Obsession with appearance hollows out many women on Reality TV. According to a Media Ethics Online investigation of reality television producers, the goal during production is to wrangle attractive people who will “create entertaining stories,” because health and normalcy are ratings killers.

The premiere of ABC’s 2003 series “Are You Hot?“ was the network’s highest rated debut in 9 years, since “My So Called Life” in 1994.

The unabashedly superficial series was cancelled after just one season. The chairman of ABC’s entertainment division told Reuters the show was dropped because “ultimately … it was in bad taste.”

What he didn’t say was that Howard Stern was suing ABC, claiming the show was “a blatant rip-off” of a segment on Stern’s radio show called “The Evaluators”, in which contestants are judged on whether they are “hot” enough to appear in Playboy or Penthouse. ABC was legally required to pull the program due to pending litigation, but they naturally chose a more image-friendly justification for doing so.

The three-season nightmare that was “Extreme Makeover” featured incorrigibly desperate people pleading with ABC to give them a plastic surgery overhaul. From 2003- 2005, the network treated 91 patients, and gave them an average of seven plastic surgeries per person.

Dr. Jon Perlman became one of the show’s resident plastic surgeons, and was often criticized for performing hyper-critical and unnecessary diagnoses on the patients. In 2007, two years after the show was cancelled, he conceded to these accusations. He said “participants could benefit from experts in hair, makeup, styling and fashion” and usually didn’t need the “dramatic changes” through plastic surgery.

In 2004, Fox and Freemantle Productions teamed up to create “The Swan”, a reality competition in which self-proclaimed “ugly ducklings” vied for the chance to be made virtually unrecognizable. The girl with the greatest apparent transformation, through plastic surgery and a stylist makeover, would win the title of “The Swan”.

Executive Producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz defended the series from its many critics, saying “This is a positive show where we want to see how these women can make their dreams come true once they have what they want.” The reason why it promoted physical change to achieve happiness – rather than emotional, mental or otherwise – was not something she was willing to elaborate on.

Spring 2009 brought a controversial reality show to FX in the United Kingdom: “Pimp Up My Wife”. Here, husbands compete for the chance to get their wives plastic surgery. Some of the women seem pleased, others are unpleasantly surprised by a camera crew at the door. Of course, the show producers are quick to say, “it is a voluntary program, and the wives are free to refuse our offer.” So can they also refuse the public humiliation that comes with it?

According to the London PR Newswire,

“Pimp Up My Wife” has been created following FX Channel market research, indicating:
– before marriage, 20% wished their other half was better looking
- 52% of married men find their wives less attractive after five years of marriage
- 81% of married women are unhappy with their current body image
- 49% of women would consider a tummy tuck if they could afford it
- 59% of married men have considered cheating on their wives for  younger, sexier woman
- 3 in 10 men admitted to thinking of someone else in the bedroom

Advertised by producer Ashton Kutcher as “the ultimate social experiment,” “Beauty and the Geek” pairs “hot” ditzes with awkward “geeks” in an attempt to make the hotties smarter and the nerds sexier.

The shameless stereotypes rule out any possibility of someone being attractive and intelligent, or being attractive because they’re intelligent.

Production on the 13th season of “America’s Next Top Model” began in Spring 2009. While the photo shoots can be creative, and the judges insist the show goes more than just “skin deep”, the CW has a hard time convincing critics that ANTM is harmless. After all, it advises the contestants to be hyper-critical of their already waif-like physiques, and if they waver in the competition, they need to “spend more time in the mirror”.

Of course, some say any show rooted in the modeling world is inherently superficial. Executive Producer Tyra Banks urges critics to blame the fashion industry, not her TV show. With one glance at the number of model-hopefuls in line, ANTM’s impact is undeniable.

What she doesn’t address, however, is the fact that she repeatedly contradicts herself. Her passionate rants about promoting self acceptance and being angry with the modeling industry stand in blatant contrast to the unhealthy and degrading stereotypes cycling through her very own modeling show. How can Tyra hang girls’ dreams on the very industry you admit is hurting them?

The Spring 2009 ANTM casting call in Manhattan broke out into a frenzied stampede when a prankster yelled “There’s a bomb!”

The success of ANTM has spawned a host of copycat modeling shows. Bravo wrangled Tyson Beckford and Nikki Taylor (later replaced by model Nicole Trunfio) to host what’s generally referred to as the “bastardized ANTM”.

In “Make Me A Supermodel”, you’ll find much more emphasis on sex, especially since male and female models are competing. You’ll also find less emphasis on creativity, and no concern for harvesting emotional honesty on camera. This show actually makes “America’s Next Top Model” seem mature and profound, which is a frightening reality for us all.

E!’s “The Soup” host Joel McHale mocks the ridiculous and empty sexual nature of “Make Me A Supermodel”.

VH1 lowered the bar even further with their own reality model competition. Cheap, gimmicky exploitation has defined the network of late, and “America’s Most Smartest Model” is a prime example. The premise is rather basic: cast uneducated and delusional model-wannabes, ask them difficult questions, then laugh at their expense. Thanks VH1, for always keeping things classy.

TV Land’s modeling competition “She’s Got The Look” features women over 35 who want to prove they’re still attractive. The show focuses primarily on projecting a youthful appearance, and rarely highlights their many other beautiful traits. But then again, who cares about being an accomplished CEO or a healthy mother of five, when you can look cute in a two-piece?

Janice Dickinson, in all her desperate attempts to brand herself as “the world’s first supermodel”, is primarily known for crude language and an angry demeanour, above all else. After she was booted from the “America’s Next Top Model” judging panel, she decided to create her own modeling series on Oxygen, simply named “Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency”.

On the show, she lives with the models, monitors what they eat, who they sleep with, what they buy, how they exercise, and then strictly inspects each individual model’s body before a photo shoot.

A behind-the-scenes example of how money and sexism dominate advertising today.

Article Sources:

“ABC Says ‘Are You Hot?’ Was In Bad Taste” Wade Paulsen (Reality TV World Online) July 15, 2003

“America’s Next Top Model” Official Website

“Beauty & The Geek” Official Website

“Fox Seeks Female ‘Ugly Ducklings’…” Steve Rogers (Reality TV World Online) October 10, 2003

“Howard Stern Sues ABC’s ‘Are You Hot?’ For Copying” Wade Paulsen (Reality TV World Online) March 15, 2003

Janice Dickinson’s Blog (Oxygen Network / “Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency”) October 21, 2008

“Make Me A Supermodel” Official Website

“Naughty and Fleiss: ‘Are You Hot?’ Producer Addresses His Critics” Allison Hope Weiner (Entertainment Weekly Online) February 2003

“Participants of Extreme Makeover” (iEnhance Online)

“Pimp Up My Wife” FX UK Official Website

“Premiere of ABC’s ‘Are You Hot?’ Draws 10mil+ Viewers” Steve Rogers (Reality TV World Online) February 14, 2003

“Talking with an Extreme Makeover Team Member” (iEnhance Online)

“The Ethics of Reality TV Producers” Richard Crew (Media Ethics Online) July 1, 2007

“The Spin on ‘Real World’” Paul Farhi (Washington Post) Novemb 1999 er 4,; page C01

“She’s Got The Look” Official Website