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Thom Beers on the State of Reality TV | National Geographic


maybe the the viewer isn’t as critical

maybe the the viewer isn’t as critical as a TV critic would be watching these

as a TV critic would be watching these

as a TV critic would be watching these things but at some point it becomes very

things but at some point it becomes very

things but at some point it becomes very evident that you’re watching things that

evident that you’re watching things that

evident that you’re watching things that are clearly recorded well after the fact

are clearly recorded well after the fact

are clearly recorded well after the fact what are you talking about you you knew

what are you talking about you you knew

what are you talking about you you knew you lost exactly or like something else

you lost exactly or like something else

you lost exactly or like something else why jerks back and watching you know the

why jerks back and watching you know the

why jerks back and watching you know the jousting show they would go like wow I

jousting show they would go like wow I

jousting show they would go like wow I didn’t know what was gonna happen it was

didn’t know what was gonna happen it was

didn’t know what was gonna happen it was like you totally well that was on Real

like you totally well that was on Real

like you totally well that was on Real Housewives Tamra

Housewives Tamra

Housewives Tamra goes on vacation talking about I want

goes on vacation talking about I want

goes on vacation talking about I want him to propose he keeps talking is he

him to propose he keeps talking is he

him to propose he keeps talking is he gonna give me a ring is he gonna give me

gonna give me a ring is he gonna give me

gonna give me a ring is he gonna give me the entire episode she’s talking about

the entire episode she’s talking about

the entire episode she’s talking about it what happens if he proposes at the

it what happens if he proposes at the

it what happens if he proposes at the end he proposed she knew you know

end he proposed she knew you know

end he proposed she knew you know clearly she was engaged by this time

clearly she was engaged by this time

clearly she was engaged by this time she’s got the chance right exactly in

she’s got the chance right exactly in

she’s got the chance right exactly in the middle of the day which is a great

the middle of the day which is a great

the middle of the day which is a great thing about something like the bachelor

thing about something like the bachelor

thing about something like the bachelor bachelorette where they will pull them

bachelorette where they will pull them

bachelorette where they will pull them out of the date and they’re so clearly

out of the date and they’re so clearly

out of the date and they’re so clearly drunk without well and I think the

drunk without well and I think the

drunk without well and I think the bigger problem is Oh like you can when

bigger problem is Oh like you can when

bigger problem is Oh like you can when you’re watching and you know that

you’re watching and you know that

you’re watching and you know that someone is asked to be doing lines in

someone is asked to be doing lines in

someone is asked to be doing lines in the moment there’s a difference between

the moment there’s a difference between

the moment there’s a difference between I think when they’re sort of narrating

I think when they’re sort of narrating

I think when they’re sort of narrating the show or talking in interviews then

the show or talking in interviews then

the show or talking in interviews then when like they’re in a real moment and

when like they’re in a real moment and

when like they’re in a real moment and like real people aren’t actors for a

like real people aren’t actors for a

like real people aren’t actors for a reason and you can I think write viewers

reason and you can I think write viewers

reason and you can I think write viewers are pretty discerning about that and you

