A Boomer and GenXer Walk into a Bar
Wit and wisdom, some smart assery, and a Mother and Daughter questioning “Are we even related?”
A Boomer and GenXer Walk into a Bar
Inside Reality TV and Social Media's Wild World S1:E14
What if the reality TV shows you love could tell you more about your own life than you ever realized? Come join us as we take you on a nostalgic yet eye-opening trip through the ever-evolving world of reality TV and social media influencers. We’ll reminisce about iconic shows like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "Survivor," and ponder how they contrast with our own less-than-glamorous lives.
email: boomerandgenxer@gmail.com
welcome, welcome, welcome everyone to today's show. Boomer and a gen x are walking to a bar. We're not coming to you from the rabbit hole studio today because we're on the road, so we are bringing it to you from a 40-foot motor home up in the Georgia mountains and Bobby is mobile with us. Yeah, and so you, as our listeners, are going to experience some wit and wisdom, some still some smart-assery remarks and a mother and daughter questioning. Are we even related? My name is Jane, my co-host is my daughter, bobby, and for the next I don't know however many minutes it takes we're going to talk to you today about. Let's see, what should we be talking about today, bobby?
Speaker 2:Well, it sounds like we're going to be talking about some reality TV and maybe some social media influencers Reality TV and social media influencers and social media influencers.
Speaker 1:Now, the reason this topic came up is because I'm on the road and I have had some time behind the TV set a little bit and I noticed a number of reality TV shows that are on and you know, back in the day I want to say, like back in the 80s. Does anybody remember what was the name of that show? The Rich and the Famous Lifestyles. Oh, lifestyles for the Rich and the 80s. Does anybody remember what was the name of that show? The Rich and the Famous Lifestyles?
Speaker 2:Oh, Lifestyles for the Rich and the.
Speaker 1:Famous, yeah, and we all thought that was so cool to see. You know how the other half lived? And now we're watching reality TV. And you know when it first kind of started, I was trying to think of some of the initial reality shows that were on. Do you remember some of the first ones that kind of started this whole phase?
Speaker 2:I'm not sure if I remember like the first ones, but I do remember the ones that really took off like Survivor, survivor yeah and yeah you know those things like that um, so we were watching the other night.
Speaker 1:Not only you know lifestyles of the rich and famous, but then we were kind of watching. You know, uh, cribs. You know, do you remember that show, the? Oh, the MTV Cribs, yeah, mtv Cribs. And then you know we kind of went into these Real Housewives and then now we've got these ships, like Mediterranean ships that they sail, and they've got reality crews on them and stuff. What reality shows do you watch?
Speaker 2:Do you watch any, Bobby? I do, and we've both been sick lately so we've both had lots of time to kind of lay on the couch and watch some as I call it, trash TV.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've had pneumonia We've had pneumonia yeah we both have walking pneumonia and has been going through my, my house, and so that's why we you'll hear kind of cops. Our voices are a little different, you know, not only because of the distance, but because we've both been sick right um. But, like recently, trash tv has been um a show called Love After Lockup.
Speaker 1:Okay, love After Lockup Okay, and what's that about?
Speaker 2:Is that like you find love in prison? Actually it is what so like these people find, like you know, through pen pals or you know these websites I don't know datinginmatecom, I don't know what it's called, but you know, these people are like oh, I start talking to this person who's incarcerated and now we're in love and as soon as they get out we're going to get married. And then, like it shows them getting out and like shit just hits the fan because these people have been incarcerated for 12 years and they think that everything's just going to be fine and dandy.
Speaker 1:Yeah you're going to be my one true love. When I get out of here after 12 years, I'm going to stick with you. I'm not going to go after anybody else. This is going to be my mission in life. And yeah, how does that work out? Not good, not good.
Speaker 2:Yeah so.
Speaker 1:I'm. You know I I gotta be honest with you. I watched some of the. I've watched some of the Real Housewives, you know, like Real Housewives of I don't know Beverly Hills or Atlanta. I don't even know where they're at anyway. It just seems interesting that, you know, everybody thinks that they've got such a rough life, and I just look at these people, who are quite wealthy, I must say, and they're living a quite good lives, um and um, oh, I was thinking back to one of the very first ones that came out. It was paris hilton and her friend. I don't even remember who her friend was.
