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American Morning
The Real Thing?
Aired February 18, 2003 - 09:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: So with reality shows still pulling huge ratings, more outrageous shows to come. What's the allure for viewers and how long will it last? Torre, contributing editor for "Rolling Stone" magazine has been with us this morning, and has some thoughts on that.
Good morning. Welcome back.
TOURE, "ROLLING STONE": Thank you. There's real conflict in these shows that we believe. We don't really know which way it's going to go.
I mean, after, what, 30, 40, how long have we been doing television -- modern television, 30, 40 years, you get a sense of what's going to happen on "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," but with these shows, you don't really know what's going to happen. "American Idol," the worst singer in the world might actually come out, Simon might actually say something that you don't expect. So, and you know, these people, it really matters. You know Jennifer Aniston is getting $2 million an episode no matter what.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, tough to care about her.
TOURE: Yes, right, but you don't know what's going to happen on "Survivor" and ...
ZAHN: You think there was a true payoff last night.
TOURE: Well, .
ZAHN: You didn't know who he was going to pick and you didn't know he was going to be a millionaire or half a millionaire.
TOURE: That really bothers me. We sold the show as a poor guy trying to make himself off as rich. Suddenly he jumps into the upper class. That totally changes the show for me.
ZAHN: I don't know for you. I've never seen anybody eat pizza quite like him, So many shots of him in a feeding frenzy last night.
CAFFERTY: You know, I've never seen the program, so I'm probably -- what's your favorite of all the shows.
TOURE: "The Real World" on MTV is the best of them all. John (ph) Bunim and Murray, they do the best show. They know how to pick these kids that have little problems but they're nice, they're funny, they're a little crazy. They put them in a house. There's no gimmick of giving them a million dollars or, you know, kicking people off. Just kids with problems and charisma and just messing it up as kids do.
CAFFERTY: And the kids can watch it and identify with their peers. And parents like me, you know, I watch it sometimes because it gives you some insight into what the younger kids are all about, what they're thinking and the kinds of problems they're having.
TOURE: And, I mean, if you're like that 18-23, then you have those concerns. Oh, my god, she didn't do the dishes, it's World War III. When you get older, these concerns are like are you really --
CAFFERTY: You can have that concern at 60 too.
ZAHN: Oh, sure.
CAFFERTY: Doing the dishes.
ZAHN: Now, when "Joe Millionaire" and "Bachelorette" go away, what's on the horizon.
TOURE: Oh, god, we're going to have "Am I Hot?"
ZAHN: OK, that's one where what?
TOURE: ... "American Idol," again and again and again.
ZAHN: What is it? I don't understand the concept of that one.
TOURE: Am I hot? Beautiful men and women, mouth shut, do we like the way you look?
CAFFERTY: There was one...
ZAHN: I think we have a clip of that one, right.
CAFFERTY: We do?
ZAHN: Here we go, Toure.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
UNKNOWN MALE: Did your mom let you leave the house looking like that?
UNKNOWN MALE: I kind of like this outfit, don't you?
UNKNOWN MALE: What features about yourself do you think make you hot?
UNKNOWN MALE: I think my face, the way it's structured, my normal looks.
UNKNOWN MALE: You're right, your face is your best feature because your body doesn't back it up.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: Hi. I'm Nicki (ph).
UNKNOWN MALE: Makeup's not right, and the pink lips and then those dreadful platform shoes, they're bad.
UNKNOWN MALE: Toss the platforms.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: Whoa. They toasted them.
TOURE: Oh, god, now everybody's got to be nasty like Simon. Come one, get your own gimmick.
ZAHN: Speaking of platform shoes, you know why I did this to Jack yesterday?
CAFFERTY: Here we go again.
ZAHN: Because I could. Now, look, your shoelaces are -- look at that. You can't find the end of those.
TOURE: That's right.
CAFFERTY: I'm not nearly talented enough to tie mine like that.
ZAHN: Tennis shoes are big in this weather. At least you guys are in sensible walking shoes. Good luck getting home today.
TOURE: Thank you, you too.
ZAHN: It is lousy out there.
CAFFERTY: We may have to go on crutches.
ZAHN: Yes, I know, but I've got my ice picks on.
TOURE: Yes, but when you get home, Reality TV.
ZAHN: I watched so much television last night, I'm not kidding. I didn't know whether to watch "Joe Millionaire" or Michael Jackson. It was all their fault.
TOURE: And you had two Michael Jacksons, dueling documentaries.
ZAHN: Yes, and you were on one of them, so I felt like I had to owe allegiance to you for at least a couple minutes.
CAFFERTY: Sad commentary that that was the offering on prime time television in America. What did you say, at 7:00. No wonder the French hate us.
