We live in an age whereby Reality TV dominates our screens, magazines and social media. While some people are adamant not to succumb to the temptation of binge-watching Geordie Shore or Big Brother, others simply live for it. Here are eight signs that you’re addicted to Reality TV….
You live for tension and drama:
Although you hate to find yourself in the midst of arguments and dramatic situations in your own life, there is just something so entertaining about watching people you virtually do not know experience it on national television. Come on, who’s going to watch a house full of Big Brother contestants who get on like a house on fire and genuinely like each other? No thanks. You’d much rather see a load of Big Brother contestants fearfully arguing n a house that’s actually on fire. You live for the petty arguments and awkward situations between people. Let’s be real, a genuine spat between Kourtney and Khloe beats a scripted one in Orange Is The New Black any day.
You convince yourself being a full-time party goer is a legitimate and professional career choice:
Picture the scene: it’s a cold and wet winter morning and you’re sitting in your least favourite lecture at 9am with absolutely no clue what your professor is talking about at all. Then you suddenly remember the cast of Geordie Shore get paid to party in Magaluf. Where did it all go wrong? Is this degree really going to get you far in life? If Gaz and Scotty T can make a killing from going out all the time, then surely you can too. The only thing stopping you is you’re lack of regular access to a tanning bed and your last remaining shreds of human decency.
You feel like reality stars are your friends:
You follow their every move – well what you see on TV- and now you are 100% sure that you know your favourite reality stars personally and can imagine you all being the best of friends. There is just no doubt you and Kendall Jenner would be totally compatible after that Facebook quiz told you so.Having seen her multiple TV stints on Big Brother in both the UK and Canada, a night out with Nikki Grahame is on your bucket list, though you should probably save it for last as you probably wouldn’t survive the night. You watch these people go about their daily business all the time, you feel they would understand you and vice versa.
Your TV planner is full to the brim with all your favourite TV shows:
With such an extensive list of Reality TV shows for you to watch, your TV planner is chock a block with recordings of them all. While some people may think you’re ridiculous because of this, you actually believe that it has sharpened your mind and made you better at multi-tasking. If you could record Say Yes To The Dress at 9pm, you can watch Celebrity Masterchef now and STILL catch Love Island at 10 pm. Sorted. Oh, and sorry Dad all your recordings of Bargain Hunt have been cancelled for the rest of the week because there’s an Ex On The Beach marathon on MTV.
Fictional TV shows just don’t cut it for you anymore:
You grew up watching Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, but these days you haven’t got a notion what Game of Thrones is even about and “Netflix and chill” couldn’t sound less appealing to you. As you overhear your friends discuss Orange Is The New Black and your mother try to explain to you what’s happened on Corrie this week, you genuinely have no interest. If this storyline didn’t actually happen in real life, who cares? You have more interest in Gaz and Charlotte’s relationship drama than you do in Chuck and Blair’s.
You start using phrases from TV shows in everyday conversations:
This is a sure-fire way to know whether you’re addicted to Reality TV or not. You know it’s bad when you use one particular phrase and people look at you like you have about ten heads. Although you find it absolutely hilarious when someone complains over something slightly inconvenient and you respond with “Kim, there’s people that are dying”, don’t be so sure that everyone around you will understand the reference. Also, your friends have promised to stop hanging around with you if you say “Shut up!” like Amy Childs from TOWIE one more time.
You get a thrill from seeing people make a fool of themselves on national television:
Most people wince and cringe at the sight of an ill-prepared and tone deaf X Factor audition, but you consider it to be TV gold. In fact, watching Simon Cowell tell people they have no talent is your favourite way to spend a Saturday night. Even better when I’m A Celebrity is on straight after and you get to see celebrities eating questionable body parts of a kangaroo. Thank god it’s not you, eh?
You refuse to believe any of these reality shows are scripted:
“Mom, I’ve already told you a thousand times, this is real life. It’s a reality show!” is something you have to explain at least once a week. Magazines are plagued with articles about how TV shows such as Made In Chelsea aren’t actually reality at all, but this just doesn’t sit with you. You refuse to believe anything other than these are real stories happening to real people. Even though Lauren Conrad revealed that The Hills was scripted, you are firm in your beliefs that the infamous fake apology phone call from Spencer Pratt was completely legitimate. Sure why would you bother watching it if it wasn’t?
Michelle Townsend