Meta-Reality Shows

Perhaps it was just a natural course of events. Perhaps the Writer's Guild Strike helped it along. Perhaps it is the tipping point. But, Donald Trump has introduced Celebrity Apprentice, where "successful" celebrities compete to see who is the best in his eyes.

On the surface, it seems like a reasonable idea. Celebrities are businessmen after all and are in the business of making lots of money. Donald Trump himself has gained celebrity status simply by making lots of money. But the last time I checked, any true "celebrity" wouldn't be caught dead on a reality show, because they have an actual career going on. Reality shows are for washed up celebrities. Examples abound, but off the top of my head, see: Dancing with the "Stars", Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, or My Fair Brady.

I think what we are seeing here is the beginning of the rise of the meta-reality show. Not that we are close to running out of ideas for new reality show concepts, but still, what a great business decision in and of itself, to decide to make a reality show that gathers "celebrities" from other reality shows and makes them compete against each other. This new Apprentice includes, amongst others, Gene Simmons, who has his own reality show ...Family Jewels, and also Piers Morgan, an America's Got Talent judge. This is the next step in the evolution of reality television. Where people who are at this point in time only "famous" for being on some reality show, and now competing to see who is the most "famous" on some other reality show. It's like a best of the worst competition.

Now all we need is a meta-meta-reality show, where the same contestants are judged on how well they performed on the reality show where they were judged on how well they did in their previous reality show. Kind of a cross between Monday morning quarterbacking and an Apprentice reunion episode, I guess.

Reality truly is stranger than fiction.

P.S. It is worth noting, that this idea follows a British spoof of Apprentice. So not only does life imitate art, but also seriousness imitates humor. So really, this isn't an innovative American concept, but rather a lot like how America ripped off "The Office" to create it's own version. I bet the Brits are thinking, "Those Yanks don't get it. It was supposed to be funny." ... in both cases.