are pretty discerning about that and you

are pretty discerning about that and you could watch and be like this person’s

could watch and be like this person’s

could watch and be like this person’s acting is horrible and I’m not just

acting is horrible and I’m not just

acting is horrible and I’m not just talking about the hills but there are

talking about the hills but there are

talking about the hills but there are other shows that really do like stretch

other shows that really do like stretch

other shows that really do like stretch that line but look at loss of America’s

that line but look at loss of America’s

that line but look at loss of America’s lost treasures I mean you know that show

lost treasures I mean you know that show

lost treasures I mean you know that show it’s it’s it’s a great you know concept

it’s it’s it’s a great you know concept

it’s it’s it’s a great you know concept in execution and the one wildcard always

in execution and the one wildcard always

in execution and the one wildcard always is that pure raw human being that walks

is that pure raw human being that walks

is that pure raw human being that walks in carrying something right and you know

in carrying something right and you know

in carrying something right and you know it’s the something that you’re

it’s the something that you’re

it’s the something that you’re fascinated by and you pray to God they

fascinated by and you pray to God they

fascinated by and you pray to God they can open their mouth and see some

can open their mouth and see some

can open their mouth and see some coaching or you know that after

coaching or you know that after

coaching or you know that after screening these episodes you got really

screening these episodes you got really

screening these episodes you got really lucky that you got hyper-verbal people

lucky that you got hyper-verbal people

lucky that you got hyper-verbal people in in possession of very interesting

in in possession of very interesting

in in possession of very interesting artifacts see and exam if you’ve got a

artifacts see and exam if you’ve got a

artifacts see and exam if you’ve got a dud who is like yeah I think I have

dud who is like yeah I think I have

dud who is like yeah I think I have cannon

cannon

cannon skull you can use them yeah I actually

skull you can use them yeah I actually

skull you can use them yeah I actually think that’s it just as interesting

think that’s it just as interesting

think that’s it just as interesting though is like you have Kennedy’s skull

though is like you have Kennedy’s skull

though is like you have Kennedy’s skull and you don’t care that’s like your

and you don’t care that’s like your

and you don’t care that’s like your super fascinating cuz you’re like what

super fascinating cuz you’re like what

super fascinating cuz you’re like what wake up like I just want to shake you

wake up like I just want to shake you

wake up like I just want to shake you through my Tivo look honey I can’t look

through my Tivo look honey I can’t look

through my Tivo look honey I can’t look right through it oh no but but but we

right through it oh no but but but we

right through it oh no but but but we got so lucky with that because in

got so lucky with that because in

got so lucky with that because in essence but you know you are you’re just

essence but you know you are you’re just

essence but you know you are you’re just your cross your fingers and you know

your cross your fingers and you know

your cross your fingers and you know obviously what you do as a producer you

obviously what you do as a producer you

obviously what you do as a producer you minimize but we’ve got great you know

minimize but we’ve got great you know

minimize but we’ve got great you know show running Gail Gilman and her whole

show running Gail Gilman and her whole

show running Gail Gilman and her whole team I mean they they got those people

team I mean they they got those people

team I mean they they got those people very animated you know and much more so

very animated you know and much more so

very animated you know and much more so than we anticipated so it was great but

than we anticipated so it was great but

than we anticipated so it was great but it was the object that we were

it was the object that we were

it was the object that we were interested in you know and then you just

interested in you know and then you just

interested in you know and then you just pray to God that somebody showed up with

