Two shows have recently come into the light of reality television controversy- MTV’s Jersey Shore and ABC’s Find My Family.
MTV started The Real World back in 1992 and practically originated the idea of putting a bunch of people who normally would have nothing to do with each other into a small space and televise the fireworks that occur. MTV decided to up the ante and created Jersey Shore, where, instead of putting a culturally diverse group together, MTV is focusing exclusively on Italian-Americans from the Northeast.
While these residents proclaim to be very proud of their ethnicity, they call each other “Guidos” on camera. “Guido” is a racial slur from the past that some still take serious offense to. In fact, the word is so offensive that three Italian-American groups (Unico National, the Order of the Sons of Italy in America and the National Italian-American Foundation) have openly condemned the series saying it promotes horrible stereotypes.
MTV isn’t the only network causing issues. ABC’s recent addition of Find My Family has caused outrage in the adoption community. The show reunites adoptive children with their biological families and films the emotional roller-coaster these folks go on. The show is receiving amounts of praise from communities of people who have given up children for adoption, saying it will hopefully change the minds of people who think the children are being disloyal to their adoptive parents. However, those of the adoption community are calling the show exploitative.ABC claims that the show isn’t exploitative as the adoption community claims, but they are putting what should be very private emotional moments on national television.
I have a strong opinion of this show as my little sister is adopted from China. She saw the commercial and said (jokingly) to my mother that she wondered if the show could find her biological parents. I don’t think I’ve heard my mother cry as much as she did when she called me. When you adopt a child, that child becomes a part of your family completely- they aren’t on loan from someone else. The issue isn’t loyalty really, it’s that one set of parents raised and cared for a child and when that child decides they want to find their birth parents, it can be a slap in the face for the adopted parents. It’s like saying, “You’re not good enough.” I’m all for the exchange of medical information, it’s important for the child’s well-being, but maybe ABC should look into the pain they could be creating here.
Comments
MIchael Hawk
December 11th, 2009 - 12:13:24 PM
Reality TV has really taken a nose dive, but I hope that most audiences understand that they are entirely scripted and very far from reality.
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Adoptee
January 5th, 2010 - 10:36:27 AM
"I have a strong opinion of this show as my little sister is adopted from China. She saw the commercial and said (jokingly) to my mother that she wondered if the show could find her biological parents. I don’t think I’ve heard my mother cry as much as she did when she called me. " Wow, I'm so sorry your mother is so narcissistic and hyperbolic, not to mention incredibly emotionally immature. Your sister's joking tone of voice was due to years of conditional training in placating a neurotic selfish adoptive parent. More than likely you've adopted (pardon the pun) your mother's colonialist, white-centered attitude on adoption, which is why your sister will never share her true thoughts with you. Don't worry though, most of us are used to dealing with our toxic adoptive families with smiles. It's behind your backs that we tell the truth of our feelings - about adoption, and about you. ABC's 'Find My Family' was a great show. The "adoption community" that I'm a member of loved it.
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