While reality TV has quickly regressed into a breeding ground for affable hillbillies, drunk stereotypes and the most genuinely terrible people one could ever meet, it’s important to remember that it actually does have a purpose. At its best, reality TV provides a window into segments of culture that don’t get the attention they deserve. They give a spotlight to those who’ve spent their lives honing their craft. In a medium where a fraction of a percent of a handful of people ever get their due, it can occasionally be the great equalizer.
With that in mind, here’s the sizzle reel for a new reality show from porn site Broke Straight Boys. The concept is simple: the show is a behind-the-scenes look at the stable of guys who perform for them, examining both the production of porn as well as their own day-to-day lives and personal relationships.
As a character piece, it’s promising. Yes, the trailer does promise that special blend of interpersonal drama and excessive glamour that’s become part and parcel of reality TV, but most of these guys seem genuinely good-natured. They’re just trying to have what everyone else does — a loving relationship, a stable job, all that — but the path they chose is slightly different. In a genre that embraces fame through differing venues, a show based on Broke Straight Boys would fall on the more intriguing end of the spectrum.