Speaker 2:Um, okay, so, um, oh gosh, what was her name?
Speaker 1:paris hilton, and yeah lionel, richie's daughter, lionel's daughter. Anyway, that was one of the first ones and, of course you know, here's Paris Hilton, who was super rich, nicole. Richie Nicole Richie that's right, and they used to go around to these different, you know, homes and they would stay with people and they would go to like farmhouses and stay on the farms and people would expect them the simple life, yeah, and so you know, it was kind of in, it was kind of unique to see, oh, she's very, very wealthy and how would she adapt to?
Speaker 1:you know the simple life and and you know what they know and what they don't know, and so I do remember that being one of them. And you know, now we're to the point where we've got these people who are literally very, very wealthy. I mean, we don't live like them. We don't drive Rolls Royces, we don't, you know, go out to eat and we don't take the trips that they take. No, don't get me wrong, we go out to eat, but we don't go out to eat to the places that they eat and we certainly don't make a scene like they do, and, um, some of the clothing, of course.
Speaker 2:And do you think that they're buying those clothes? I don't even know where half of those clothes come from oh, I'm sorry we were talking about designer clothes.
Speaker 1:That's something that's out of your realm because you could care less about that. Yours is more car hearts and you know jeans, um, which is cool. But yeah, I mean some of the designer clothes and stuff I think. Do they get that given to them? Are they loaned to them, you know, are they?
Speaker 2:right, like the red carpet, where they get to wear it once and then they come take it back. Yeah, or like how does that even work?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I was watching one the other day and this gal, one of the gals on one of the shows, had to. They were arranging flights back after a trip and she had to fly in in a regular plane. They weren't taking a private plane and she was just pitching a fit and I thought and she was just making such a big deal, I haven't flown commercial in years. I, you know. And I just thought, wow, you know, we. If we have an issue where something goes down in this world and you're going to have to fend for yourself or you're going to have to, you know, if we have an issue where something goes down in this world and you're going to have to fend for yourself or you're going to have to, you know, live the simple life.
Speaker 2:You're not going to make it Right, right, I don't think that Prada bag is going to do you much good.
Speaker 1:No, no, and yeah, that stuff is super expensive. And you know, the thing is, is I, I, I personally used to think that, you know, money would kind of help and make you happy, and we both know that's not true, right?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean yes and no.
Speaker 1:Maybe I'm the only one who knows that that's not true. I don't know. Um, you know I mean money, certainly. If you don't have that load on your mind and you don't have that concern, right then it's, it's really. It's really one less thing that you have to worry about. But on the other hand, you know whether you've got money or prestige, or you know social acceptance out there or you're an influencer. The fact of the matter is is you're susceptible to everything. You're susceptible to the dangers, you're susceptible to the diseases you know, to all of the anxieties, to yeah Well, and money, you know money is not going to change the core of who you are.
Speaker 2:Who you are without money and who you are with money is basically the same person. But you know, I think with money you're allowed to be more of that person than you are like without money. So like, let's say, you're just, I mean, you're just a real asshole to people. And you know, without money everybody's like oh yeah, you know, he's just, you know like that. But with money you've got a bigger stage to be a bigger one.
Speaker 1:Right, right, you've got more people listening to you, right.
Speaker 2:Right, and that's you know, and that's on the side of like, like the influencers. Influencers like we were talking about, like social media influencers um, you know, and that's a good segue to it, because a lot of you know nowadays tiktok and instagram and everything they allow basic people.
Speaker 2:You know, people who are nobody, who have no talent who have no platform right, you know, and all of a sudden everybody's listening to them and, and what you know, one that has been front page, you know, everywhere right now, um has been the 17 diapers lady. Have you heard of her? Uh-uh, no, I haven't, okay, so she goes by. Um, hannah, the nurse, I believe, is her TikTok name and she made it big because she, you know, was postpartum, her baby was brand new and she made a video of her walking around the house picking up 17 dirty diapers that she had neglected to throw away. Okay, now, to someone like you, you know, and a lot of people, they jumped in and said, oh my God, that's so disgusting, how can she live like that? That's 17 diapers. She didn't.
