I would be grateful if someone could explain to me why we don’t have a reality TV programme about yachting. We have reality everything else and apparently these days people will turn on the TV to watch other people playing cards or, a group of slappers in a house talking about their augmentation plans and their decrepit, pajama wearing pimp. So, why not a yachting reality show.
The format is simple, follow a few busy charter yachts as they prepare for their season and film them whilst they struggle like little ants to get their boat ready. The sweat, the tears, the graft and the beers, you see it even rhymes. Of course some will suggest that privacy is an issue? Right now though, I am pretty sure that given the opportunity to market their yacht there are plenty of owners that would jump at the chance to have their yacht featured on the TV. The guests, well that’s a different matter but they are not the interesting part in any case, it’s the crew perspective that would be interesting. I guess it’s the same reason the Deadliest Catch does not feature seafood diners.
Obviously, just like the fishing reality programmes it would be important to point out that everything the crew does is highly dangerous. It is a vital part of true reality to make sure that the story unfolding on the screen is far more interesting that actual reality. In fact, reality TV is actually a sort of enhanced reality. This is probably the reason that all the girls on reality TV are good looking and seemingly always just moments away from getting their kit off.
Yachting has the perfect recipe for a successful reality show: Glamour, sex, danger and we are all pretty. Well compared to a bunch of dog toothed, chain smoking fisherman we are, even the captains are pretty. Imagine the drama trying get out of the yard on time, trying to get a contractor to show up on time. Imagine being a fly on the wall when the captain does captain’s stuff, although that might be beyond the realms of camera access.
I still cannot believe that it has not happened yet? Perhaps it’s because viewers don’t want to see images of wealth while the economy is so down? No that can’t be it, as poor folk buy rap albums when most of the videos feature singers adorned in the ostentatious trappings of the tasteless rich.
In truth just telling the simple of story of what we do would probably bring millions of new crew members wanting to get into the business. Could be good or bad depending on which way you look at it. We shall see, but if we don’t get in on the reality act pretty soon we will be on to the next TV fad and who knows what that could be? It could be worse than reality.