Do you watch Little People, Big World -- does it seem like reality TV is destroying families?

I’ve seen the show a few time but I cannot understand why they made a weekly series about them at best maybe a 60 minute special.I don’t think being on TV would cause a couple to divorce.

I don’t think the cameras being there has anything to do with it. It’s all on them.

@Pretty_Lilly Having their own reality TV show seems to have caused the parents in Jon & Kate Plus 8 to split. Honestly, I would never want to be on a TV show documenting my life – it would probably make me and my family members go crazy.

Reality television can be a factor in not necessarily destroying, but making life harder for a family.
Some examples of couples on reality tv who have ended in divorce would include:
Jon and Kate Plus 8
The Newlyweds (Nick and Jessica)
Hogen Knows Best
Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen Electra and Dave
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List.
Britney and Kevin’s Show.

Television cameras are constantly hounding them for great lengths of time and trigger automatic involuntary behavioral responses that can result in conflict.

With all of that said, reality television isn’t always responsible. That’s just one of many excuses people use.

No one could really stand up under so much scrutiny. Then you add the fact that the film is cut for maximum drama. It isn’t a suprise that all these telivised families implode.

@ParaParaYukiko both of them are A-holes ! think about it having been on TV gave them the cash to pay someone to help hem with all those kids otherwise they would have been SOL,Kate even got the money to have a tummy tuck !!

I usually don’t watch it, but I’m watching it right now with my girlfriend (her decision, lol). Yes, it does seem like they will split up. But honestly, I can’t think of ANY reality show that has been around for a long time where the parents didn’t split up… in addition to @Vunessuh‘s list, there was also The Osbournes and that show with Nick and Jessica Simpson..

@stemnyjones Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Sharon and Ozzy are divorced. :)

nevermind..

@Vunessuh The Osbornes are still together. One daughter refused to do the show and the rest were very tired of the cameras when the show ended

I think just seeing the last few episodes of this recent season gives a distorted view of this particular couples relationship.

I’ve been watching the show from the beginning and Matt and Amy were butting heads from the get-go.

In the first season the issue was money and Amy wishing Matt would return to work full time.

They have two totally different styles. Amy said that’s specifically what attracted her to Matt, his spirit of adventure and gung-ho attitude even tho she is far more orderly and conservative.

This couple is much more mature than Jon and Kate IMHO. I would be genuinely surprised if they divorced.

Reality TV does exaggerate things by the way things are edited and they thrive on conflict.

I think a series which was beneficial was Gene Simmons Family Jewels. But they are both mature people with a solid relationship raising genuinely well-balanced sensible kids (unlike the train wreck that was the Osmonds).

In spite of being a rockstar, Gene is a sensible, fun, drug free and clear thinking guy and Shannon is not just beautiful but very intelligent with a good sense of values. Together they have a solid, happy family and it’s a pleasure to watch.

@Buttonstc And Gene and Shannon Aren’t married. Shannon had to learn to deal with that coupled with his reputation. They aught to be strong.

Oooh, Family Jewels. I forgot about that show. Do they still make new episodes?

@Buttonstc : Thanks! I have watched a few episodes in the past but it didn’t seem like Matt and Amy were disagreeing so much, or to this extent. But I’m no expert!

I think that Jon and Kate would have ended up divorced sooner or later. The show just hastened the process. There was a basic lack of respect right from the start.

She was constantly hitching at home and treating him like a child. Not that he was any prize either as he started fooling around with other women and rubbing her nose in it.

They were both immature and selfish. I just feel sorry for the poor kids.

I find an interesting corollary of this to child stars. Those who came from families with solid stable and loving parents who were not exploiting them ( like Ron Howard) were able to weather the storm that fame brings and grow up healthy.

Those from dysfunctional families ended up as emotional wrecks like Danny Bonaduce and you can’t blame it on the TV cameras. They just emphasized the weaknesses already there and hastened a process that was already in place unfortunately.

I think the TV cameras are like a magnifying glass. If there are cracks in the foundation it focuses there with destructive results. But it doesn’t create the cracks. If the foundation is solid it will stand firm.

I think that the camera just encourages ego, posturing and drama and not consideration, compromise and genuine affection. Let’s face it, “If it bleeds it leads”. Real love, just like “real reality” is boring to a TV audience unless there’s a hook, an edge or a gimmick. Perhaps the people who are drawn to this are just waiting to reveal their true nature anyway. In the case of the Osbornes, they had a long history of staying together through countless dramas, and had monstrous egos to boot already so it was basically just a walk in the park. I mean if you can stand by your man after he bit the head off a dove in a record executive’s studio, then there’s not much else which is going to phase you,

Reality TV is on par with Jerry Springer, which is not a compliment.

I think any couple with cameras on them 24/7 are gonna have some stress, and that will wear on the relationship, but this couple is not jon and kate. They have a history of overcoming problems. They will make it.

@PretentiousArtist
Actually Springer is probably more real.
@filmfann
Their divorce was final on Dec 18, 2009.

It’s still crap

I’m sure the cameras always being around doesn’t help the situation but I don’t think their potential break up has to do with the tv show alone. I think most of it is due to personal issues.

@PretentiousArtist
No doubt. But lo and behold that’s what makes money. The LCD is lower than you imagine.

@SS

Whose divorce was final on Dec. 18 ?

“Jon and Kate Gosselin”: www.examiner.com

@SeventhSense I was refering to the Little People couple. I hope you weren’t.

No I was following buttons. Interesting but in a different context your statement could be read as supporting Jon and Kates solid union although that’s obviously not what you meant. Sorry for the confusion.

I would be interested in a crossover show… Matt and Kate plus 8, or Little People, Big Jerk.

I watched that show tonight too.the parents seemed to be bickering and distant. I actually like this show because the kids arent a bunch of smart assed brats and they seem like good parents.

I guess I’d better get crak-a-lacking and watch tonight’s questions to see what I missed

An unfortunate side effect of using a DVR is that stuff gets postponed too long :)