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Undermined by Reality: Difference between revisions
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When a show is actively preaching to its viewers, it's not unreasonable to expect the people doing the preaching to uphold the standards that they're promoting. If they ''don't''...well, then you've got the real life version of [[Holier Than Thou]], but with more air time. If the talk show marriage counsellor verbally abuses his wife, or the professional dog trainer ends up in court after his Rottweiler attacks a child, it's easy to understand why viewers might decide that they're better off ''not'' taking advice from these people.
The trope also applies to figures such as presenters when they themselves are being held up as role models, rather than a character that they portray. Those who front children's television shows have to be particularly careful about their real-life conduct -- there'll be red faces all round if it turns out that [[Depraved Kids' Show Host|the woman sternly warning children against the dangers of drugs is using some less-than-legal substances.]] It's not particularly fair that other entertainers, such as rock stars and soap actors, can get away with these things (and far more) while others are pilloried for it...but it's [[Truth in Television]]. If a builder or window cleaner gets into a violent brawl while off the job, their employers won't care as long as they can still do their jobs. If a teacher or doctor is found in the middle of a fight, however, their career could be on the line.
It's worth noting that occasionally it's not actually the actors'/production team's fault that things go wrong. [[Cosmic Plaything|Sometimes, life's just decided that it's not going to be their week.]] This is especially true on shows that involve people outwith the actual members of the show who could say or do anything they like on or off camera. The programme isn't really responsible, but they'll be held to account regardless.
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'''This page is not an excuse to be [[Complaining About Shows You Don't Like]].'''
{{examples
* [[Extreme Makeover Home Edition]] ran into a snag when a massive house it had built for two cohabitating families began fighting, causing the larger, adopted family to move out. ABC legally washed its hands of any responsibility.
** 'One of the more special houses they had built was about to be foreclosed. It wasn't directly the show's fault, but they paid the mortgage on that one, and they will probably tone down future makeover houses just a little so that the people moving into them can ''afford to maintain them.''
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* Notably averted by Fred Rogers of ''[[Mister Rogers Neighborhood]]'', who really was as wholesome and benevolent as the show made him out to be.
** [http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/mrrogers.asp No matter what the internet would have you believe.] [http://xkcd.com/767/ He really was.]
* Any time a "Family Values" [[Moral Guardian|Moral Guardians]] individual is caught with another man, woman, or child (or [[But You Screw One Goat!|animal]]).
* In ''[[Dreamgirls]]'', Effie White is the lead singer and most talented member of the Dreams, but their corrupt manager Curtis demotes her to backup singer in favor of Deena Jones, who is more marketable. This is unambiguously presented as a [[Jerkass]] move on Curtis's part, and it ruins Effie's life. Then, in the movie version of ''Dreamgirls'', Jennifer Hudson played Effie, the lead character of the movie, but the studio designated her a "supporting actress" and gave top billing to Beyonce Knowles (playing Deena), who is more famous. Then again, Hudson won an Oscar for her performance (for Best Supporting Actress; had she been nominated for Lead Actress, she likely would have been blown out by Helen Mirren,) while Knowles only got a Golden Globe nomination that most people assumed her manager father bought for her, so perhaps it averages out.
* Averted on ''[[That 70s Show]]'' when actor Tommy Chong was sentenced to prison time as part of a Federal crackdown on businesses selling bongs. Tommy Chong feared he would lose his role on the program, but the producers reassured him that he had been cast as an aging hippie in part because of his drugged-out comedy persona in the first place, and actually doing time for marijuana related charges would not affect his place in the cast.
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