Are Reality Television Marriages Doomed?

A new television reality series, "Harry Loves Lisa," about a Hollywood married couple and their personal life aired last week. Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna's new show is on TV Land for six episodes. Will taking the plunge to expose their personal, marital, and family life on a television reality series cause them to join the long line of other reality series marriages that ended in break-ups? Can Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna beat the reality marriage curse or are all reality television marriages doomed? Harry Hamlin reports he wanted to do this show as a way to work with his wife. You can view more details at the link below.

http://www.tvland.com/shows/harry-loves-lisa

Radar Online reported on October 11^th, 2010, Bryan and Jennifer Masche from, "Raising Sextuplets," on the WE channel just filed for a legal separation. Jennifer allegedly filed and Bryan allegedly was arrested for a disorderly domestic abuse allegation against a family member. The couple seemed to be happy as they worked together raising their large family until the pressures started to break down their marriage. You can read further details on their alleged marital problems at the link below.

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/10/exclusive-raising-sextuplets-couple-refuse-tape-episode-about-their-broken

Why do people make the decision to air their dirty laundry, their marriage, on television? As viewer's we're avidly curious about dirty details of people's lives, especially celebrities. As Hollywood stars we expect them to expose their personal lives, because we as the fans are the ones who make these individuals famous, by showing interest and paying our hard earned salaries to view their talents. Being in the public eye makes fans expect to have the right to know everything. The decision to allow cameras into celebrity's homes and expose their marriages to the public has to be a difficult one. Can you imagine having a camera follow you around 24/7? What dirty details would you want the public to discover?

Do people have a need to be famous either one way or another, and do reality series enhance marriages or curse them? There have been multiple marriage and family reality television shows. I reveal a few famous television reality series and the marriages that have failed maybe due to reality television. Do you believe there is a reality television marriage curse? Marriage is difficult enough, divorce rate is at 50%, with celebrity marriages at a higher risk.

The recent popular reality television series, "Jon and Kate Plus Eight," on TLC, about a couple raising sextuplets and a set of twins ran for several years. After five years it exposed the tragic and dramatic breakdown of their marriage on screen, with a divorce following. Presently Kate continues on in reality television, having done, "Dancing With The Stars," and presently, "Kate Plus Eight," on TLC, appearing without her ex-husband Jon. The link to read more about Kate's new show is below.

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/kate-plus-eight/

Hulk Hogan, a professional wrestler/television star and his wife, Linda Bollea, portrayed a happy and devoted marriage and family on their reality show, "Hogan Knows Best." Afterwards Hulk Hogan revealed their happy marriage and family life turned into a farce on air, with allegations of abuse and infidelity until it all exploded into Linda filing for divorce. Their marriage and family life off camera revealed concealed major problems. "Hogan Knows Best," ran on, VH1, from 2005-2007. Today Hulk Hogan continues on doing reality television. Hulk Hogan and his ex-wife are now dating other people, with Linda dating a younger man, a friend of Nick, their son. You can read more at the link below.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/hogan_knows_best/season_1/series.jhtml

The ever popular and sweet, "Newlyweds," starred Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. The reality series aired Nick and Jessica's life as they planned their wedding and continued on revealing their professional and personal life. "Newlyweds," ran for four seasons, revealing increasing arguments and a change in their romantic relationship. Jessica Simpson filed for divorce with their marriage ending rather quickly after the reality series. Nick Lachey has reported the stress of trying to start a new life as a married couple was difficult due to cameras following them around. You can still view info about, "Newlyweds," at the link below.

http://www.mtv.com/shows/newlyweds-nick_and_jessica/series.jhtml

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline aired their young marriage on, "Chaotic," in 2005. Their marriage lasted two years and produced two children. Whether they married for the wrong reasons or did reality television doom their marriage, will be an unanswered question. The link to the no longer running, "Chaotic," reality television series is below.

http://tv.msn.com/tv/series/britney-and-kevin-chaotic/

Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro, on, "Till Death Do Us Part," in 2004, showed their wedding plans as they promised their eternal love in marriage. They had a dramatic rock and roll wedding. In 2006 Carmen filed for divorce. She reports the reality series had nothing to do with their break-up. Check out the link below for, "Till Death Do Us Part."

http://www.mtv.com/onair/till_death/carmen_dave/

"Little People, Big World," is a reality series about the Roloff family. Matt and Amy are little people and they have four children. Zach, one of their sons is a fraternal twin and happens to be a little person. Matt and Amy Roloff in the five seasons of their reality show have exposed some difficulties in their marriage, finding them growing apart and Amy pondering divorce at times. Does having their marriage exposed on reality television affect their relationship? "Little People, Big World," is airing their final episodes in their sixth season right now. The link to their show is below.

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/little-people-big-world/

But then again there is a reality television show that shows a loving long term relationship. "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," starring, Gene Simmons from Kiss and his family. Gene Simmons has been involved in a long term relationship of over twenty-five years with, Shannon Tweed. They have two children, Nick and Sophie. It's probably unfair to include them in this list because Gene Simmons has a strong adversity to marriage even though he is a devoted, faithful, long term boyfriend. Will Gene beat the reality television curse on marriage because he continues to refuse to marry Shannon, his long time companion and mother of his two children? You can follow their story at the link below.

http://www.aetv.com/gene-simmons-family-jewels/

So the saga continues and also the question of whether marriages are doomed on reality television because there may be a reality series marriage curse. You decide.

The End