Speaker 2:And to a lot of us, you know it was. We looked at it. As this woman is postpartum, her husband's not there, she has a toddler and a new baby. Those 17 diapers represented 17 times that that baby was changed and cared for. So it was really, you know, a split. And this woman, I mean, she shot to fame on TikTok with this and now it's coming out. You know all of us have skeletons in the closet that you know that we don't want a lot of people to know about. I'm sure you know that we don't want a lot of people to know about, I'm sure. But now it's come out that she really is a piece of garbage and everybody that was sticking up for her is kind of backtracking on it.
Speaker 1:Hmm, that's interesting. I mean that is a good point that you know if you are picking up 17 diapers, that's 17 points of attention. That you at least gave that child right. I mean, at least you're changing the diaper Well, and the concept of it.
Speaker 2:You know it was pure. It was showing a woman postpartum. You know, who may be struggling with depression, anxiety, tiredness, taking care of this baby and this toddler, anxiety, tiredness, taking care of this baby and this toddler. But on the other side of that, you know, when you, when you open yourself up to these platforms, to these people, to this real, you know new version of reality tv, as we put it, on tiktok and things, you're opening up your life to these people. And if you have these skeletons in your closet, they're coming out and they're coming out hard. And and once you know, once you rise to fame like that, once you put yourself out there, there's no stopping it and people are going to dig up dirt. They're going to find everything. You know, everybody talks about these famous people and their dirt and everything it's.
Speaker 1:It just goes on and on. And the other thing is is um, you know, I gotta be honest with you. Let's talk about even some of the talk shows. Okay, people are gonna find out about you talk show hosts, actresses, actors, you know filmmakers. Just because you have that microphone, just because you have that camera in your face, doesn't make you an expert, doesn't make you politically correct, it does not mean that your opinion matters in that particular case. And I got to be honest with you. Any of these actors and actresses that, or you know artists that avoid talking about politics and things that really are none, you know, I mean, they're not experts in that field.
Speaker 1:You want to talk about a song? Let's hear about the song. You want to talk about the movie you made perfect, but other than that. I don't want to hear about your child child rearing skills. I don't want to hear about your political beliefs. I don't need to hear any of that business because you're not a freaking expert, you're not right and a lot of a lot of the stars have gotten in trouble about that.
Speaker 2:you know there's been like who was it? Jenny McCartney went off on her health kick and was giving health advice and advice that you should only get from a doctor and things like that, and I really do think that they kind of overstepped their bounds on that.
Speaker 1:And people believe them. That's the whole thing, right?
Speaker 1:And that's dangerous, absolutely it's dangerous, and hence this is where the influencers come in. This is where these influencers come in. They know nothing about mental illness. They know nothing about anxiety, only what they've experienced themselves. And they know nothing about politics. They know nothing about religion Don't talk about it.
Speaker 1:Why are you trying to influence, particularly our children and our young adolescents? Why are you trying to influence them when you don't know shit? Sorry, but you don't. You just exactly just because you've got the? Um, uh, tiktok, you know, just because you've got a podcast, just because you don't know. I mean, we're the first ones to say we got a podcast, but we don't know shit. Right, we don't know anything. We're not experts on anything. All we do is we like to laugh, we like to laugh, we like to talk and we like to get some points out there for people to think about. That's it, that's all. And we're just trying to spread love, that's all. But when I hear people talking politically and hate things, or they're influencing our young teenagers, um, you know, when it comes to beauty tips, or you know, come on, come on right, I mean right.
Speaker 2:and a lot of them see, you know, even these reality tv shows, they're like oh my gosh, this is real, like, and people need to understand that reality TV isn't reality TV. This is not security cameras in someone's home. Reality TV, while it's not scripted down to the last sentence, is scripted, right. I mean there's a point. You know they do things for dramatic effect and they, you know, aim things in the way that they want to go and things like that.
Speaker 1:Right, you know, aim things in the way that they want to go and things like that Right, and I think about you know, some of the reality shows I watch really are, you know, home improvements and cooking shows. That's about all I've got. But you know, even then, when you, when you think back of when these reality shows started, like Mike Rowe started with Dirty Jobs I don't even remember what it was, but he was doing these dirty jobs Then all of a sudden, the people who are working on homes are now actors.
Speaker 2:Now they're acting.
