Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Reality Internet?

Now, the Matron is a big fan of Heather Armstrong. Indeed, she enjoys her Daily Dooce as much as a strong cup of coffee-- both a jump start, of sorts.

Plus, Armstrong has done what so many bloggers long for: launched a profitable hugely successful career (mostly as a writer) from her blog! Go Heather! Hey, the Matron is CERTAIN that her fine self should be number 31 of the most influential women in the media, the list just didn't get that far! And if Time Magazine ever found the Matron? She'd totally top that list. Your loss, America.

Regular readers should feel really good about their sense of direction and good taste.

Anyway, this is all to say -- who the heck is she to criticize Heather Armstrong? But Heather's latest turn has given the Matron, well, pause.

Armstrong has signed on with HGTV's Design Happens. From the looks of the deal, it appears that her life as a wife, daughter, writer, mother will move from prose to video, as well.

How is this different than Reality TV?

Being fond of prose, the Matron would like to argue here that creating slick narrative is an art. Video-taping your kitchen or kid? Seems like that takes fewer brain cells, unless you're Sophia Coppela-capable of turning the mundane into art.

But maybe this is just the mundane into . .. money?

Dooce.com is indeed more media empire than artistic venture. Just took the bleary Matron awhile to notice. Still, she would be happy to see Armstrong at number 1 on some list, next year. . . while your stalwart middle-aged Matron keeps trying to climb on SOMEBODY'S radar

Merrick Emergency Update Tomorrow.

8 comments:

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I just watched the promo--is it just me or does it actually seem she's not really being herself? Which is the problem with being filmed--you can't help but be different in front of the camera.

unmitigated me said...

The Matron has more brain cells in her little finger than Dooce has in her whole head. What happens when you put unstable people in front of a camera? Jon and Kate + 8, that's what.

Hay said...

I have to confess to not understanding your devotion to Dooce, or Armstrong herself.
Jenny The Bloggess kicks her butt, and even better, she is a great person as well.

Now I'm worried about Merrick.

MidLifeMama said...

I read Dooce as well as the Bloggess, and Bossy for that matter. I will reserve judgement on Ms. Armstrongs' new venture. I am not sure it is going to translate to TV well, but I have been wrong before.

jenn said...

Yeah, that caught my attention, too, as being kind of ... weird. And yet, how to resist when someone wants you to host a style show? The implied flattery.

Tiffany said...

I for one take the Matron over Dooce any time!

BigSkyMum said...

Dooce is an interesting writer, and I like her blog, but she's also, well, splashy. And she talks about her 'business'--she's conceptualizing what she does as a multimedia corporation/empire, I guess. I wouldn't be surprised if the blog portion of her business will one day be just a minor piece. She's developed into a celebrity and a business woman more than a writer, to me anyway. I doubt she could have maintained the income from her blog over decades, and she knows that, so she's working a business plan I guess.

Daisy said...

Reality blog turned reality show? Somehow, that doesn't sound very original.
I'd rather hear about Scarlett and Merrick and (when he allows it) the one-named one.