Homeless Real World

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-05-04 19:57:00 UTC
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Coming to a small screen near you: Homeless Real World.

Well, that's the working title. It goes like this: four Mile High City filmmakers looking to capitalize on the presence of MTV's Real World Denver set out to document the lives of six people living on the streets. The team captured 160 hours of footage, but it never aired. Why? It was deemed to risque.

Sure, anyone can imagine why a reality show that follows the trials and tribulations of homeless people could be perhaps a little too real. Yet millions of people are glued to their televisions each week to watch celebrities getting fired by Donald Trump.

Seems "reality" is acceptable so long as it's not too real.

I must admit: whenever I see videos about homeless people that are highly edited, my 'POVERTY PORN' alert goes off. Do the producers aim to cash in on the hardship of others, or is their goal to shed light on an important issue? I mean, the stories of people on the streets and in shelters are profound enough (as our very own Mark Horvath demonstrates each week). So adding all those bells and whistles just detracts from the moving power of the human story.

Relevant or exploitative? Profound or outrageous? You decide:

Homeless Real World (sizzle reel) from Broadcasting & Cable on Vimeo.

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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