Back in 1999, Fox green-lit a reality series called “Who Wants to Marry A Multi-Millionaire?”, where women fought for a ring and a bottomless bank account. Darva Conger won the competition, but it wasn’t long before news surfaced of millionaire Rick Rockwell’s violent past. Nine years earlier, his former fiance had filed a restraining order against him, claiming he hit her, vandalized her car, and even threatened to kill her. Rockwell and Conger were divorced shortly thereafter. [1]

Reality “stars” with criminal records are nothing new.

• Saaphyri Windsor (a.k.a. Wanda Scott) made appearances on 16 shows before authorities took notice. The former Flavor of Love contestant was a fugitive under suspicion of identity theft and grand larceny. She was then arrested, but ditched her court date and went on the run again. [2]
• Real Housewife of New Jersey Danielle Staub was arrested in 1986 for extortion, kidnapping and drug possession. The news broke after Staub’s ex-husband wrote the book “Cop Without a Badge”, which outlined her past in detail. [3]
• Shandi Sullivan, of America’s Next Top Model fame, was charged in 2001 with burglarizing a Kansas City candy store. [4]
• Andre Birleneau, Russian hothead from America’s Most Smartest Model, was charged with sexual misconduct and aggravated harassment. [5]
• Janelle Pierzina, a member of Big Brother 6, pled guilty to shoplifting and driving under the influence. [6]
• American Idol finalist Bo Bice was arrested for possession of marijuana and cocaine in 2005. [7]
• Real World Austin cast member Nehemiah Clark was arrested for assaulting an attendant at a Best Wurst hotdog stand. [8]
• Scott Soval was arrested in 2001 after appearing on American Idol, for domestic violence. [9]
• Paola Perales, one of The Girls of Hedsor Hall, has a record for repeated assault in bar brawls. [10]
• Former Making the Band with P. Diddy contestant Sara Stokes‘ bloody mugshot emerged two weeks ago, after she stabbed her husband. [11]

A few weeks ago, history repeated itself again, when VH1’s “Megan Wants a Millionaire” found itself tied to a murder-suicide. Contestant Ryan Jenkins was rejected by self-proclaimed gold digger Megan Hauserman on the show, and shortly thereafter married former model Jasmine Fiore. Two months later, the marriage was annulled, and within days Fiore went missing. After her mangled body was found stuffed in a suitcase in Southern California on August 15, Jenkins was named the primary suspect. He fled to Canada, but before he could be caught, he hung himself. VH1 immediately stopped airing the show, and pulled the plug on the new season of I Love Money, in which Jenkins was also cast. [12]

Reality-based TV, unlike scripted shows, thrives on unstable and unpredictable personalities. So the question is not if, but when, these people will act out irrationally or put others in danger.

Jason Cornwell, a former cast member of The Real World Boston, now works as a Real World casting director and Road Rules writer. According to him, deviant behavior has to be rewarded with media coverage, because that’s what makes the most money. “If you wanted to sit around all day and read a book, you could,” Cornwell says. “But you’re not going to get on TV doing that.” Producers are willing to take risk in the name of ratings. [13]

So, in spite of everything, raunchy reality shows are still in high demand. Let’s just hope they get a bit more thorough in their background checks from now on.

Sources:

[1] “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” (Andrew Gumbel) The Independent, UK. February 23, 2000
[2] “Saaphyri From Charm School Was a Criminal Fugitive?” Dallas Black News Online. February 14, 2009
[3] “How Danielle Staub Became Scandalous ‘Wife’” (Robert Rorke) New York Post. June 7, 2009
[4] “Fine and Shandi”  (Gary Susman) Entertainment Weekly Online. February 12, 2004
[5] “Reality Hunk in Sex Bust” (Jamie Schram) New York Post. October 26, 2007
[6] “Janelle Pled Guilty for DWI and Petty Theft” (Andy Dehnart) Reality Blurred. July 21, 2005
[7] “‘Idol’ Singer Bo Bice Has Drug Rap Sheet, Court Papers Show” (Corey Moss) MTV News. April 28, 2005
[8] “‘Real World’ Rap Sheet” (Kevin Brass) The Austin Chronicle. September 2, 2005
[9] “‘American Idol’s Scott Soval Domestic Violence Rap Sheet” (Michael Prieve) The Recapist. April 3, 2005
[10] “Paola Perales – The Girls of Hedsor Hall” Pop Tower
[11] “Mugshot Mania – Making the Band Alumni Stabs Hubby”  Show Hype. August 11, 2009
[12] “Slain Model’s Missing Car Found in West Hollywood” (Raquel Maria Dillon) The Associated Press. August 26, 2009
[13] “The Spin on ‘The Real World’” (Paul Farhi) Washington Post Online. November 4, 1999

