Reality TV has become a mainstay of popular culture since the 1990’s with shows like Big Brother, and the numerous looks at day to day jobs in places like hotels and airports, and it’s a format which has continued to endure and evolve over the years. Whereas back then if any scandal broke about the people who appeared in such shows would be limited to being covered in newspapers, magazines, and entertainment shows, today it’s likely to flood your feeds through social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and X.
But why are people interested in such scandals in the first place? According to CyberGhost, a lot of it has to do with the fact that as part of human nature, being exposed to other people’s problems make us feel like maybe ours aren’t so bad after all – especially when those people are beautiful, rich, and famous. What’s more interesting about people’s interest in reality TV scandals, is that those who have read all the juicy details often don’t have the same interest in whatever reality TV show those involved are originally from.
When such scandals make the news and start appearing in the likes of NBC, The New York Time, and The Independents entertainment sections alongside stories of A-list celebrities, people find themselves unconsciously being exposed to reality TV and becoming invested in the outcome. Someone who may never have heard or shown any interest in such shows as Vanderpump Rules, or Keeping Up with the Kardashians, may now find themselves actively seeking them out in order to get to know those involved and further their own opinions on the matter.
Indeed while such scandals may seem trivial at first, both to those involved and to the general public, if anything the echo chamber of social media and constant flow of live feeds today’s world comes with has proven different. No faux pas or misdemeanour is too small to avoid a content creators need for new content, and as a result such incidents become a part of popular culture that it’s impossible not to be aware of.
One such example was the infamous Scandoval Scandal that stemmed from the Vanderpump Rules show. The drama centers around former longtime couple and staff members Ariana Madax and Tom Sandoval. Madax repeatedly defended Sandoval and friend, Raquel Leviss, when accusations of them having an affair surfaced. Just by chance in March of 2023, Madax noticed Sandoval dropped his phone at one of his concerts, after picking it up she opened the phone and found proof of the affair. Thus Scandoval (scandal + Sandoval) was born.
At the end of the day such scandals serve as a reminder that everyone is human, and by seeing these people in such elevated positions featuring on reality TV also show that they’re capable of messing up like everyone else, it can also act to make them more relatable to the people watching. One thing for sure is that, for the moment, reality TV is here to stay.
