“Fly on the Wall” also called, docusoap, this resembles a soap opera as the viewers and cameramen simply observe people in their daily lives.

Hidden Cameras
Situations are setup to catch anyone who comes across them. The reaction of the person is caught on tape while going through the staged situation; after the person is told that they are on camera and it’s just a practical joke.

Reality Game Shows
Participants of these games are filmed while competing for a prize. The audience is often allowed to vote people off the show. The viewers have a hand in controlling the outcome.

If you tuned in for “Real World” or “Road Rules” season 1, there was an element of reality. The cast resembled common people (not everyone was beautiful or trendy), there were people from different backgrounds, and cast members were trying to make a living for themselves. Fast forward a few seasons and the cast members are given jobs where they must work together. A letter arrives in the mail saying, “Pack your bags, you’re going to Africa” (all expenses paid) or something to that effect. The mayhem, the nakedness, catfights, and infidelity keep viewers coming back season after season to see what boundaries will be pushed.

While diversity is still an aspect of reality TV, it is more deliberate. There is the token black, homosexual, cry-baby, privileged, under privileged with a chip on his or her shoulder cast member. The editing of each episode, and the fact that 6 months of tape is made into a 22 half-hour episodes of footage puts a twist on the shows that cast members often report as a misrepresentation of reality. During “The Apprentice” you see a boardroom meeting, followed by the dismissed person going home in a cab. That person actually had belongings in the suite which were gathered the following day. Those exits we see where firees are getting into taxis was taped before the finale, so each contestant had to do it, even winner Bill Rancic.

Things are never as they seem. Doesn’t it strike you as odd that five guys could turn a fashion victim with a crappy apartment into Casanova? Well that’s because although it appears to be one day, it’s actually three. The remodeling and styling takes a little prep time.

Secrets aside, and I’m sure there are many, many more for each reality show, the truth is that people are entertained by it. We just can’t get enough of “Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica” (staged situations and all) or the “Simple Life” which is evident by the decisions to bring them back for yet another season. We are suckers for money, instant fame and guilty pleasures. These people do and say things that most of us wouldn’t, but maybe a part of us wishes we could.

Maybe watching people go under the knife, have their stomach stapled, and come out gleaming is a way to motivate ourselves to workout, eat healthy, and look good, or make a decision about getting plastic surgery. Either way, reality TV is taking over the media.