"Considering the White House’s hulking, media-rich Web site, its Facebook page, photo galleries and podcasts on iTunes, the presidency seems less threatened by the incursion of a reality show than running an administration that is in danger of becoming one.”

I've been reading and re-reading the story of the "crashers"  and all of the related stories about Reality TV. Something just isn't right. While the couple is described as auditioning for a Bravo TV series, and Bravo goes out of their way to say that, there won't be final casting decision for "months". That just isn't how Reality TV works. First, a bit of history. (more...)

video Looking back over the last few days at the events surrounding Tareq and Michaele Salahi -- the Virginian couple who crashed last week's White House state dinner -- it's hard not to wonder whether we haven't just witnessed the invention of some brand new type of reality game show: extreme reality. Like extreme sports but with a reality game show twist. And boy did the Salahi's take it to the extreme (really, is there anything more extreme than infiltrating the White House and meeting President Obama?) Of course, in this case (much like its "extreme" Balloon Boy predecessor) who needs an actual contract with an actual television company (the Salahi's were apparently merely in talks with Bravo) when the cable newsers are so willing to take the bait and run with it. (more...)

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"This is no smile-and-say-cheese matter. Two rank amateurs breached what is supposed to be unbreachable security. Let there be no doubt about the consequences for the romp: Careers will be ruined. That's reality."

--The San Francisco Chronicle editorial board on the Salahi gate-crashing incident (more...)

video An uninvited couple crashed President Obama’s first White House state dinner Tuesday night breaking through layers of security. The couple, according to the Secret Service, are Tareq and Michaele Salahi, they are also reportedly being considered for Bravo's TV show "Real Housewives of D.C." The security breach is sure to be fodder for the late night talk shows, but raises some rather significant concerns over White House security detail. (more...)