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Why I Respect Any Porn Star More Than Any Reality TV Star

» 24 comments

The other day, while writing a post discussing a TV show that seeks to find a middle ground between pornography and reality television, I loudly (perhaps too loudly) announced to our obliging (perhaps too obliging) office that I would rather watch 20 minutes of the worst porn than one episode of any reality series. Instantly, people started sending me links and videos and I was forced to retract my statement after watching just seconds of one. Instead of disregarding it completely though, I downgraded it to this: I respect any porn star more than any reality TV star. I then thought it would be interesting to examine why.

Well, the first reason is that I’m biased. It’s not that I love pornography (I acknowledge and appreciate its purpose but I’m not running off to join the industry, not that they’d have me), but I hate all reality television. Hate, hate, hate it. And I don’t say that lightly. When I was in elementary school, I once told my father that I hated all poetry and he gave me a stern lecture; Never dismiss an entire medium or artform because you’ll inevitably find an exception and you’ll sound like an idiot in the meantime. It’s a good lesson and something folks like Roger Ebert should keep in mind. However, reality television, or what most people think of when they say “reality television,” isn’t really an art form. It’s a bastardization (ahem, subset) of one (documentaries) and therefore I can dismiss shows like Jersey Shore or Flavor of Love or Keeping Up with the Kardashians without having a second thought.

But my biased hatred of watching reality television doesn’t affect the plain argument I presented because the argument is not about the viewer, but about the participant. Sure, I lose a little respect for people that watch these series, but much more for the people in them.

Both porn and reality stars consent to being exploited and degraded in front of a film crew, but here’s the difference; porn stars are exploiting their bodies while reality stars are exploiting their lives. Porn stars typically use stage names and are usually playing roles. Even if they’re not, the viewers aren’t thinking that they have sex with attractive pizza delivery men in their free time. But that’s not the case with reality stars, they’re not playing anyone. The shows are presented as if this is the real person; this is what they’re really like and this is what they really do. And, more importantly, every single reality series on the air today is purposefully shot and edited to make all or most of the cast members look bad. Seriously, think about it.

There’s a reason that so many former reality show cast members come out and complain about how they were depicted. You could say, “Well, if you didn’t want to look like an ass, you shouldn’t have acted like an ass,” but, you know what, there’s a good chance that they didn’t. Nearly everything shown in modern reality series is fake, either staged on the day or, worse yet, concocted in an editing bay. You could be a perfect angel on set and then, because the producers thought it would fit the “story line,” you’re edited to look like a monster using spare footage (watch the great video below to see how). And, when shows like the ones on MTV are constantly plying their cast members with alcohol, there’s always going to be juicy spare footage lying around.



So, suddenly, the world thinks you’re a monster. And it was all in your real name. Meanwhile porn stars, using fake names so they can escape these identities if they care to, are being shot and edited to look as good as humanly possible (with the obvious exception of porn that deals in humiliation). Society may tell us that reality stars can be public officials while porn stars should be shunned, but they’re missing the fact that it shows much worse judgement to go on one of these shows than to take off your clothes for some camera.

So why do people do it? Why would they give up their lives to some giant corporation who is going to make more money by making you look worse? Fame. And herein lies the rub. Porn stars do it for money. They may aspire to fame as many of us do, but mostly they want that fame so that they can request more money for making their movies. And I can understand that. Getting paid to stay in shape, look beautiful, and have sex on camera? It’s not something I want to do, but I understand why people would do it. But people who want to be famous for doing nothing, absolutely nothing, and are willing to sacrifice their real life and real name for it? I can’t understand that and I never will.

Porn can be disgusting. The videos a couple of my co-workers sent me proves that. But there is nothing more disgusting than a fame whore.

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  • Big Eddie

    Big Eddie can’t abide reality TV either . Only seen snippets , and that was too much . If you’re acting stupid , and you know there’s a camera on you , yet deserve what you get .

  • ROCKSTEADY

    But there is nothing more disgusting than a fame whore.

    Nicely said.

  • Atticus Draco

    “Why I Respect Any Porn Star More Than Any Reality TV Star”

    “Both porn and reality stars consent to being exploited and degraded in front of a film crew, but here’s the difference; porn stars are exploiting their bodies while reality stars are exploiting their lives.”

    You know what Jon,,
    You’ve convinced me,, i think you’re absolutely right!

    I’d rather date a porn star than any reality TV star

  • The Real Royal King

    I actually blame the British for American reality television. Almost all of the shows began there. Between cable “news” and reality television, most American offerings are pretty krappy. I’d like to say some good porn might be refreshing, but “back in the time” I found it every bit as boring as listening to Lard Limbaugh talk about himself. Thanks be to God for Hogan’s Heroes and Andy Griffith re-runs.

