When I came to America three years ago, I was very curious about what kind of TV programs were popular in the U.S. I started watching TV with my first roommate, Jennifer, whose favorite shows were on the Reality TV channel. She really liked watching every episode of “Cops” and obsessed over “American Idol”. She would become upset, cry, or be very happy with these shows, which reminded me of reality show reactions in Japan.
We have many reality TV shows with similar line-ups, such as “Kesatsu 24ji” (Cops 24hours), “Aidoru Bangumi” (Idol competition show), and ”Kin^niku Banzuke” (Ultimate Figher Programs). Some of my friends in Japan also have emotional attachments to these shows, displaying a sense of empathy to the people in the shows. I was not interested in watching these programs in Japan, but in America, I like to watch Cops, The Rattlesnake Republic, and Hard Core Pawn. I feel that these are real America, and that I am learning about parts of American society that I would otherwise not know.