pray to God that somebody showed up with

pray to God that somebody showed up with interesting so on the same vein when

interesting so on the same vein when

interesting so on the same vein when things actually do get real in reality

things actually do get real in reality

things actually do get real in reality how do you feel about reality TVs in all

how do you feel about reality TVs in all

how do you feel about reality TVs in all of its different subgenres their

of its different subgenres their

of its different subgenres their approach to tragedies things like what

approach to tragedies things like what

approach to tragedies things like what Deadliest Catch is going through what

Deadliest Catch is going through what

Deadliest Catch is going through what the Housewives of Beverly Hills went

the Housewives of Beverly Hills went

the Housewives of Beverly Hills went through do you think that there’s do you

through do you think that there’s do you

through do you think that there’s do you think there’s a line that should be

think there’s a line that should be

think there’s a line that should be drawn where that reality is not

drawn where that reality is not

drawn where that reality is not necessarily let me tell you weapon

necessarily let me tell you weapon

necessarily let me tell you weapon fodder but as a filmmaker and this is

fodder but as a filmmaker and this is

fodder but as a filmmaker and this is you’re asking me it’s not a producer as

you’re asking me it’s not a producer as

you’re asking me it’s not a producer as a filmmaker you know the captain Phil’s

a filmmaker you know the captain Phil’s

a filmmaker you know the captain Phil’s death I thought was just some of those

death I thought was just some of those

death I thought was just some of those it was the most perfect hour of

it was the most perfect hour of

it was the most perfect hour of television we had ever made because we

television we had ever made because we

television we had ever made because we it was all the setup before that it was

it was all the setup before that it was

it was all the setup before that it was the fact that we had been in his life

the fact that we had been in his life

the fact that we had been in his life for five years you know that we had we

for five years you know that we had we

for five years you know that we had we were trusted that we had never done

were trusted that we had never done

were trusted that we had never done anything you know for them not to trust

anything you know for them not to trust

anything you know for them not to trust us that we were that we were part of the

us that we were that we were part of the

us that we were that we were part of the family and that when we got in the

family and that when we got in the

family and that when we got in the middle of that and the brothers are

middle of that and the brothers are

middle of that and the brothers are bickering and fight and they let us in

bickering and fight and they let us in

bickering and fight and they let us in constantly the producers in the middle

constantly the producers in the middle

constantly the producers in the middle actually putting the camera going guys

actually putting the camera going guys

actually putting the camera going guys you got a sec yeah I mean we got so into

you got a sec yeah I mean we got so into

you got a sec yeah I mean we got so into that world and but at the same time

captain Phil said you know he he said

captain Phil said you know he he said look he wrote down a piece of paper he

look he wrote down a piece of paper he

look he wrote down a piece of paper he just said you know you got to tell a

just said you know you got to tell a

just said you know you got to tell a story you know so if we had permission

story you know so if we had permission

story you know so if we had permission from a man who was on his deathbed to

from a man who was on his deathbed to

from a man who was on his deathbed to tell that story but yeah I got to tell

tell that story but yeah I got to tell

tell that story but yeah I got to tell you the struggles that we had there were

you the struggles that we had there were

you the struggles that we had there were two kinds of struggles one was with the

two kinds of struggles one was with the

two kinds of struggles one was with the network it’s

network it’s

network it’s of you know who didn’t want to deal with

of you know who didn’t want to deal with

of you know who didn’t want to deal with the drug abuse or their we had major

the drug abuse or their we had major

the drug abuse or their we had major fights dealing with that and we said

fights dealing with that and we said

fights dealing with that and we said look at we’ve got to tell that story and

look at we’ve got to tell that story and

look at we’ve got to tell that story and it came to a point where I said look I’m

it came to a point where I said look I’m

it came to a point where I said look I’m gonna cut this and I’m putting it in and

gonna cut this and I’m putting it in and

gonna cut this and I’m putting it in and I’m gonna send it to you and that’s my

I’m gonna send it to you and that’s my

I’m gonna send it to you and that’s my job and you guys want to be idiots and

job and you guys want to be idiots and

job and you guys want to be idiots and take it out that’s your job you know cuz

take it out that’s your job you know cuz

take it out that’s your job you know cuz I’m not doing it I refuse do it but the

I’m not doing it I refuse do it but the

I’m not doing it I refuse do it but the other thing was you know his in his

other thing was you know his in his

other thing was you know his in his death you know the opportunity for us to

death you know the opportunity for us to

death you know the opportunity for us to really tell that story the complete

really tell that story the complete

really tell that story the complete story and allow the two boys that’s how

story and allow the two boys that’s how

story and allow the two boys that’s how we told his death I’m not gonna I mean

we told his death I’m not gonna I mean

we told his death I’m not gonna I mean believe me I’ve got cameras in the in

believe me I’ve got cameras in the in

believe me I’ve got cameras in the in the hospital but I’m not gonna use that

the hospital but I’m not gonna use that

the hospital but I’m not gonna use that footage you know I’m not I would never

footage you know I’m not I would never

footage you know I’m not I would never use that but the point is that that that

use that but the point is that that that

use that but the point is that that that it it unfolded and I gotta tell you that

it it unfolded and I gotta tell you that

it it unfolded and I gotta tell you that was a toughest four weeks of our lives

was a toughest four weeks of our lives

was a toughest four weeks of our lives because I mean I could only screen about

because I mean I could only screen about

because I mean I could only screen about two minutes a day and we’d walk out god

two minutes a day and we’d walk out god

two minutes a day and we’d walk out god I can’t do this anymore okay so anyway

I can’t do this anymore okay so anyway

I can’t do this anymore okay so anyway it was but look there’s the line is

it was but look there’s the line is

it was but look there’s the line is drawn because you know and trust the

drawn because you know and trust the

drawn because you know and trust the subject and if anybody’s gonna pander to

subject and if anybody’s gonna pander to

subject and if anybody’s gonna pander to that world I mean I I don’t think I

that world I mean I I don’t think I

that world I mean I I don’t think I think that there’s just a true taste and

think that there’s just a true taste and

think that there’s just a true taste and I think involved and that there are

I think involved and that there are

I think involved and that there are there are enough people with with with

there are enough people with with with

there are enough people with with with with class that that will never happen

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