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Scottsdale "reality" exposed

Published Wednesday, November 17, 2004 by seanlmccarthy | E-mail this post

The debut of the eye network's Emmy-winning sixth edition of The Amazing Race yields yet another example of the Scottsdale stereotype: buffed, bronzed and easy on the eyes, if not in the mind. Of course, this is not a slam against 29-year-old Jon Buehler (who appeared cool-headed in the first leg of the race) as it is a slam against the casting producers for all of these "reality" TV shows. They cast a pretty shallow net, literally and figuratively. I am acquainted with just about all of these folks -- who have populated Survivor, Temptation Island, Blind Date, Elimidate, Paradise Hotel, Forever Eden, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance (which provided me with nationwide scoops here, here and here), The Bachelor and countless other shows -- because they all seem to be either bartenders, cocktail waitresses or well-known members of the Scottsdale club scene. Buehler is a bartender and minority partner in 6, Scottsdale's most upscale lounge. The lounge is hosting viewing parties every Tuesday to cheer on their mate, in case you're curious about that sort of thing.

But I'm more curious about how other cities may be represented in the "reality" TV world. The Amazing Race usually includes a stereotypical New Yawker team, but what about other cities? Do you get a different sense of Boston or Atlanta or Dallas or anywhere else by watching "reality" TV? Or do other regions of the country not fall prey to the same stereotyping? Color me curioso.