Not since the coverage of JonBenet Ramsey in 1996, have we seen so much media attention paid to child beauty pageants. Only this time, it’s for a profit. Reality TV, documentaries and talk shows have all capitalized on the subculture, especially recently.

Baby Beauty Queens (BBC)

This feature-length documentary, created by the BBC and People Documentaries, looks at contestants with a greater depth than most reality shows.
To stream the full film for free on YouTube, see Parts [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] and [6].

Toddlers & Tiaras (TLC)

“Toddlers & Tiaras” shows how pageantry can breed conflict and resentment between mothers, daughters, and sisters. (Each featured clip is under 1:30)

Mother/daughter pageants seem less about bonding and more about beating down the competition.

With mom picking favorites, AshLynn fades into the background, while BreAnne can barely fit her head through the door. It’s a good thing pageantry pays well; they’ll need it for therapy in a few years.

Megan has no problem telling America where her priorities are.

Conor Knighton from Current InfoMania recaps more pageant show highlights, in his segment “Itsy Bitsy Beauty Queens.”

With all the talk about sexism in comics and the struggle for female characters to exist beyond their triple F cup bras, we’ve decided to highlight some of the more well-rounded (so to speak) comics and graphic novels out there.

These create strong characters of both genders, satirize contemporary stereotypes, and often give heroines a more natural and realistic appearance.

10. BIRDS OF PREY

The Oracle and her group of super-heroines fight crime in Gotham City, Metropolis, and later California. While some of them can’t shake the DC Comics sexpot syndrome, they are nevertheless all individuals with varying interests, strengths and weaknesses. This action-packed, estrogen-charged series ran for 10 years, from 1999 until February of this year. [1]

9. NINA’S ADVENTURES

Poking fun at gender stereotypes, creator Nina Paley describes her weekly strip as “semi-autobiographical” and “often experimental.” [2] She supports creative commons and posts all of her work online for free. (See Official Site Here)

8. NAUGHTY BITS

Forty issues spanning 13 years (1991-2004) follow Bitchy, a wild (though terribly named) anti-hero, neither sweet nor sexy. She is among the few leading women in comics permitted to be crass and rude, not to mention recklessly promiscuous, racist and homophobic – a compelling character you love to hate.[3]

7. LOVE & ROCKETS

Created by brothers Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, Love and Rockets ran from 1982-1996, and resumed publication in 2001. It addresses cultural and racial tensions through a cast of “ladies with strength, intelligence, independence, bitchiness, frailty, obsessiveness; in short, human qualities.” [4]

6. BATWOMAN

Originally introduced in 1956, Batwoman (a.k.a. Kate “Kathy” Kane) didn’t last long in the pages of DC Comics. She only made a few chance appearances between 1964 and 2006 (left). But now, after many years in the cave, she has finally reappeared (right).

