"Gilligan's Island" and the seductive call of reality TV

Yesterday afternoon, I got a phone call in my office from a very cheerful man named Craig, representing an outfit called "Next Entertainment". Craig is in charge of casting the latest reality show -- a new version of Gilligan's Island. Yes, there is a website for prospective competitors. The idea is to find authentic versions of the characters from the original 1960s TV show; they want a "real-life skipper, first mate, millionaire couple, movie star, professor and Kansas farm girl" for what will be a "Survivor-style" show set on a small island in the Pacific. Well, Craig has apparently been put in charge of hunting down "real" Los Angeles-area college professors, and he found me through Rate my Professors and this blog. He urged me to come in to his company's Sherman Oaks offices for a video interview.

I'll confess it: I was flattered and tempted. The mere fact that he called to ask me to come in made me happy, though I have absolutely no intention of following up. Craig schmoozed me so well, said such nice and complimentary things, and seemed convinced to the depths of his soul that I might well be the one professor they were looking for; by the end of our chat, I felt as if I were personally letting him down by declining to come in. I have neither the time nor the desire to go through what would no doubt be a truly humbling and unpleasant audition process, and even if I were chosen (I can't imagine that really happening), I don't want to be on an island for a month away from my girlfriend, my mountain trails, and my chinchilla! (The superficiality factor was high: Craig asked if the pictures he found on my blog were accurate, how tall I was, and so forth. More sleazily, he asked if I was married, and was pleased when I said no. When I said I had a girlfriend, he said "Well, that's okay." One wonders.)

Yet I'd be lying through my teeth if I wrote that I didn't spend a few delicious moments fantasizing about temporary fame and modest fortune! I don't watch reality TV (except for two horrific episodes of I Want a Famous Face), but like so many folks in greater L.A., I've spent years alternately repelled and fascinated by what is generally called "the industry." Part of me is curious about what it would be like at my age to go through the process of trying to get on a television show, but the better part of me knows that I ought to keep my distance. Still, for fifteen minutes yesterday afternoon, I mused idly about things I had never fantasized about before.

By all means, if any readers here meet the requirements, do apply and let me know what happens.

Comments

[ginger]

I'm disappointed that you didn't try out for it!

[Kelly]

I share your disdain for reality tv, with the exception of PBS's "House" series. I wrote about this in my journal for your class once, the series they were airing then was "manor house", now it is "colonial house". I thought for sure you'd be watching it, as you cover the Puritans and utopian societies in your women's history class. I would've like to have heard what you thought of it from an evangelical stand point (particulary your thoughts on the baptist minister turned governor of the colony). Having said that, you'd better tune into Frontline tonight! I forwarded you the link, here it is again so that everyone can watch it (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/) it's called the Jesus Factor and it's all about Bush, his religion and the alarmingly (to me) increasing numbers of evangelical's and fundamentalist's who are expected to vote in the next election.

[annika]

"alternately repelled and fascinated," yah, you and me both.

Still, you would have been perfect, Hugo. You even look a bit like the Professor. Plus you're smart, got an interesting personality, you're in good shape, know a bit about the outdoors. i would have been surprised if you were not ultimately chosen. But can you make a radio out of bamboo?

By the way, how did they ever get batteries for that thing?

[The Angry Clam]

DO IT.

It'd be fun!

[John]

You could do a devestating expose afterwards!
Then again, you are probably wise. Lord knows how they make these things, or what they make you do.

[Anne]

If they're really recasting the show, they need a chemistry professor.

I'm glad Hugo declined. While I guess I understand the "flattered" part, my reaction to "reality" television is a combination of repulsed and appalled.

Except that Kelly is right about the PBS "House" series. Most of them have been excellent.

In the current one, Colonial House, there's too much yattering about how religion will get them through it and not enough working at the things that allowed early colonizers to survive, though. The previous shows were about the time period and about what it really took to survive on a daily basis. I found that to be a more interesting approach.

[Hugo]

I really did think about it. Honestly, if I were single, I might have done it. But dating someone seriously means that I won't go into any situation where stirring up romantic tension with others is part of the deal -- and I have a feeling that is what all of these reality shows are mostly about.