  • The Real Royal King

    ROCKSTEADY said:
    But there is nothing more disgusting than a fame whore.

    Nicely said.

    Anyone specific in mind?

  • ROCKSTEADY

    The Real Royal King said:
    Anyone specific in mind?

    HAHHAHAHAHA

  • Pablo

    Hey, what about Iron Chef?

  • moriarty70

    Pablo said:
    Hey, what about Iron Chef?

    I would argue that’s a game show, clear winner based on talent and skill, not high school politics.

    Then again, you ever see how much booze and meat groping that goes on with those guys?

  • Tucker P.

    At least you know what you are getting with either more or less .
    But what is even worst then either . Are those in Government that run elections on God and Country . When they are actually just money whore’s .

  • skyfet

    By God, you have no credibility left for saying you ‘d respect a pornstar than A REALITY JOKER. Says more about you than them.

  • felixw

    Another foolish, disgraceful, embarrassing article on Mediaite.

  • Arch

    I hate all these reality shows based around personalities (Keeping up with, Kendra, etc) and the dating shows are terrible, but The Amazing Race and Survivor are usually good tv. I’m sure there are other good examples as well. Top Chef maybe?

  • The Shoveler

    Mr. Bershad,

    How far do you take the definition of a reality TV personality? What about the guys from Orange County Choppers or all those cake decorators and pawn shop employees? The Jackass crew?

    Are game shows reality TV? If contestants compete for prize money or some other reward, does that leave them off the hook? If so, how do you classify Survivor or (horrors) More to Love?

  • writer

    I think Jon meant he ‘envies’ the porn stars.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jon-Martin/43100610 Jon Martin

    lol bradley manning.. I meant

  • tiredofbs

    felixw said:
    felixw says:
    December 16, 2010 at 10:28 am felixw(Quote)
    Thumb up 5 Thumb down 7

    Another foolish, disgraceful, embarrassing article on Mediaite.

    I have to agree.
    Paying Holly-weirdos millions of dollars to
    perform in million dollar sets, as opposed to some (close) to reality
    entertainment, or real reality like A. Bourdain, Globe Trekker, Sarah Palins Alaska…
    those & shows like Iron Chef , Top Chef, Runway r outstanding,

    pinned against Porn flicks (gross) degenerate disgusting scum of life
    drug addicted disease riddled sluts & mos

    waste of read

  • Nacho

    Reality TV stars are bigger whores.

  • possumdearie

    Atticus Draco said:
    porn stars are exploiting their bodies while reality stars are exploiting their lives.

    All you have is your life. Porn stars decide their life is their body, and they invite strangers to violate it while more strangers at home yank their cranks and blow through a box of Kleenex. Reality stars can laugh at themselves and enjoy their life as idiotically as they please, and they don’t feel they need to sing for their supper. They poke fun at actual stars, who more often these days have little real talent.

  • Greg

    Hi Karolyn.

  • Jelperman

    Another area where porn stars exceed “reality” stars is in their ability to suck dick.

  • tiredofbs

    Nacho said:
    Reality TV stars are bigger whores.

    Someone tell The Mom from Family of 19kids, The little people, Cat Cora of Iron Chef America,
    Padma Laksmi, etc, that they are all “Bigger Whores” than scum of the earth porn flick females…
    According to the Left(?)
    I suggest strongly u get out of your filthy dark addicted basement porn rooms,
    and get some fresh air a Psychiatrist and back to reality …slowwwllyyyyy

  • TCinAZ

    Most female porn stars don’t make in a year, what that Ugly, no-talent, hanger-on sister, Chloe Kardashian, probably makes for just one “public appearance”, to school the world in life lessons..

    In other words, they don’t make what they should, and especially if one were to consider the fact that Chloe looks more like (WWF) Chynna’s twin-sister, than she does either one of her own fuckin’ dingbat sisters. So yeah, she’s absolutely the bigger, ugly, no-talent (etc.) whore, both figuratively and literally.. And she probably knows it too.

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  • Nacho

    tiredofbs said:
    Someone tell The Mom from Family of 19kids, The little people, Cat Cora of Iron Chef America,
    Padma Laksmi, etc, that they are all “Bigger Whores” than scum of the earth porn flick females…

    Iron Chef is a competition show. I am not familiar with Cat Cora so I can not comment on that show. By the name alone, “The Mom from Family of 19 kids” fits the bill just fine. Either she is whoring out her kids for the money or the publicity, that is in fact worse than a pornography actress. “The Little People” follow along the same line because they are using their children for money, ie. whoring them out for a paycheck.

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