In the 1990s and the early 2000s, Reality television programmes, such as Survivor soared on the Nielsen television ratings. These shows, which often presented unknown persons (as opposed to professional actors) competing in supposedly unscripted real life scenarios, captivated large followings of television fans who became hooked on the very well-crafted episodes filmed in faraway exotic lands
In fact, these shows were anything but real, and were actually very carefully scripted programming designed to hook audiences, ensuring that they tuned in for next week’s episode, as the favourite and the underdog competed in an intense battle for the enormous prize money at stake.
On Monday night, television audiences in the United States of America no doubt must have been experiencing flashbacks to the glory days of the Survivor show as they viewed the opening night’s presentation at the Republican National Convention 2020. Quite unlike the Survivor show however, this is real and the stakes are extremely high. The various speakers’ presentations of the elephant (no pun intended) in the room, President Donald Trump, hardly bore any resemblance to reality. Confused viewers must have felt at times that Salman Rushdie’s fictional character Quichotte had sprung to life and was taking them along for the ride in the make believe world of television.
Ever since the four television debates between Senator John F Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon, prior to the 1960 election, television has played a critical role in swaying the voters’ perception of the candidates. The force of impact this medium could have on the minds of the undecided, and more importantly, the uninformed voter, was clearly visible, as the Trump endorsers spoke to all of 336 delegates at the convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In a well-orchestrated show where, unlike previous conventions when current or past elected officials were the main speakers, the key presenters are celebrities aligned with the conservative wing of the party. George W Bush, the only former living Republican President, unlike the three former living Democrat Presidents, has opted to break with tradition and not to attend his party’s nomination convention.
Listening to the speakers presentations and viewing the video presentations on Trump’s achievements in the Oval Office, one would find it hard to swallow the rhetoric that was being presented, yet at the same time, one remembers the well-worn slogan associated with the 19th century American showman, P T Barnum, ‘There’s a sucker born every minute.”
The fear of doom and gloom facing America was pitched by speaker after speaker. As the unproven threats of socialism, economic ruin and violence were recklessly spewed, the solution of another four years of Trump in office was proffered by the naysayers as the only answer to the hopeless situation.
“They [the Democrats]’ll disarm you, empty the prisons, lock you in your home and invite [street gang] MS-13 to live next door,” Matt Gaetz, Florida Congressman stated in one example of the bile presented.
Several speakers said that Trump was a compassionate leader who had succeeded in his term in office despite the efforts of the media and Democrats who were desperate to block his initiatives. Large numbers of viewers probably switched channels to escape back to actual reality, only to realize that Trump is still in office until January for the time being.
The stark reality is that Trump, who presented the reality television show, The Apprentice, for fourteen seasons, can very well be re-elected for another four years if the gullible reality show audience seemingly unaware of Trump’s hopeless handling of the COVID-19 crisis, choose to vote for him.
The reality show that the USA elections campaign has become continues until 3rd, November, 2020.
