Reality Doesn't Bite

For all the nay-saying around reality TV, there is one thing critics can't deny: They can really boost a career. Think of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Even Elisabeth Hasselbeck, better known as the Republican one on The View, got her start on Survivor. But it's not just the contestants that get a bump. It seems more and more that everyone involved with a successful show can ride on the rating's coattails.

First, there are the judges. Paula Abdul's departure from American Idol last week made huge headlines. The thrust of commentary surrounded not so much what the show would do without Abdul, but what Abdul would do without Idol. The exposure she got from the show allowed her to make a second stab at a singing career, and to parlay her sometimes strange judging antics into a second reality show about how those Idol antics spill over into her own time.

And it's not just the judges. Look at the hosts. Sure, Ryan Seacrest was already doing pretty well for himself as an LA radio deejay when American Idol hit. But now, his radio show is syndicated nationwide and the New York Times reports that his current contract at Idol dwarfs Abdul's. And the reality platform is even more helpful for formerly forgotten celebrities. Look at Mario Lopez. Were it not for the popular MTV hit America's Best Dance Crew, Lopez might forever be remembered only as Slater.

This is not to say that reality shows are just a D-list incubator. Even bona fide stars want a piece of the viewership. Sunday night's Dance Crew premiere teased that superstar Beyonce might make an appearance next week. No Doubt showed up on Idol. Ellen Degeneres appeared on So You Think You Can Dance.

If you're still dubious about how much a well-watched reality show can do for a star, just ask yourself, what would David Hasselhoff be doing without America's Got Talent?

Photo courtesy of Leunix, via Flickr