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Hiss the villain or get out of the kitchen

Reality TV villains really shouldn't complain when the audience is doing exactly what the network wants.

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My Kitchen Rules contestant Jennifer Evans has hit out at online critics of her appearance in the Seven show.

And it’s only Week One of MKR.

“The people that go online to say bad things like that are clearly too gutless to say it to my face,”  Evans told Adelaide Advertiser.

“They stay in their little dark rooms typing anonymous comments with nothing better to do. I haven’t experienced anyone saying anything like that when they see me on the street. Most people say I make them laugh and that what I say is refreshing.”

Discounting the fact that most viewers wouldn’t be able to vent their feelings to her face for logistic reasons, this is pretty harsh.

To be clear, nobody needs to be subjected to hatred or, as previous MKR contestants have received in the past, online threats. Audience backlash did get out of hand for Deni Hines on Celebrity Apprentice however her on-air comments were also of a violent nature.

But the Seven Network has clearly painted Evans as its first MKR villain, from the moment it labelled her a “Princess.” Select editing highlights these points. There are even Twitter hashtags on screen to encourage audience dialogue.

So don’t complain when you get it.

Reality shows of this nature want us to cheer for heroes and hiss the villain, and Evans has been well cast on that score.

Most of the time the network fuels the flames.

Last night Today Tonight jumped on board with a “Princess in the Kitchen” story. Frequently when such controversies arise, the network also wheels out the main suspects on Sunrise to defend their position. It’s a marketing cycle that Seven has perfected.

Opinionated criticism for a show that is rating 1.5m viewers is also far better than apathy. Just ask The Renovators.

Maybe if we see Producers coming out to slam online comment then we’ll know they are serious.

“If I can help bring ratings to the show it can only be a good thing,” Evans said.

Which kinda sums up the whole thing.

33 Responses

  2. @Jonno, I believe Jennifer works for her husband as a PA in his business. If she has an IQ of 150, I would be utterly astonished. That would put her in the top 0.002% or so of the population, an IQ that high is a very rare thing. if she’s a genius, she’s doing a marvellous job of covering it up, so maybe acting is really her thing.

  4. Granted, she adds colour but she seems to be over exaggerating her ‘character’ with batting eyelids, looks of utter astonishment and innane comments and questions. For someone who had the gall (or guts) to proclaim she had an IQ of 150, she makes it obvious she is nearer to Paris Hilton. And what does she do for a quid? We found out about the other contestants but when it came her turn, we got her walking down the street, mobile in one hand lap dog in the other. No she is not the villian, the Melbourne team seem to have that label sewn up.

  7. Good old Seven marketing and cross-promotion at work again. I see Better Home and Gardens first episode has Manu and cast of Packed to the Rafters on it too. There’s so much cross-promotion going on, Seven they will be cross-promoting the art of cross-promoting soon.

  8. “It’s a marketing cycle that Seven has perfected.”

    It still surprises me that endless cross-promotions being presented as actual stories in all seriousness by the presenters actually works.
    Its pathetic and makes me cringe, wish viewers were a bit more smarter

  10. they’ve already won this thing. the amount of advertising they have had on those 2 has been terrible. she’ll be on sunrise and bhag not before long

  12. I actually think the two women from WA are worse than Jennifer. They both appear to be very insecure, narcissistic, nasty. I’m not enamoured of the Kiwi couple either and was secretly glad that their meal went down like a lead balloon.

  13. Haha Russell and Bob, gold. Personally I think Thomas is a bigger villain. That guy is an A-grade Sidchrome special (a tool). So, lady, don’t act surprised if you get back what you dish out.

  14. @Russell I actually enjoy David’s opinion on this site. The news is fantastic, but his opinion and insight into the industry is what really makes it. In fact, I think you will find it rare to find a blog nowadays in the entertainment industry that doesn’t have an opinion in it!
    As for the article, I would have no problem telling this girl to her face. Editing may be selective (and to the trained eye you can tell when a shot has been edited in from a previous scene) but there are far too many times when her words and her general posture gives off a revolting and cringeworthy vibe. And really, you can tell she’s trying to cover up her bogan accent but it keeps slipping through. The end of the day, don’t go on a reality series if you aren’t confident of how you’ll be portrayed!

  15. I get a lot of followers on twitter for my comments during these reality tv shows. These people get on tv, act like idiots and then wonder why people ridicule them? They should have a good loom in the mirror before they whinge. Most of them honestly believe this is their big break. I wonder what RSL Club turned Deni Hines down today…..

  17. I am so tired of these reality TV show contestants moaning about the way they’ve been portrayed and that editing took things they said or did out of context.

    Jennifer – did you enjoy your front row seats at the Australian Open last week?
    Were you aware that the cameras were on you and in the commentating booth Bruce McAvaney and Sandy Roberts were salivating over you and MKR?

    I watched 2 minutes of MKR because I was channel hopping and that was enough for me.

    The fact that it is rating through the roof is a sad testament for Australian TV audiences.

    Oh well – it couldn’t be any worse than that Excessive Baggage rubbish on Nine – could it?

  18. The thing is, these people go on these shows knowing full well nowadays how they are produced and edited for ratings. Yet, they still have the gall to complain about their critics and/or how they were portrayed on tv. It’s not like these reality shows are a new concept and no one knows how it’s going to be conveyed on television.

  19. I agree, she should not be complaining or playing the pity card. She has been cast in a role and is playing up to that role, presumably at the urging of the producers. As such, if viewers criticise her online for that, she has to suck it up. Given that the vast majority of MKR viewers don’t live in Adelaide, of course they can’t say anything to her face, but I have no doubt many would, given the opportunity, as she is obnoxious and condescending. Jennifer would be well aware that outspoken reality show contestants are always targets of viewer contempt and backlash, there is nothing new in this. We have had reality show villains for many years, it is part of the template for reality shows that makes them so successful. If there is no stand-out villain, the shows generally do poorly (The Renovators, season three of MC, etc).

  20. Hi gang… is there any word yet as to when these shows from last night will be granted their special “encore” screenings?

    CSI ?

    A Gifted Man?

    Desperate Housewives? (Although I did notice a two-hour “TBA” at 1pm next Thursday on 7)…

    Looks like Monday nights will be another programming clash between Mentalist, Revenge, Hawaii 5-0 and Media Watch…

  21. I love her, she makes me laugh and the look on everyone else’s face when she talks is priceless! People need to stop taking things so seriously. How pathetic must you be to send a death threat to these people? There are far more important issues in the world then what a reality star has said about someone’s cooking!

  24. I witnessed something similar to this last night on twitter – but it involved the wife of a contestant aiming negative comments towards a gay man. but I won’t dob them in because she’ll be her own undoing. I was slightly offended by it myself given the circumstance when I asked what had happened and saw it for myself. Silly woman, if you’re going to let your husband go on TV, you should expect things to be said.

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