The Horror of Reality Television Comes To Silicon Valley

By Todd Allen

I hope Hermione Way negotiated a footage approval clause in her contract.

Fascinated by The Real World?  Addicted to Rock of Love?  Fondly remembering Joe Millionaire?  You may be in luck, Startup Grinder.  Bravo has greenlit “Silicon Valley,” a reality show executive produced by ex-Facebook exec (and Mark Zuckerberg sibling) Randi Zuckerberg.

NBC Bay Area fingers some participants:

The show appears to feature Hermione Way of The Next Web and Newspepper, Kim Taylor of Ampush Media, and Dwight Crow of a Y Combinator startup, among others.

Now before you get too excited, let’s introduce a little reality to the reality TV phenomenon.  What kind of reality TV does Bravo currently show?  The Real Housewives of <insert city here> (laugh at rich ladies).  Pregnant in Heels (laugh at clueless rich soon-to-be parents).  Tabitha takes over (laugh at clueless hairdressers).  Seeing a pattern here?

Reality TV is not always designed to be flattering.  Watch Comic Book Men and ask yourself if that paints a great picture of that industry.  (Or better yet, don’t watch Comic Book Men.)

Disclosure: One of my old roommates casts The Real World and The Simple Life.  I’ve also been known to have a drink with Ed (he of the green shorts), who “won” The Bachelorette.

Reality TV is designed to have conflict and spectacle.  On top of that design, the way the show is edited will not always reflect reality or the real personalities of the people involved.  Right now, we know there’s going to be a show and a few people that are supposed to be involved.  We don’t know what the actual tone of the show will be.

While we can hope that Ms. Zuckerberg has the final edit on the show, just be warned that reality TV, especially reality TV without celebrities, is not always flattering.
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Todd Allen writes for Startup Grind, among other things