Has the Entertainment Industry run out of original ideas?
by Lizkempo
This is a very interesting question, but also a very broad one. The phrase 'Entertainment Industry' covers such a wide spectrum of things, from TV, film to the stage, musicals, plays, and stand up, dancing, music. I do not believe that the whole of the entertainment industry has run out of originality; however certain sectors do have a tendency to over do a good idea.
One example of this would be the latest 'Reality TV' phenomena, an absolutely tremendous idea; however it has now been so over done that all originality has blown out of the window. The format first came to my knowledge when 11 contestants entered the Big Brother house for the first time. The idea was original, putting 11 strangers from different walks of life into a house together for weeks with no contact with the out side world, add a few cameras and see what happens. The first Big Brother was a hit! It caused quite a sensation, everyone was talking about it, some loved some hated but they all still talked about it. Now three Big Brothers later and two celebrity Big Brothers later the format has become old and stale, and all originality has gone.
Unfortunately our TV Companies have a habit of over doing good ideas, the Reality TV phenomena has totally taken over television at the moment with shows like 'The Salon'; a hair salon with cameras, an original idea no body can deny, and I admit when it first came out I was interested but now that the second series has come out, I can't believe people still tune in to watch! Shows like Holiday Showdown and Wife Swap are also top viewing; I think this says more about the TV Viewers of today than it does about the Entertainment Industry, they will keep producing what the viewers want, as long ratings are good then reality TV will be done to death.
In other areas such as the stage, live theatre is always producing original ideas. I recently went to see 'Jerry Springer the Opera', it is the most original idea I have seen in a long time, turning an American chat show into an Opera, what an idea, and it certainly is not like your traditional musical. It incorporated the format of a musical of course, singing, dancing and acting; it had a narrative, a beginning, middle and an end but the content and context was totally different. It took risks and was cutting edge, and my word it was the funniest thing I have seen. Can you imagine going to see an Opera staring Jerry Springer with a chorus made up of transvestites, hillbillies, White Trash, prostitutes and a grown man obsessed with wearing nappies and living in a cot?
The music industry has taken a nosedive recently as well, with shows such as 'Pop Stars', 'Pop Idol' and 'Fame Academy' taken over the charts. Again all original ideas; but stop after the first time around!! These programmes I know have caused much debate about the Pop industry, raising issues about talent verses image, and are manufactured bands talented etc. All this is brilliant, but it has to stop somewhere.
I am a professional actress so the entertainment is something I take a keen interest in. Throughout my training I found that stand-up comedy is one of the hardest things to do. I believe that to be a good stand-up performer you require bags of originality. You need to have new material all the time otherwise you become dry and stale.
Within theatre there is more room to explore new ideas to take risks without offending anyone. People who go to the theatre seem to expect a lot more new ideas. However, if new ideas are explored on television people feel as though they are being put upon, almost as if they are being intruded, this I think is because a TV is in your living room these shows are infecting your living room, whereas if you go to the theatre it is less personal.
Like a stand-up comedian who had an original act to start with, the entertainment industry tends to over do these ideas until they too become dry and stale.
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