What are some of your favorite reality TV shows? Is it The Voice, American Idol, America's Got Talent, or any other popular shows? Think for a second: why do you enjoy this show?
What does it give you? Whether we realize it or not, most of us watch reality television because it gives us an excuse to unplug from our reality and allows us to forget about our worries, even if it is just for a moment. This activity helps us cope with some of our problems and relieves the stress of the real world. What better time to have this option than during a pandemic? However, there was one problem: we were all ordered into quarantine.
This pandemic not only caused great sorrow to our country, but also led crazed people to hoard toilet paper and look for entertainment anywhere. With immense boredom, and little access to excitement, people looked to reality TV to keep them entertained. At that moment, showbiz had a crisis on its hands. They needed to find a way to keep reality television shows running in a way that was safe for the country yet still gave the quarentiners a way to relax for a few moments.
After a while, the competition reality shows were able to devise specific plans to keep the shows running. For example, The Voice was able to digitally record each contestant from his or her own home then present it to the judges who sat from the comfort of their own homes giving feedback and input from Montana (Kelly Clarkson), Los Angeles (Nick Jonas and John Legend), and Oklahoma (Blake Shelton). Not only did they set up a stage in each contestant's home, but they were able to broadcast the show live around the country. Thanks to innovative producers, people are able to watch these shows every Monday and Tuesday nights, giving them some excitement during these not so enthusiastic times.
Unlike The Voice, shooting from the luxuries of their own homes, the Bachelorette actually shot on site everyday for three months in Palm Springs. Though they were able to shoot live, they had to follow strict protocols, including regular nasal swab testing, wearing N95 masks, and frequent hand-washing. When eating meals, individuals would sit at long tables, socially distanced. With the commitment of the cast and perseverance of the crew the Bachelorette was able to pull off another successful season while dealing with Covid-19.
As the year continues and we finish out these last few months of 2020, we should give a round of applause to all the people who have been hard at work in show business. They’ve been able to stream and record live from contestants homes and film casts on sight while following protocols to the max. These efforts provided the country some form of entertainment (and some profit) while we all sat at home, hoarding toilet paper and sitting on zoom for endless hours at a time. So please, give it up for the showbiz world.