Comments on: Competition reality shows

By: TStevens

TStevens — Sat, 10 May 2008 00:09:24 +0000

My wife and oldest son used to watch American Idol religiously and vote several times each week by phone.

Then we got Tivo. They still watch, but to late to vote anymore.

By: Darin H

Darin H — Thu, 08 May 2008 22:35:28 +0000

On the episode I was watching, I noticed one guy was really laying on the trash talking thick. And of course, he ends up losing.

I call it “reverse-shadowing” as in the opposite of foreshadowing. Survivor does this all the time. I said to my wife last week while we were watching that Amanda found the hidden immunity idol and would play it since they didn’t show her finding it and I was, of course, right

By: Tim J.

Tim J. — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:42:38 +0000

AI is the only phone-in reality competition show that I watch and I have never voted.

By: Susan M

Susan M — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:19:19 +0000

Do they play ads when you call in?

The UFC show actually has sponsors doing voiceovers in the show. “DirectTV, the number one choice for sports fans.”

By: Abby

Abby — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:12:43 +0000

I’ve never voted. Mainly because I’m skeptical of the system. I think it’s a gimmic utilized to try and increase ratings.

By: bythelbs

bythelbs — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:09:49 +0000

“But man, when the fighters start crying because they’ve lost or they have to go home because they’ve got herpes on their neck? That’s good TV.”

My two-year-old wants to know what’s so funny.

I’ve never voted—I prefer to just whine and complain when everyone else gets it all wrong.

By: cheryl

cheryl — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:24:33 +0000

P.S. I voted via phone.

By: cheryl

cheryl — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:24:09 +0000

I voted for Clay Aiken (yes, yes I did) in Season 2 of AI for the finale. I also voted for Jordin Sparks last year, but once again, only in the finale. I wouldn’t have voted for Jordin last year, but my husband decided to vote for Blake, and so I had to compete with him.

That’s it. I rarely vote.

As for determining who will win based on footage, I try really hard, every time on The Amazing Race to figure it out, and during some episodes, it’s easy. But the editors do a good job, and so sometimes it’s really hard to see who makes it in time until the last possible second.