REALITY TV SHOW IDEAS

I am a great fan of television, and I am open about that. People these days hide their televesion consumption like it was something to be ashamed of. Well, I am having none of it. I love TV, especially reality TV, and if I were in charge these are two reality shows that would be on.

So for your consideration, I'll put these out on the stoop and see if the cat licks 'em up. I'll run 'em up the pole and see if the wind takes 'em. Let me know what you think.

Reality Show Idea #1- "Election Year"

This show would launch to coincide with the next  major election year in 2016 with the final episode airing on the night of the election. A slate of candidates, selected by the casting department to display a broad spectrum of political philosophy, personality, racial background and such, would descend on a small rural town, perhaps somewhere in the Midwest, and would run for the town's highest office- Mayor. (It has to be Mayor! If the highest office is something other than mayor then by golly we'll change it because when you're the guy in charge of TV you can do anything you want! It has to be Mayor.) The good townspeople of Podunk, USA would agree to cooperate with the show and elect their next mayor from the candidates we selected in return for building them a new school or something. That would be the touchy-feely good part of the show. Occasionally we would bring them updates on progress at the school, and it would end up being one of the top facilities in their crappy little state.

The funny thing would be watching the various candidates trying to yuck it up with the locals and familiarize themselves with the peculiar personalities and political issues in that town. Of course, some of the candidates would inevitably be chosen by casting because of the interest it would generate to see them juxtaposed with the rather backward populace of Podunk, USA. I'll leave that to your imagination and the casting department. It's an unsavory side of the biz, but we would have to have some odd-couple candidates to make the show interesting and humorous.

Ultimately, the candidate who connects best with the townspeople and who most clearly articulates an understanding of local issues will most likely win. On election night, as the entire nation is riveted on the national presidential election, we would hold a special episode to recap the season and declare the winner. Of course, the next day most of the news would be about the presidential election, but all the major news outlets would have a brief segment on how the show brought in more viewers than the election night coverage and how that illustrates the increasingly fuzzy line between politics and showmanship and our society's further decline. Inevitably, comparisons would be drawn between the candidates and the contestants on the show. (Of course, casting intended that all along.) The winner of the race would win a cash sum as well as the paying gig of Mayor of Podunk.

Reality Show Idea #2- "THE CROSSING"

I envision "THE CROSSING" as kind of a marriage between National Geographic's Locked Up Abroad and Bear Grylls' Man vs. Wild. In the show contestants would attempt some of the world's most difficult and dangerous border crossings in exchange for huge cash pay offs. Of course, the show's producers would have greased the wheels and arranged the friendly cooperation of the  Government on the other side of the border to ensure that nothing life altering such as a lengthy jail sentence, would befall the contestants.

"Okay gentlemen, we're beginning this episode in northwestern India near the infamous Kashmir region. The first contestant to deliver this package of flour wrapped in duct tape to this address in Karachi, Pakistan wins!"

Oh, I would so be there!!!