series of "even Five wouldn't have us" TV producers and directors to create something which is....
Well, what? To me its not even worth watching, even though it seems that every newspaper I pick up, online forum I read and person I talks with would now make you think that TOWIE was a word in the English dictionary. From watching and reading the media coverage, it is clear that the show appeals to the young and upcoming types, in other words the type of people that advertisers want to advertise to. So whether its who is coming in/out of the show, who is dating who, the latest gossip or that now regular debate amongst post 16 teenage girls - should I get a boob job done - its all reported. Just for extra column inches, and hence readership, and hence advertisers.
There is a theory in modern marketing, and its that if you don't get it, then its not aimed at you. Its called extreme traget marketing, and in this case - me on relaity TV - it works! I hate it with abundance!
So imagine my distasteful upset when it was announced that a company was casting for a new relaity show called Cardiff Born Cardiff Bred.
Wannabe reality stars will have to impress a judging panel searching for characters who are more “real” than the likes of Mark Wright and Lucy Childs – made famous by the Essex mockumentary. An eclectic mix has already applied for “CBCB”, including a full-time clown, a Backstreet Boys tribute band and an ice-cream van man. And if they make the cut, they will be appearing in 10 half-hour episodes which will be streamed on CBCB’s own website and has already received interest from BBC3 scouts.
So, a mockumentary featuring a full-time clown, a Backstreet Boys tribute band and an ice-cream van man is the best that we can offer to represent Cardiff? The article later goes on to highlight Ben Harley, 22, from Caerphilly - so clearly it is!
The Cardiff I knew from the 80s/90s is gone. But the impression that most people have of Cardiff who have not been here is of some dirt-riddled semi-London copy, only useful for people from the former coalfields and mining communities of the Valley's to come to ad admire our relatively better streets and lifestyle. The reality is that Cardiff his now one of the UK's top six shopping destinations, and comes in the UK's top5 places to live for quality of life. Better not make too much of that though or the rest of you will come and spoil it for those of us who already know this.
But do I want a mockumentary mucking up people's impression of one of my favourite cities in the world? No. So please, don't go down to Cardiff Bay and join teh auditions, and if you are a BBC3 scout, then please make the right decision and ignore this piece of trash and leave it on the internet. We don't need more trash TV, and we don't need it giving a bad impression of Cardiff or Wales.
Taffy-bye!
