You'd think that Stuart Krasnow and Ben Silverman worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One gabs about nicotine addiction, the other touts the benefits of veggies and fiber; both bemoan the toxic American lifestyle. But this is Hollywood, these guys are producers and they're putting a new twist on reality TV: better health. Their two new shows--Krasnow's "Cold Turkey," which debuted on PAX last week, and Silverman's "The Biggest Loser," premiering on NBC next week--entice a bunch of smoking or overweight Americans into kicking their nasty habits. This being reality TV, it's not just about who ate too many carbs: there are group houses, personality clashes, temptations (a pile of doughnuts, a cute blonde offering up her smokes). And, yes, oodles of prize money.
Medicine has been good fodder for TV drama. "Marcus Welby, M.D." was the No. 1 show in 1970; "ER" is now in its 11th season. Health as entertainment has been largely scripted. On "The Biggest Loser," by contrast, two teams of overweight men and women (the heftiest at 436 pounds) say and bare all--and it's not a pretty sight. There's cellulite galore, nerve-racking weigh-ins and a lot of sweat and frustration. "Cold Turkey" contestants ditch their cigarettes, then puke, break out in acne, get cranky and yell a lot. Says cast member Calvin Smith, 24: "This isn't about actors' being all fabulous. It's the real deal."
Not exactly. Most people don't win big bucks ($250,000 for "The Biggest Loser" winner) or become media celebs for getting healthy. Some docs, without having seen the shows, worry that reality tactics could sensationalize serious health issues and stigmatize contestants (though you wouldn't know it by the more than 4,000 who applied to be on "The Biggest Loser"). And then there's the question of motivation: "Cold Turkey" cast members, for example, were tricked into coming on a show they thought would let them live out a fantasy--going on a safari or designing fashion--and then lured into quitting smoking. Krasnow calls it "edgy." Dr. Donna Shelley, of Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, says that in the real real world, "people have to want to quit."
Still, with one quarter of Americans smoking and two thirds overweight or obese, doctors aren't exactly winning the lifestyle war. Even Shelley says the shows, which have medical consultants onboard, could provide a public service. It's entertainment, says producer Silverman, who points to the success of the documentary "Super Size Me" as an indication of viewer interest, "but it also gives people an opportunity to transform their lives." For TV, the goal is ratings. For the rest of America, the challenge is far more serious.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
