As far as reality TV goes you can forget about it going away. Many, including myself, have long hoped to see the demise of Rap/Hip-Hop. It has not had any originality since the early days and is now little more than sampling of old songs with spoken word mixed in and yet it dominates the sales charts and radio airplay. I would say that reality TV is the same way, with the best still being the original (Cops) and yet the reality tripe they push out these days still gets ratings. I put Hip-Hop, Reality TV and Windows PCs all into the same category of proof that the masses are generally sheople willing to be led wherever their friends, co-workers and advertisers lead them.

Survivor and Big Brother are sadly, still going strong!

I do have a couple of guilty pleasures when it comes to reality shows though: The Biggest Loser (I love seeing people turn their lives/health around) and The Mole (it’s a great whodunit).

Vic

For some, The Office rocks. For others, Earl rocks. And then for the mutant many, reality programming does.

You know what The Office reminds me of? Seinfeld, but at work. That’s why I think it’s so popular. Similar emotional atmosphere. But that’s just me twisted take on life.

We all have our favs.

*arrggghhh##

I got it that you made up the Superman one. But I do wonder how long before we see that sort of placements for brand new items on our favorite commercials, uh shows, I mean shows.

Isn’t this The sort of thing that used to be done in the early early years of television? I Don’t remember, I’m not quite that old. Or maybe I am and I just can’t remember any more.

On the other hand, it being Earl, I laughed as well because I detected a sense of sarcasm in that scene. I’m pretty sure that the sponsor’s didn’t demand that Joy say “OMG! It’s that necklace from Kay Jewelers that Jane Seymore sells!” I’m paraphrasing but you get the idea. It seemed more of “I can’t believe the network’s making me write this in but I’ll get even somehow.”

Still, I think that The Day the Earth Stood Still is the champion of horrifyingly unsubtle product placement. I SO hated McDonald’s at that moment. Well, all 10 or 15 or them. I think we went to Arby’s after the movie.

It is sometimes hard to watch TV. It takes an active effort to NOT see these things and enjoy what you’ve tuned into.

Just to be clear, and maybe I’m reading it wrong, but I made up the Superman example.

AM I being too dense? Maybe you shouldn’t answer that. Hmm.

It never occurred to me that these might also be paid product placements. Does this mean that these companies have a sense of humor?

What puts me off a product is when the placement is so blatant that, like you, my groaning drowns out the show I’m watching. I’ll even leave the room when they’re as bad as the ‘Superman’ and ‘Earl’ examples you used. The laptop one makes me smile since it’s clever and subtle. I suppose if the product wasn’t already well known that low key style of placement couldn’t work.

Great article Bruce, but now I’m going to be even more cynical of the things I see in my favorite shows. Gee, thanks Bruce.

tap tap tap, thump, tap tap,…

IT says Steeples…

All joking aside, thank you for the edit/fix Roxanne. I looked it up, I saw it but my fingers went somewhere else. Getting old can suck.

If you see the lit Apple symbol on the back of a computer, that was paid for.

If you see the Nike swirl in a scene, that was paid for.

Etc., etc.. My bud who was one of only a few companies that did product placement for the industry really burst my bubble when she told me a bunch of insider tales.

I didn’t see the product placement on Earl as a parody probably because I was groaning to loudly the moment I started hearing it. I could have been a parody… a paid for parody!

Thanks for visiting Ross.