Bad Idea Spawns Second Coming of Reality Dating Show

Another one of VH1’s debauched dating disasters has made its way back on the air.

The second installment of the show “Real Chance of Love” premiered on August 3rd 2009. The premise of the show follows Real (Ahmad Givens) and Chance (Kamal Givens), who inhabit a mansion filled with numerous women while they aspire to eventually find their true loves as each woman is eliminated.

This overdone concept should be familiar to viewers that frequently watch the channel. Several years ago, the network took this idea, which had already been used on network television in shows like “The Bachelor” and made it their own by producing shows like “Flavor of Love,” “I Love New York” and “Rock of Love.”

The network’s commitment to continuing this type of program sure makes for sleazy television.

During this season’s premiere, Real and Chance named each girl based on their personalities and of course their physical attributes. This practice of naming the contestants is almost always the norm on these types of shows.

While many girls initially enter the house optimistic and confident, the reaction one of the girls received from the guys surprised her. She stood before them confident, but soon became frazzled and shocked when neither of the men could say anything positive about her appearance. They first critiqued her masculine walk, then began brainstorming what to name her. Unfortunately for her, the names Yeti, Sasquatch and Chewy,[ nickname for the “Star Wars” character Chewbacca] came to mind. While they pondered a suitable name for her, she was humiliated even further when told to talk to a statue resembling a Yeti. Even though she attempted to laugh the situation off, who wouldn’t be embarrassed or hurt if their appearance was compared to that of a giant hairy fictional character?

Although the show is far from serious, the sadness is that some of these girls often check their dignity and self-respect at the door. During the first few episodes, some participants parade around in skimpy outfits and are quick to insult other girls in order to get a little more attention from Real and Chance. Tension between the girls on the first night resulted in a verbal confrontation and physical altercation between two contestants, both of whom were later expelled from the show.

Watching seemingly endless amounts of drama unfold, might make viewers ponder; why would anyone participate in such a reality show? Why do these women have no reservations flocking to these men like vultures on a carcass? The pickings outside of reality television can’t be that slim, can they?

Another aspect of the show that might make viewers queasy is how quickly the girls are affectionate with Real and Chance during the first few episodes. Watching either of the men kiss girl, after girl, after girl might make one wonder, is that sanitary?

The frequent exchange of bodily fluids makes the show a visual embodiment of a diseased-filled Petri dish.

After witnessing what feels like the 100th version of the same show, viewers may wonder why VH1 continues to put on such mindless programming; after all, the couples never seem to stay together in the end, making it all for ratings and nothing about real love.

However, the contestants do all get something from the experience, a little publicity and perhaps a little something that hopefully penicillin should cure.