Reality TV and the Arts

A few years back I got a letter from one of those popular cable stations (Bravo?). The letter stated they wanted to run a reality program about visual artists and would I be interested in participating. If so, please fill out the following questionnaire. I’m not sure how they found me. My instincts told me the cable station purchased the Chicago Art Institute’s data base. One primary marketing goal I have is to be listed in as many data bases as possible. How can opportunity knock if I don’t stand behind as many doors as I can find.

The letter itself was only one page long. The questionnaire ran for fifteen pages. But, I am always happy to fill out questionnaires that require one answer only. As I skimmed over the pages I asked myself, well…how bad can it be?

Invasive! That’s how bad it could be. I had two thoughts: first, they asked questions which my own mother wouldn’t dare to ask, and I would never answer; and secondly, if the cable station wished to understand artists and the art world, then good luck getting me to tell you the truth about that stuff.

Worse yet, each question required an essay answer! What? Did they want artists to do their job for them? Is everyone in reality television exposed to this type of psychological profiling?

Today, I don’t remember one question and am fairly certain I didn’t save the letter; or, if I did save the letter, it is somewhere “safe.” That is, never to be found again, like much in my filing system.

But I did remember my own academic experiences. I knew there was no way a group of artists in one room would get along—forget compatible. Believe me when I say Donald Trump is an innocent when it comes to ambition and back stabbing. The program Survivor couldn’t hold a candle. Picture a room of musicians, each following their own mental drummer arguing who is the best performer, the best composer. They wouldn’t get their own work done. Or—remember the ambition and back stabbing in the movie “Black Swan.” The idea of presenting a reality program with artists as the protagonists is similar to the play Hamlet—everyone is dead at the end. Hmmm….so was the swan.

The participants in Donald Trump’s program and Survivor are fighting for a common goal; be it a job or money. For a visual artist to admit “I’m doing this strictly for the money,” is to be black-balled in the art world. Your art will never be taken seriously. (My denial to make a lot of money is also part of my hypocrisy.)

I wonder what percentage of artists responded to that mailing? What were the cable station’s parameters. Who were the artists?

In the years since I got that letter I keep looking for the completed program. Why hasn’t it been aired? Nothing. Nada. Did I miss it? Instinct tells me, the cable station was disappointed in the number of respondents. If so, I can only say—good for us.

If you get fewer than 2,000 rejections a year, you are not working hard enough.
Ida Kotyuk©
http://www.portraits-oils.com/