The anti-recap of the Real Housewives of New Jersey

I'm not recapping this train-wreck of a reunion show.  I don't feel the need to rehash what was basically an unproductive, classless, screaming match that had about three minutes of decent content - the clip package about Jacqueline Laurita's son Nicholas and the story of his recent Autism diagnosis.  To her and her family, I pray that you find all of the resources that you need to assist your beautiful son on the long road ahead of him.  

What saddens me is that these women don't just dislike each other - they appear to actively hate each other.  There are no boundaries when it comes to horrific things they will say on camera;  body image, parents, children, marriages.  Nothing is off limits.  Bravo, I beg you to fix this.  Set aside the bottom line and the oodles of money that you are making from the advertisers during this show and produce something that's empowering to women.  Please.  Or at least not actively victimizing these women on television for financial gain and promotion.  Whether they are willing participants or not, it's just painful to watch.  I get the need for reality television.  I'm a huge fan of the genre and I have a great time blogging about it.  I'll own that I have enjoyed some of the drama between the ladies - I'm in no way trying to be a hypocrite.  Conflict is a natural part of life; it's not all champagne and roses.   But when you are tearing families apart at the
seams, dragging parents (alive and deceased) as well as small children through something that they have no voice in, isn't it time to re-evaluate?  To consider that where this program stands now may not be any better than the Honey-Boo-Boo's of the world that the majority hold up as the worst kind of "reality" television?  The women on this show are strong, intelligent, dedicated people who are striving to live the best life that they can for themselves and their families.  I believe that.  I also believe that there are REAL stories within these families - women struggling with empty nests, reconnecting with their spouses and finding a purpose for themselves after raising their children, balancing motherhood and a blossoming career, juggling the "can we have it all" mentality of society, struggling marriages, young people wanting to make a name for themselves outside of their families.  Tell THOSE stories.  Show us the stories that we can relate to.  Show us people who are making the world a better place in their own little way.  Let's watch THAT, tweet about THAT, get social media abuzz about THAT.

We can't sit back and complain how awful the current state of television today and then continue to do the same thing day in and day out - support without question the shows that portray stories of no value.  What is the value in the supposed "exposing" of bankruptcies and jobs that they may or may not have had in the past?  What is the value in glorifying people that manipulate and scheme and plot ways to hurt others?  And for all of the people that have filled the internet landscape for the last 20 weeks (and several seasons before that) with vile hatred about people they don't even know - I beg of you to find something better to do.  Wake up tomorrow morning and lay down your TEAM XYZ allegiance and become instead a member of TEAM LIFE.  Spend your days volunteering, reading, hanging out with your own family - anything other than sitting in front of a computer or smart phone and relentlessly tearing apart another human being for no other reason than you saw them on a television show.  A television show, hopefully, that will take a step back and realize that it's got some changing to do.

  - JustJen