The Emmys are scared of reality television. There, I just had to get that out there. There is a wide, varied world of reality television available but the Emmys only have three measly categories for reality programming, and one of them has been dominated by The Amazing Race ever since it was created (give or take a bone thrown to Top Chef).
Your 800 channels are absolutely littered with reality shows of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Everything from Jersey Shore to Deadliest Catch, Keeping up with the Kardashians to The Biggest Loser, Hoarders to Hoarding: Buried Alive to Confessions: Animal Hoarding. See what I’m talking about? There is a ton out there! That’s why I decided that, since the Academy of Television Arts and Silliness won’t make up an awards show just for reality TV programming I thought I would do it for them. Below are some categories and potential nominees. Who do you think should win?
Best Competitive Reality Show, Non-Professional, Non-Singing
Big Brother
Survivor
Glass House
Celebrity Apprentice
Dancing with the Stars
American Ninja Warrior
The Bachelor
Best Professional Competition
Top Chef
America’s Next Top Model
Project Runway
Face-Off
RuPaul’s Drag Race
So You Think You Can Dance
Best Singing Competition
American Idol
The X-Factor
Duets
The Voice
The Glee Project
The Sing Off
Best Professional Documentary, Tough
Deadliest Catch
Ice Road Truckers
Pawn Stars
Cops
Bering Sea Gold
Dirty Jobs
Best Professional Documentary, Non-Tough
Ceaser Milan: Dog Whisperer
Storage Wars
DC Cupcake
Tabatha Takes Over
Undercover Boss
Gigolos
Best Celebrity Documentary, Non-Kardashian
Coco’s World
Braxton Family Values
Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best
TI & Tiny: The Family Hustle
Married to Jonas
Guiliana & Bill
Best Celebrity Documentary, Kardashian
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Khloe & Lamar
Kourtney & Kim Take New York
Dancing with the Stars
Best Women Fighting Show
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Real Housewives of Atlanta
Bad Girls Club
Mob Wives
Basketball Wives
The View
Best Real Life Documentary, Rural
Swamp People
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo
Teen Mom
Small Town Security
19 Kids and Counting
My Big, Fat American Gypsy Wedding
Best Real Life Documentary, Urban
Jersey Shore
Shahs of Sunset
The Real World
Gallery Girls
Push Girls
Best Make Over Show
The Biggest Loser
Made
My Fair Wedding
What Not to Wear
Property Brothers
Best Real Estate Porn
House Hunters
Million Dollar Listing
Selling New York
Flipping Out
Best Hoarding Show
Hoarders
Hoarding: Buried Alive
Confessions: Animal Hoarding
Most Tolerable Exploitation of Psychological Disorders
Intervention
Hoarders
My Strange Addiction
Extreme Couponing
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Best Villain, Male
Colton Combie, Survivor
Willie Hantz, Big Brother
Jeff Lewis, Flipping Out
Simon Cowell, The X-Factor
The Situation, The Bachelor
Dave Hester, Storage Wars
Best Villain, Female
Courtney Robinson, The Bachelor
NeNe Leakes, Real Housewives of Atlanta
Abby Lee Miller, Dance Moms
Aubrey O’Day, Celebrity Apprentice
Ramona Singer, Real Housewives of New York
Drita D’Avanzo, Mob Wives
Best Hero, Female
Rachel Trueheart, Bachelor Pad
Britney Haynes, Big Brother
Caroline Manzo, Real Housewives of New Jersey
Stacey London, What Not to Wear
Khloe Kardashian, Every Show on E!
Big Ang, Mob Wives
Best Reality Television Program Recapper
Brian Moylan
Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan
More:
2012 Emmy Longshots: Great American Tragedy ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’
2012 Emmy Awards: Who Will Win and Who Should Win at the Emmys