Who ARE these people?

It's not like I don't watch plenty o' junk on TV.  I recently waded through all nine episodes of Love Story, which (controversially) "chronicled" the relationship between JFK, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Yes, it was ridiculous and perhaps only lightly tethered to the truth - among other things, actress Darryl Hannah was portrayed as a crazy coked-out hag, a depiction which she refuted in a NY Times piece she authored. Yes, the series was ridiculous, but I was there for it. If nothing else, it was worth it to watch the almost preternaturally good-looking actor who portrayed JFK, Jr. 

And I much enjoy high-toned gossipy trash like The Crown, which I ate up with a ladle 

But I'm not a big fan of reality TV.

Yes, a billion years ago, I watched the first season of Survivor. And the first season of The Great Race. I watched Joe Millionaire, where a troup of women vied for the attention of a man they were lead to believe was a wealthy heir. The "plot" revolved around Joe Millionaire trying to figure out which of the lovelies loved him for himself, not his money. 

I'm pretty sure I watched season one of The Bachelorette, because I knew that Trista, the cute blonde, ended up marrying Ryan, the hunky firefighter. (Amazingly still together after 20 years.)

And, yes, I do watch plenty of HG-TV (which is all about acquiring or renovating homes), which is probably as heavily scripted as any reality show. But I really like looking at the real estate in places I'll never live. And the houses and the neighborhoods are real. So there.

But, other than (maybe) viewing an odd (okay, they're all odd) episode here or there, I've taken a pass on shows like the Real World, Jersey Shore, and all the various Real Housewives branches. I've never watched the Kardashians, but understand that brigade has taken "famous for being famous" to new monetary heights. Etc.

But it's impossible to live in our culture - or at least live in our culture and pick up People magazine on occasion, or sneak a once in a blue moon look at the NY Post's Page Six - and not know who the reality stars du jour are. So of course I was aware of the existence of Snooki and The Situation made household name-ish by The Jersey Shore when that was thing.

All that said, I'm apparently not up to speed on reality TV, because, until a month or so ago, I'd never heard of Taylor Frankie Paul, or The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (not to be confused withe Real Housewives of Salt Lake City). And I wasn't aware that The Bachelorette, which last I'd seen when Trista and Ryan were getting together in 2003, was still a thing. 

Ms. Paul, who began her public life through a TikTok group she founded called MomTok, on which a group of Mormon moms (Mormoms?) - influencers, but I'm not sure what exactly they influenced - shared parenting stories, beauty tips, and dance trends. Soon enough, the content ante was upped to include sex, in the form of something called soft swinging.  The Mormoms went viral, and ended up doing a TV show, Secret Lives, which premiered last year.  

Meanwhile, The Bachelorette franchise decided to try to revive their lackluster series by bringing on MomTok-er, Secret-Liver Taylor Frankie Paul to act as the lead Bachelorette, even though she was a divorced mother with two kids by her husband, and a third child with another man. 

An upcoming season of “The Bachelorette” was pulled on Thursday, a spokesperson for Disney said, after a video of its star attacking the father of one of her children was leaked.

Disney’s ABC, which broadcasts “The Bachelorette,” had appeared to be committed to continuing its plans to air the show [even after rumors of Paul's involvement in episodes of domestic violence began to emerge]. But on Thursday, TMZ published leaked footage of a physical altercation from 2023 in which Ms. Paul is shown putting her partner in a headlock and throwing metal chairs at him.

“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time,” the Disney spokesperson said in a statement, “and our focus is on supporting the family.” (Source: NY Times)

Paul has since lost custody of the son she had with the man she threw the chairs at. And the future of Secret Lives is also in jeopardy. 

Paul claims the domestic violence charges are not what they seem, and has been open about some mental health issues she is dealing with. (The good news for her is that last week it was announced that the latest Utah charges have been dropped.) She's only 31, a single mom with three kids, and no discernible abilities, other than the ability to achieve notoriety. I feel kind of bad for her. Sure, she has her chutzpah to fall back on, but there doesn't seem to be much else. 

But just who are these people - folks who don't appear to have much to offer by way of intelligence, accomplishment, or talent - who are willing to make a show of themselves and their families in return for admittedly lucrative brand deals with whatever it is that they influence/endorse. In order to gain fame (and brand deals), these reality stars need to expose intimate aspects of their lives and pump up the drama with real or fake or real fake controversies.

Everyone doesn't have to be Chef José Andrés, who runs the World Central Kitchen, which feeds communities in crisis. But jeez louise-ela, can't these folks figure out how to do something just a bit more enobling, or at least more routine, with their lives? Or is the desire for fame and fortune - however fleeting - so overwhelming that they'll chuck their privacy and their dignity (and that of their families) out the window to attain it?

As far as I can tell, most reality "stars" seem to have a couple of singular attributes: the desire for fame (however tawdry) and absolute shamelessness. And they get away with it because there's a colossal appetite for "entertainment" that isn't based on talent (athletic, artistic, or whatever), but, rather, revolves around observing performers devoid of any worthwhile abilities or character traits. Maybe it's the hope that they provide. You don't have to be an elite anything to "make it." You, too, can be plucked from obscurity and made famous.

Doesn't seem worth it to me, but what do I know? I have a hunch this is one of those NINA deals. (No Introverts Need Apply.)