The "Reality" of the Average Joe Schmo

Some may think reality TV has been pushing the limits of taste, but audiences have been eating it up. "The Joe Schmo Show" is next along this line of programming and is just as delicious as ever.\nThe premise is Joe (aka Matt Kennedy Gould) lives in a mansion competing with eight other people for $100,000 on "Lap of Luxury." However, this is an elaborate hoax with all the characters playing stereotypes of different people from other reality shows while following scripted story lines. Matt is the uber-nice guy among characters so over the top (ranging from the virgin to the raging jerk) that Matt's oblivion to his surroundings is almost unbelievable. This "reality" show plays on everything from elimination ceremonies to goodbye speeches. For instance, in the first episode, one character's speech was so similar to Susan from the first "Survivor's" snakes-and-rats speech that even the actors were amazed at Matt's cluelessness.\nThis is entertaining not only to watch the actors squirm to keep character and the exaggerated challenges and events but to find what will happen when Matt discovers he is a center of a large joke. Perhaps The Truman Show said it best with, "We accept the reality that is presented." Matt is such a stereotype it is hard to believe he's not an actor himself. Whether he knows or not, the show is an entertaining ride. I'll be eating it up.