Reality

[whipchick]

I said no the first six times.

The seventh year, the seventh season, after an hour-long phone call with William the freelance producer, I think, well, it’s in my mom’s city, and there’s money in it, and this project we’re working on, the one that can’t get booked because nobody’s ever heard of it? It could use some exposure. And I say, “Yes.”

And,

Comments

[basric]

Since the producer of said imaginary show is a well know British asshole, I am not surprised the audience is seeded. Makes you think you should have said no an eighth time. Still planted boos or not it would hurt my feelings. At least my "My audience" cannot critique me with phony or real boos.

Well done as always. I watched that "show" once and wondered why people with talent were booed offstage or "X" out while ridiculous acts got bravos.

[whipchick]

Thanks :) As the narrator was experiencing the booing, it really did feel like it wasn't part of reality for her - like, if she had genuinely done a poor presentation, she's had enough bad shows to know it, to know she deserves the low tips or the disappointed client or whatever! Mostly there was a feeling for her of "aww, crap...I thought I knew better and I STILL got suckered!" But I suspect she found it very educational.

I love the idea that your audience can't really criticize you...but I bet you are a lot harder on yourself than they would be.

[ellakite]

Wow, this is amazingly true-to-life fiction.

First and foremost -- I'm glad the protagonist of this piece of fiction was able to come away with a positive mindset from this experience.

As she says: She's already living the dream. Why should she care what a group no-talent "celebrities" and an audience full of easily lead sheep think?

Then again, I lived most of my life worried about what "the neighbors" might say... so from my point-of-view, that is *MUCH* easier said than done.

A potent, uplifting piece. Thanks so much for sharing it.

PS: Thanks again for allowing/trusting me a sneak peek at your work (again).

PPS: Thanks so much for the valuable beta/con crit on my work. *GREATLY* appreciated.

[whipchick]

Thanks and you're welcome on all counts!!

[java_fiend]

Well, if this *had* been a real life episode, I would say that the people involved with making that stupid show are idiots and buffoons and not worthy of the time or talents of somebody like you and your fellow performers. Furthermore, if this fictitious audience is actually seeded with plants, it makes this fictitious show all the more deplorable. But I am very glad that our heroine in this piece acted with such class and dignity and came away with a better understanding of herself among other things. Much applause and no X's for that. :-)

[whipchick]

Thanks on all counts :) The narrator learned a lot and met some cool people on the rigging staff, and her fingers are crossed for a minimal or non-existent edit! And yeah, it's mean, but the fictitious producers are darn good at making train wreck TV. Just take it with a grain of salt :)

[lawchicky]

Hehehe- I liked this a lot. I know a lot of reality television is actually shot like this, and I still keep watching it!

[whipchick]

It's a total guilty pleasure for me, too! ANTM for the win!

[magicmarmot]

How do I find words to represent the finials that I feel from this?

Flagrant bashing. Textural gnashing. Not-as-much-feeling-of-passion as I'd like from someone who had put that much work into the show, but the expectation of weariness and resignation to the frustration leaves me filled with love.

And I'm not even your lawyer.

[whipchick]

Thanks :) It was weird to go in with the feeling of, hey, maybe this will actually be a positive, and then (for the narrator) discover that no, it really was as bad as it could possibly be! And yeah, more weariness and resignation than anything else - it was more of a "well, what'd you expect?" type thing.