The return of the anonymous? After a few years in which we saw in the reality show a variety of “celebrities”, VIPs, celebs and celebrities of all levels (mostly those who became famous in reality and continued to ride the wave), in the near future the screen seems to be filled with unknown people – just like in the early days of reality in Israel, with Sharon Ayalon , Shifra Kornfeld and Dan Mano.
“Big Brother” is back in the regular season, “Survival” was filmed with non-star cast and “Master Chef” is also showing a star-free season. Did we get tired of recycling those spoiled Josie Arena / Leah Griner? Is this the return of the “Moses. Waiter. Holon”?
“The return of the anonymous to the reality shows shows that we are now in the phase of re-searching for new celebrities within the same circular process that happens every period,” explains Dr. Matan Aharoni of Ariel University School of Communication. Fast, because most of them do nothing special and significant other than being present in the media. This is in contrast to the ‘stars’ of yesteryear who received the aura of stars due to significant things they did outside the media. ”
Big Brother promo, courtesy of Network
“Therefore, when the dust of today’s celebrities is over, the industry, production companies, franchisees and also viewers need new blood – and this is what reality shows do the fastest and best,” Aharoni adds. This, of course, is accompanied by the constant and constant search by the viewers for the authentic characters – and this is what the new characters in the reality shows are supposed to provide. Therefore, the most authentic food that the real character cooks is the thing that will be talked about in the cooking shows, the most assertive but also my friend who will have the most screen time and participate in the villa that is most exciting, undecided and not closed on himself, the one who does not shoot passwords . All of these will be crowned as the new celebrities, until the next round, which will come upon us for good and soon. ”
“For more than 15 years, reality shows have occupied the Israeli screen,” adds Prof. Moti Niger, School of Communication, Bar-Ilan University. “The fact that these programs are broadcast during the peak hours of the main commercial channels (broadcast) and not in niche channels leads to the need to create diversity in both programs and their content in order to maintain the ratings and loyalty of the general public. The locality (“ordinary people”) produces such diversity. Beyond that, such people reinforce one of the important elements in reality shows: the illusion of authenticity, that is, that they are indeed a reflection of reality. “They also bring to the forefront a different kind of voyeurism, and have the potential to create an identification of closeness (the person on screen is similar to me) with the audience at home.”
My name is not Snow White
It seems that one of the basic principles of the reality genre is to bring unknown people to the forefront of the stage, and when in recent years the channels have brought celebs to places that used to belong to ordinary people, they have hurt the Cinderella effect of reality. “One of the elements associated with the reality genre over the years in formats around the world, is the ability for anonymous characters to reach the screen,” says Dr. Jasmine Sasson, a lecturer at Manshar and Sapir Academic College, who teaches a course on reality television. The visual in viewing the genre (and even participating). Indeed, if a move is identified here that indicates that we are tired of VIP recycling, then that is fine in my eyes. For one of the advantages of the genre that is so enjoyed to be underestimated, is what was identified in the article by Niger and Yosman, “The Illusion of Democratic Choice,” the Cinderella motif. “
“The possibility, only thanks to reality, that we recognize in Israeli culture young artists like Ninet and Eden Elena from the periphery,” adds Sasson, The genre: to give a stage to those who have not yet opened a door for their representation on Israeli television. “
In addition, VIP programs sometimes involve payment for participants in a way that sins against one of the genre definitions. And it seems to me that when the genre is fighting for its good name, as an entertainment option, the anonymity option has the full possibility of realizing its potential, in terms of enjoyment for the viewer and the participants.
Yuv Shamla conducts Ninja Israel 2022 (Photo: Keshet 12)It comes in waves
In addition, Dr. Omri Herzog, of the Master’s Degree Program in Cultural Studies at Sapir Academic College, argues that this is not a profound trend change, but a natural cyclicality: Already with the beginnings of the Dutch source of ‘Big Brother’, the pattern of reality was based on advancing the ideology of ‘The American Dream’: anyone can win fame and money, no matter where he came from or how much money he has. Reality does not work that way, as we know; But reality shows reflect the illusion that ‘anyone can’. Each of us is a potential Cinderella, who can be chosen by the good fairy – the TV. This fantasy feeds the interest of the viewers, who see it come true before their eyes. ”
“The conduct is cyclical: to advance the American dream, reality creates stars and demonstrates their celebrity status for a period of time, 15 minutes of glory showing that the dream has come true,” Herzog adds. “And so the genre promotes ordinary people, who are similar to the audience and therefore arouse sympathy. It continues to be used after they gain fame, to prove the class change they went through when they became stars.”
“But then you always go back to zero and recruit ordinary people, who in turn become celebrities, and God forbid,” Herzog concludes. “This is the life cycle of the genre – because only then can it create the lasting illusion of the American dream and prove it. So the current round in Israeli reality is not surprising: the celebrities have done their thing; now is the time to start another round.”
Master Chef (Photo: Rainbow Screenshot 12)Without shattering the illusion
“We are not always interested in knowing what is behind the curtain. People we have a kind of admiration for – like celebs like this and others – allow us to make different consequences on their shimmering figure,” adds Sagi Breslav, MSW couple and family therapist, member of the SomeBuddy community of therapists “We imagine them and fantasize how beneath the image lie the qualities that ignite the imagination, and ignite the admiration and love we feel for them. When a celeb is revealed as a person who he really is, the realistic person he is, it harms our ability to project on him and attribute to him the qualities we admire in our eyes. ”
“We do not really want to know the truth about the celeb, because we may discover behind the media image precisely the more human, vulnerable, imperfect and perhaps even really dark or problematic aspects of him,” Breslav concludes. “It creates frustration, a sense of rejection and disappointment. The situation is different when anonymous people come to the screen in the first place, who are like everyone else. The so-called ‘ordinary people’. In their case there are no views and no image of shattering. Close to the reality of reality. “