What is Reality TV?

I started out trying to categorize all the different sorts of reality programs, but then I found myself trying to determine the definition of reality tv. Do game shows count? Are sporting events reality tv?

It got me off on a tangent, which included wondering what the first reality show was. Game shows have always been real in a way. Ordinary people, often with celebrity assistance. Once in a while, a contestant is so successful, he or she becomes a celebrity. Recently, we saw Ken Jennings rise to fame with his success on "Jeopardy". Back in 1969, on the original version of "Jeopardy", Jay Wolpert earned similar renown and went on to work in the game show business, including working on "The Price is Right" as a producer and creating "Double Dare".

Game shows have fostered romance, as well. Most famously, the meeting and marriage of Betty White and "Password" host Allen Ludden. And celebrity couples have exposed their relationships as early as the early 70s with "Tattletales".

What about makeover shows? Let's look back at "Queen for a Day" that ran for 8 years beginning in 1956. Well, it wasn't really a makeover program, but the guests told their stories and the audience voted on which of the contestant would win her wish. Usually, it was an appliance of some sort.

Starting back in the 50s, we had two shows that are grandparents of things like "Fear Factor" and "Dog Eat Dog". One was "Truth or Consequences", hosted for many years by Bob Barker" and "Beat the Clock".

Yes, I'm old enough to remember all these shows. There was also a show I really liked where professional athletes competed in various sporting events, but I can't for the life of me remember it. So, it isn't that reality shows are new. It's there there are so very many now. I can't keep up with them all, and probably wouldn't want to. What I realize, though, is that I have always been a fan of reality tv.