Bling Empire

 I have been watching so much reality TV since COVID, so I was super excited to watch Bling Empire this week. My personal reasons for enjoying reality TV are varied, but I specifically enjoy the low stakes entertainment it offers. Characters are presented in a simple fashion--there are no discrepancies, because reality is fabricated. Whatever doesn't suit the storyline is erased, and characters are perfectly wrapped up for consumption that is easy to grasp. Extremes are important, in terms of drama and wealth. Personally, I enjoy these two aspects of reality TV because I enjoy watching things that don't pertain to my life (especially right now). I like thinking that many of my problems could be solved by living a lavish life, even though I wouldn't even want that much money because I'd feel guilty. But it's so easy to think about how much simpler life would be and simultaneously be angry at the reality TV characters for embodying that simplistic life, amplifying it with petty drama (which is of course played up for our entertainment).

Bling Empire was different than most of the shows I've been watching lately because there's no aspect of competition other than what's inherent in their lives (or added for the sake of entertainment). Drama and competition has to be added in through "everyday" occurrences, like shared necklaces and party favors. I completely understand why this was so frustrating for so many people in class, since there are so many larger problems in our own lives. I see why this type of show doesn't work for people, and personally, I would rather watch a reality show where there wasn't as much sickening wealth. But these characters are, I think, by default, meant to be unlikeable. Jean Chen Ho states that, "The desire for 'positive' character portrayals, too, is inherently antithetical to viewer expectations of a reality show--those whose main drive is to entertain". "The reality show format lowers the stakes of representation politics" because viewers do not expect, or perhaps desire "good" characters in a reality show. The people represented in Bling Empire aren't expected to uphold the ideals of the model minority myth, or be hardworking at all. This subversion is refreshing in the face of so many reality shows featuring white stars who represent this wealthy, vapid perspective.