Tears on the screen: Bodily emotionalism in Reality-Tv

Authors

  • Anja Maria Hirdman Department of Journalism, media and Communication

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS512011435

Keywords:

media stdies, emotion, tears, reality-tv

Abstract

Abstract What we are witnessing in our contemporary culture is not just a hunger after reality, but a quest for a very specific experience where the body plays an essential part. A sign for this is the growing focus on tears in television. The article studies the construction of bodily emotionalism in reality programs where corporeal signs such as tears confirm the display of emotional authenticity. The specific value placed on tears in our culture is discussed in relation to the mediums emotional script, the authentic claims of the genre and as a cultural longing after transparency where the ´truth´ somehow resides within the body. Keywords: emotion, tears, reality-tv, authenticity.

Author Biography

Anja Maria Hirdman, Department of Journalism, media and Communication

Associate professor, department of Journalism, Media and Communication

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Published

2011-03-21

How to Cite

Hirdman, A. M. (2011). Tears on the screen: Bodily emotionalism in Reality-Tv. Observatorio (OBS*), 5(1). https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS512011435

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2011)

Section

Articles

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