Kurt Mitman | Back to reality

We all wanted to know. My friends, acquaintances, even my grandmother. It seemed like that was all anyone could talk about that summer. We were mesmerized.

It was Richard Hatch — the winner of the inaugural season of Survivor.

The early days of reality TV were quite compelling: Survivor 1, Real World, Big Brother 1. But somewhere along the way, it has gone very astray.

“Tofu. I thought that was like touché. I didn’t know it was a food.” Deep thoughts from the Jersey Shore.

After initial success, the proliferation of reality TV has been unprecedented. It seems that some cable networks (e.g., Bravo, A&E) operate solely to produce reality TV shows. Needless to say, as the quantity as increased, the quality has plummeted.

I wondered how the public became so obsessed with people who were famous simply for being famous (think the Kardashians). Who were the people out there who watched this trash and kept the ratings high enough that it stayed on the air?

But then, in the most unexpected place, I realized I was being harsh. I recall being a bit horrified arriving home one Christmas break to find my parents’ TiVo filled with the likes of Judge Judy, Intervention, Top Chef and other choice reality shows.

Eventually, they guilted me into watching a few episodes of Top Chef with them, and, being the holiday season, I gave in reluctantly.

I was very skeptical — would it actually be interesting to watch a competition show, where I, as the viewer, could not form an independent judgment over who should be eliminated (since, obviously, I don’t get to taste the food they prepare)?

But then I got hooked.

So why is Top Chef basically the only thing I watch on TV (my beloved Redskins and Cavaliers are too depressing to watch this season)? Call me a hypocrite, but there is still some reality TV that is worth watching if it has some bearing on people’s lives.

Don’t get me wrong. I am by no means under the impression that what’s shown on episodes is actual “reality.” I’ve spoken with enough former and current cheftestants to know that the editors and producers are out to create drama even if it isn’t really there.

But this form of reality TV actually has the potential to affect my reality — and to make it a better one. Top Chef teaches me things about food and cooking. The show also inspires me to cook more, something that I think is sorely needed these days. Granted, the food cooked on the show, while delicious, isn’t always necessarily healthy — for the thanksgiving challenge last season, Emeril Lagasse’s team used three pounds of butter just on the turkey.

The show also helps launch or accelerate the careers of promising new chefs, improving the culinary scene. Maybe it’s a bit bourgeoisie of me, but I’m always happy when new and interesting restaurants open up in Philadelphia.

Earlier this week I had a wonderful meal at Laurel, current cheftestant Nick Elmi’s new restaurant. I got to meet Nick and have a quick chat with him about the show and his new endeavor. Running a restaurant is often called a labor of love, and it’s refreshing to see a chef, despite having gotten his 15 minutes of fame, come out and talk to the guests — actually, I’ve found this attitude is prevalent among former cheftestants in Philadelphia.

I’m not sold on reality television as a whole, but I’m starting to realize that reality TV can be of value to people (I like to think that a show like Top Chef has a lot more to offer than the likes of Jersey Shore). Now I realize that, for my parents, watching Judge Judy is an escape from their stressful and sometimes dangerous jobs.

So I won’t tell you to avoid all reality TV — but the next time you sit down to kill an hour, skip the hyped up melodrama and check out something that can weave its way into your own life. You might just learn something or get inspired, but regardless, I bet it’ll leave you hungry — for Top Chef, literally — for more.

P.S. Good luck to the remaining Philly locals on Top Chef, Nick Elmi and Travis Masar (of Sampan).

Kurt Mitman is a 7th-year doctoral student from McLean, Va. His email address is kurt.mitman@gmail.com. Follow him @SorryToBeKurt. “Sorry To Be Kurt” appears every Friday.

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