She is described as “a lesbian socialite by night, and a crime-fighter by later in the night.”
Writer Greg Rucka said in a recent interview, “[Her sexual preference] is an element of her character. It is not her character. If people are going to have problems with it, that’s their issue. That’s certainly not mine.” [5]

5. PREACHER

Preacher Jesse Custer is possessed by a supernatural creature, Genesis, both an angel and a demon. On a quest to literally find God, who abandoned Heaven, he is joined by ex-girlfriend Tulip O’Hare. They are solid characters with a propensity for both strength and vulnerability. Tulip is shaped with an extensive backstory – and an equally extensive backbone. She is woman enough to take charge when she needs to, and Custer is man enough to shed tears once in a while. [6] [7]

4. Y: THE LAST MAN

A terrible plague has wiped off all the Y chromosomes in the planet. Ultra-feminist Daughters of the Amazon believe it was an act by Mother Earth to cleanse itself of men. The only problem is, life as they now know it is doomed. Yorick Brown is the sole male survivor, with his pet monkey, Ampersand. [8]

Perhaps this was a response to many feminists’ violent anti-male agendas, typically masquerading as the quest for equality. The women in this comic are strong and opinionated, but flawed – just as the men…were. This well-written, bold commentary on gender issues raises a lot of questions, and hopefully prompts some self reflection in the midst of entertainment.

NOTE: While the comic series ended in 2008, a film version is currently in development. [9]

3. PROMETHEA

Young Sophie is embodied by Promethea, a hybrid Egyptian/Greek spirit, whose intellect and raw power force Sophie to overcome weakness and naivety. With the evil mystic group The Temple on a hunt to exterminate Promethea, Sophie must learn quickly how to fend off her enemies. The action sequences, compounded with philosophical overtones, make for a very exciting and intellectually stimulating story. [10]

2. ALIAS

Former superhero Jewel (a.k.a. Jessica Jones) leaves her life of heroics to become a detective for Alias Private Investigations. Her past is layered, her character complex, and Marvel fans give her high ratings for strength, intelligence, and durability. [11]

1. IT AIN’T ME, BABE

” ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’ was the very very first ever in the world all-women’s comic. … It lasted only one issue, but it united the growing sub-culture of female underground cartoonists.” -Critic Arie Kaplan [12]

CLOSE, BUT NOT QUITE:
WONDER WOMAN

On the surface, Wonder Woman seems like the embodiment of feminine strength and sex appeal. But if you delve into the history of this comic’s snide and sexist remarks against women, it all starts to feel like one giant back-handed compliment. Not to mention the fact that she’s become a sexual object just like the rest of them, epitomized with the 2008 Playboy Wonder Woman cover.

CLOSE, BUT NOT QUITE:
HOTHEAD PAISAN

Armed and angry, Hothead Paisan is known as the “homicidal lesbian terrorist” with an “absurdist take on the sexist consumer culture which surrounds her. She sees the world through a misfit’s eyes and is simultaneously damaged and enraged by it.” [13] This comic might have made the list if it wasn’t so rigorously anti-male. While we support creating strong and witty female characters, it shouldn’t be at the expense of men. You can’t fight sexism with sexism.

Sources:

[1] “Birds of Prey” Birdwatching, CanaryNoir.com

[2] Nina’s Adventures – Nina Paley Biography 2005

[3] “Naughty Bits” Review (Anne Thalheimer) PopMatters.com

[4] “Love & Rockets / Artist Bio: The Hernandez Brothers”. Fantagraphic Books Online

[5] “Batwoman, The Red-Headed Lesbian, is Unleashed At Last” (Guy Adams) The Independent Online, Los Angeles. February 11, 2009

[6] Tulip O’Hare: Character Profile, ComixFan.com

[7] Preacher: Comic Profile, ComicVine.com

[8] “Y: The Last Man” (John Hogan) Graphic Novel Reporter Online. January, 2009

[9] “Y: The Last Man Draft Screenplay – The Script That Got Brian K Vaughan the Gig on ‘Lost’” (Rich Johnston) BleedingCool.com. June 30,2009

[10] “Promethea: Book One” (Andrew Gilstrap) PopMatters.com

[11] “Jessica Jones.” Marvel Universe: The Official Marvel Wiki

[12] Kaplan, Arie. Masters of the Comic Book Universe Revealed! Chicago Review Press, 2006 (p.85)

[13] “Hothead Paisan: Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist” (Todd Morman) StayFreeMagazine.org