Makeover Reality Television, Class, and Society

1. Makeover Reality Television, Class, and Society Whitney Matt Visual Communications

2. This paper examines makeover reality television shows (RTV) and how they try to create an artificially created image, which must be achieved by any means; whether it be through style changes, weight loss, or plastic surgery. These shows try to normalize a very specific image, and try to influence society that this image, if attained, will make them successful and higher class. Abstract

3. Style Change • Weight Loss • Cosmetic Surgery • Together, style change, weight loss, and cosmetic surgery equal success in society/media’s eyes. • Main Goal is success: • The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted or the gaining of fame or prosperity. Three Concepts

4. These issues can be: • Sexuality • Drugs/alcohol • Weight • Looks • Etc. • RTV is seen as an acceptable outlet to discuss social issues that aren’t normally talked about in everyday society. • Viewers often perceive RTV as being “real” or “authentic” on some level, certainly more real than scripted drama. • The participants on RTV shows are often “people like me,” thus rendering their experiences more relevant to the viewer, who can identify with everyday people much more closely than characters played by actors in a drama. Miracle Workers Executive Producer Darryl Frank. • Both of these factors • perceived reality and a heightened sense of connection or identification with show participants • are known to increase the likelihood that viewers’ knowledge, attitudes, values and behavior will be influenced by exposure to the shows. Reality TV as an outlet

5. Style makeover shows are shows such as Queer Eye, What Not to Wear, and How Do I Look. • These shows use the attacking method. • It is seen to be okay to criticize and attack people for their bad choices in style on these shows. • Why? Because it is something you can EASILY change, something you have a choice on. • Style has always been a class marker in society throughout history, and still is today. Style

6. Weight loss shows are shows such as Dance Your Ass Off, Celebrity Fit Club, and The Biggest Loser. • These shows also use the attack method. • It is seen to be okay to criticize and attack people for their weight on these type of shows. • Why? Because it is something you can EASILY change, something you have a choice on. • Being overweight is not acceptable in society. Weight Loss

7. Cosmetic surgery RTV shows are shows such as Dr. 90210, The Swan, and I Want A Famous Face. • Cosmetic surgery shows use an entirely different approach, the enticing method; using persuasion and seduction to lure the participant into cosmetic surgery. • The experts on these shows make it seem like the change is YOUR idea, what YOU want, and what will make YOU happier with yourself. • It is not seen as okay to criticize people when it comes to cosmetic surgery. • Cosmetic surgery is also seen as a class marker. Cosmetic Surgery

8. Background: The aim of this study was to survey first-time patients seeking cosmetic surgery and examine what role RTV played in their perception of the risks and benefits of surgery and their overall decision-making process. • Methods: Information on demographics, RTV viewing patterns, and patients' self-assessed plastic surgery knowledge was collected from 42 patients. They were asked how similar they believed the shows were to real life and what degree of influence the shows had on their decision to pursue cosmetic surgery. Patients were then divided into groups by program viewing intensity. • Results: Fifty-seven percent of patients were “high-intensity” viewers of plastic surgery RTV shows. When compared with low-intensity viewers, high-intensity viewers believed themselves to be more knowledgeable about plastic surgery and believed the shows were more similar to real life. Overall, four of five patients reported that RTV influenced them to pursue a cosmetic surgery procedure, with nearly one-third feeling “very much” or “moderately” influenced. • Conclusions: Plastic surgery RTV plays a significant role in cosmetic surgery patient perceptions and decision making. Patients who regularly watched one or more reality television show reported a greater influence from television and media to pursue cosmetic surgery, felt more knowledgeable about cosmetic surgery in general, and felt that plastic surgery RTV was more similar to real life than did low-intensity viewers. Study 1

9. Society has certain standards to which you should always attain, no matter what it takes to achieve these looks and “status.” (i.e. style changes, weight loss, or cosmetic surgery) • If you do not meet these standards people will not see you as successful and will look down upon you and assume you are unsuccessful and lower class. • Reality television is used as an outlet to discuss and bring attention to the issues that no one really feels okay openly talking about, such as bad style, need of weight loss, and need of cosmetic surgery. Implications

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