Reality after The Reality Show

Novinite Insider » EDITORIAL | July 20, 2005, Wednesday // 00:00
Reality after The Reality Show They gave their best to capture the audience and become music stars. But was that enough? Photo by Snimka.bg

By Petya Bondokova

It's all glamour and bombastic media coverage for thee months. Next? Are you becoming a legend? Or the reality show turns into mere reality?

When Bulgaria's first ever reality show kicked off, everyone was looking to the participants as they were the new giants of show business.

Big Brother was big indeed. In terms of advertisement, ratings, public interest and, of course, revenues. Even international experts commented that the show brought major change in the local media market.

The entire nation gave in to the pleasure of peeping into other people's daily life and most intimate moments. Just as you sit totally unnoticed on your comfortable couch and have dinner. No one had ever offered that voyeur joy to the Bulgarians. And the public proved to be hungry for this new kind of entertainment.

Viewers were taking great interest in the different personalities inside the house. Who is reserved and who is easy-going? Who is hysteric or aggressive? Could anybody fall in love with a roommate? Are the ladies stripping naked in the shower? Who is smearing others behind their back? Are they going to have sex in front of the cameras?

At that point, nobody seemed to ask themselves whether the public was actually interested in the personalities, or was simply keen to watch their absolute exposure.

But the key test for the participants, surprisingly, was not Big Brother. It was the aftermath of the deafening media campaign and the high ratings. And for those who were willing to step back into the world as celebrities, reality started to set in.

A few months later, it seems like the greatest success for the former roommates was the Playboy cover. Finalist Zara, aged 19, did a hot photo session for the lifestyle magazine, as well as several ads. But her modeling career did not seem to be booming. Zara's television appearances are also rather insignificant. Sadly, the young siren seems to sink into oblivion.

Dimi, the man who drummed his bisexuality and was shown masturbating, did not get any publicity after the show. After several interviews and invitations to parties Dimi became the face of a sex shop in Sofia and that was the end of his show career.

The mischievous duo of Nayden and Groshi entertained the public with their booze-inspired tomfoolery inside the house. The result was hosting a "jackass"-type show that doesn't seem to enjoy any popularity.

One of the biggest surprises was the downfall of Stoyka. The well-padded girl from Plovdiv became a sensation inside the house. She was fun, emotional, and she spoke with an unmatchable accent that made roommates laugh at her. She wore the craziest hairdos.

Stoyka kept saying how she loved the show, and how she dreamt of becoming a music star.

Talks with music producers, however, did not seem to succeed afterwards. Stoyka was receiving party invitations but no offers to record her own singles. After a while, she announced the start of her career as fashion designer. But in the end the charming amateur took on a job at a restaurant, where she welcomes the clients.

Nobody seemed to care about the Big Brother stars anymore.

Especially when the next great challenge - Star Academy - was launched.

Celebrity-ambitions were even stronger, as all participants were talented musicians, eager to use to show as a stepping-stone to stardom.

The young talents impressed the public not only with their brawls, intrigues, friendships and sex life. They were gifted singers and dancers, and staged live shows every Monday. Music teachers, a choreographer, a stylist and a fitness instructor were working to make the dozen youngsters even more attractive.

But none of the participants who were voted out of the house have made it big so far. Cute dancer Claudia was featured in a music video but only with a minor role. There has been no word of extravagant and provocative Deyan "The Joker." Supermodel-look Aksinia, sexy Sandra, hip Natalia, beautiful-voice Valya... All of them talented, original and strong-minded, but absolutely unnoticed after leaving Star Academy.

In fact, Natalia was invited back to the show some time after her ousting, to present her first single. The shorty did well and the song sounded okay. But it can't be heard on any radio station or television channel at the moment.

What's wrong with Bulgaria's reality show stars? Why none of them becomes a celebrity after leaving?

Obviously ratings are not the answer. The first seasons of both Big Brother and Star Academy enjoyed massive interest.

Maybe the very concept of the reality shows - celebrities shaping up in front of your eyes - is not working.

Maybe the key to being an admired star is to be mysterious, not overexposed to the public. Big Brother and Star Academy showed the Bulgarian people that celebrities are a product, not some kind of natural wonders.

Isn't that a bit...anti-celebrity?

The audience wants role models. People who are more than human - looking good all the time, always in a good mood, always projecting an image of success. The reality show figures are shown with their ups and downs. Furthermore, their moments of aggression, weakness, hypocrisy, depression, and foolishness are actually the most interesting to viewers.

Those people - as talented and original as they might be - are not real celebrities.

There is a song by Bulgarian rock veterans FSB that sounds like a good general conclusion. The lyrics say: "Stars are stars because they are up high."

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