Image of local hipster Bryant Boesen — one of the many hopefuls who have auditioned for RHOV.
Is the show for real and why it shouldn’t be
By Jacey Gibb, Assistant Editor
Terrible. Bad. Horrendous. Spider-Man 3. There are plenty of different synonyms for the word awful, and while I could exhaust the entire thesaurus using them all to describe the upcoming reality show Real Hipsters of Vancouver, I’ll save us both some time and just stick to calling it a cultural atrocity.
Two months ago, a peculiar craigslist ad emerged calling for locals to audition for a new reality show centred on hipster culture in Vancouver. While first theorized to be a practical joke, the show has been increasingly gaining buzz and credibility, with a Twitter account to its name and an actual website.
For those curious about what the show will be like, the website describes the series as a docu-soap that follows “the drama and chaos surrounding the eclectic lives of counter-culture artists of all kinds.” The series’ name is a similar style to the wretched mega-franchise Real Housewives of (Insert city here), though it’s unclear if the show’s format will share similarities. One thing the two shows do have in common: they’re both offensive to my senses.
First off, let’s address the use of the word hipster, a term so wildly dated that it could apply for heritage status. Hipster is one of those words that lack a definitive definition, meaning it’s a word that doesn’t carry much credibility. Everyone flings the word around like it’s monkey feces, but no one really knows what a hipster is. It’s usually used by someone trying to prove a mundane point, but the mere presence of the word in an argument results in an immediate disqualification on account of linguistic ignorance.
But let’s pretend this fictitious, all-encompassing social group does in fact exist. They immediately distance themselves from anything remotely popular, ooze pessimism and condescension, and embrace the exclusive things in life; do you really think someone who takes pride in operating socially incognito would apply to be on a show documenting their activities? The applicants to the show—and likely the people who end up being featured—will be individuals who are so eager (desperate) for fame that they’ll adopt any persona to get there. The handful of audition videos that have made their way onto YouTube are unbearably painful to watch, as you witness several individuals trying their hardest in under five minutes to prove that they’re worth more than a fraction of your time.
The mere concept of “reality television” is such faux pas garbage: name one show that has managed to avoid allegations of forgery/fabrication. The main reason behind this fictional fluffing is that reality is traditionally boring. There are always characters and fun times to be had, but when it comes down to it, who could actually sustain a weekly show with their antics? If you answered an enthusiastic “I could!” then congrats. I imagine this show will be wildly successful and that auditions for season two will commence immediately.