Speaker 1:It's like weren't you just swinging a hammer? Weren't you just swinging a hammer and you know, working the working end of a screwdriver earlier and now you're like acting and right or even cooking shows, I think.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, but let's be honest, our country kind of goes along with that because, I mean, you know, ronald reagan, he, he was an actor, he was, and then he was president of the united states. Jimmy carter, who's president of the united states, goes and builds houses.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean well, true, yeah, that was, that was just the other way. Yeah, I and don't get me wrong you know I love to hear about things like and I I wasn't, you know, a Jimmy Carter fan by any stretch, but you know, I mean what they did for people building homes, and you know, when you're out there helping other people, I'm all for that, I really am, I'm all for that. Know, criticizing uh somebody because of what they wear they're not wearing designer clothes, oh my goodness. Their makeup, oh, their hair, oh, that's so you know, last year. You know, grow up, grow up. In the whole scheme of things, you know, I gotta be honest, it isn't gonna matter and it doesn't matter now I mean how you treat people.
Speaker 1:you know how just be, know, just be kind and quit acting like you're all that why?
Speaker 2:would you want to use it, you know, as a way to tear other people down? Why wouldn't you use that as a way of saying, hey, we're all different, this is what I like. I'm not pressuring you to like it, you know. And if you don't like it, good, you know. Great, I'm happy for you. Right, you know I don't understand the people that you know simply target on these. You know these influencers and these platforms that want to go on and say, well, you're wrong for this or they're wrong for this. And it might be that they're wrong, but that's none of your damn business to be calling out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the other thing, you know, I've I've seen some um, oh gosh, who was it? Maybe it was Jennifer Garner, I don't even remember who it was but somebody made a comment about oh, you're remember who it was. But somebody made a comment about oh, you're fat or you're gaining weight, and I just think God dang. Is that all you've got to do is criticize somebody else? I mean, look internally first and foremost, improve yourself first and foremost, and then think about what you can do to help other people, as opposed to tearing them down. Tearing somebody down only shows the fear that you have inside of you. That's all it is. It's fear that's inside of you that wants you to tear somebody else down so that you know your light will shine brighter. Well, it doesn't. Your light doesn't shine brighter that way.
Speaker 2:Right. And that's not to say, you know, don't stand. I'm not telling people like, don't stand up for what you believe in. Like you know, if there's an injustice that needs to be called out, if there's something going on going to, you know, say that this is the only path. Or you know my ideas are the only ideas that are correct. And if you don't believe that, well then you're just wrong. Don't do that. You know, call out the injustice, Say what can we do together and before it, because I mean, you know, hey, I'm a fatter girl. And if somebody wants to sit there and be like, hey, well, you're fat, I'm going to be, like, well, you know, what's really bad for your health is not minding your own business, Because I'm telling you why that's right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's going to be unhealthy for them to do that Very unhealthy.
Speaker 2:Very unhealthy.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, I guess where we're going with this is on reality show. You know they call it reality but it's not really reality, folks. And yeah, there's people out there selling pictures of their feet and they're making a lot of money in there. You know, I saw somebody on TikTok that said I sell my morning breath now in a Ziploc bag.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, the girl that burps in the jars, oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1:Now you know if that's all your life is about is just having money and selling, you know, and just popularity and having your 15 minutes of fame, you know what. As long as you don't affect me and mine, I guess that's okay if that's what you want to do, but please don't go after these young kids, you know, with that stupidity. That's all I'm saying right is just.
Speaker 2:I mean, they struggle enough with their own stupidity.
Speaker 1:You don't need anything piled on top of that, hey we got our own issues, let alone try to try and influence somebody else. Well, I think that I think we've kind of crushed that for the day anyway. So I think that's it for today. Listen, we appreciate everybody and we want you to make sure that you like us, follow us and subscribe to us. We have a website and, excuse me, not a website a Facebook page. Facebook page yes, Our Facebook page is up and running and it is a Boomer and Gen Xer. Walk into a bar. Look us up If you have some positive comments or you have a topic. These topics actually come from you guys, and so if you have a topic you want us to talk about, please send it over to us. We've got another one that's coming up that's kind of related to this. That'll be coming up here soon and we'll be talking about that and we'd love to hear from you. So, anyway, in the meantime, I'm Jane Burt and I'm Bobby Joy and you're stuck with us. Peace out Later.