ZAHN: I did say that. .
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 18, 2003 - 09:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: So with reality shows still pulling huge ratings, more outrageous shows to come. What's the allure for viewers and how long will it last? Torre, contributing editor for "Rolling Stone" magazine has been with us this morning, and has some thoughts on that.
Good morning. Welcome back.
TOURE, "ROLLING STONE": Thank you. There's real conflict in these shows that we believe. We don't really know which way it's going to go.
I mean, after, what, 30, 40, how long have we been doing television -- modern television, 30, 40 years, you get a sense of what's going to happen on "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," but with these shows, you don't really know what's going to happen. "American Idol," the worst singer in the world might actually come out, Simon might actually say something that you don't expect. So, and you know, these people, it really matters. You know Jennifer Aniston is getting $2 million an episode no matter what.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, tough to care about her.
TOURE: Yes, right, but you don't know what's going to happen on "Survivor" and ...
ZAHN: You think there was a true payoff last night.
TOURE: Well, .
ZAHN: You didn't know who he was going to pick and you didn't know he was going to be a millionaire or half a millionaire.
TOURE: That really bothers me. We sold the show as a poor guy trying to make himself off as rich. Suddenly he jumps into the upper class. That totally changes the show for me.
ZAHN: I don't know for you. I've never seen anybody eat pizza quite like him, So many shots of him in a feeding frenzy last night.
CAFFERTY: You know, I've never seen the program, so I'm probably -- what's your favorite of all the shows.
TOURE: "The Real World" on MTV is the best of them all. John (ph) Bunim and Murray, they do the best show. They know how to pick these kids that have little problems but they're nice, they're funny, they're a little crazy. They put them in a house. There's no gimmick of giving them a million dollars or, you know, kicking people off. Just kids with problems and charisma and just messing it up as kids do.
CAFFERTY: And the kids can watch it and identify with their peers. And parents like me, you know, I watch it sometimes because it gives you some insight into what the younger kids are all about, what they're thinking and the kinds of problems they're having.
TOURE: And, I mean, if you're like that 18-23, then you have those concerns. Oh, my god, she didn't do the dishes, it's World War III. When you get older, these concerns are like are you really --
CAFFERTY: You can have that concern at 60 too.
ZAHN: Oh, sure.
CAFFERTY: Doing the dishes.
ZAHN: Now, when "Joe Millionaire" and "Bachelorette" go away, what's on the horizon.
TOURE: Oh, god, we're going to have "Am I Hot?"
ZAHN: OK, that's one where what?
TOURE: ... "American Idol," again and again and again.
ZAHN: What is it? I don't understand the concept of that one.
TOURE: Am I hot? Beautiful men and women, mouth shut, do we like the way you look?
CAFFERTY: There was one...
ZAHN: I think we have a clip of that one, right.
CAFFERTY: We do?
ZAHN: Here we go, Toure.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
UNKNOWN MALE: Did your mom let you leave the house looking like that?
UNKNOWN MALE: I kind of like this outfit, don't you?
UNKNOWN MALE: What features about yourself do you think make you hot?
UNKNOWN MALE: I think my face, the way it's structured, my normal looks.
UNKNOWN MALE: You're right, your face is your best feature because your body doesn't back it up.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: Hi. I'm Nicki (ph).
UNKNOWN MALE: Makeup's not right, and the pink lips and then those dreadful platform shoes, they're bad.
UNKNOWN MALE: Toss the platforms.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: Whoa. They toasted them.
TOURE: Oh, god, now everybody's got to be nasty like Simon. Come one, get your own gimmick.
ZAHN: Speaking of platform shoes, you know why I did this to Jack yesterday?
CAFFERTY: Here we go again.
ZAHN: Because I could. Now, look, your shoelaces are -- look at that. You can't find the end of those.
TOURE: That's right.
CAFFERTY: I'm not nearly talented enough to tie mine like that.
ZAHN: Tennis shoes are big in this weather. At least you guys are in sensible walking shoes. Good luck getting home today.
TOURE: Thank you, you too.
ZAHN: It is lousy out there.
CAFFERTY: We may have to go on crutches.
ZAHN: Yes, I know, but I've got my ice picks on.
TOURE: Yes, but when you get home, Reality TV.
ZAHN: I watched so much television last night, I'm not kidding. I didn't know whether to watch "Joe Millionaire" or Michael Jackson. It was all their fault.
TOURE: And you had two Michael Jacksons, dueling documentaries.
ZAHN: Yes, and you were on one of them, so I felt like I had to owe allegiance to you for at least a couple minutes.
CAFFERTY: Sad commentary that that was the offering on prime time television in America. What did you say, at 7:00. No wonder the French hate us.
ZAHN: I did say that. .
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
