Cable Brass Talk Reality TV’s ‘Pressure Cooker,’ Why Less TV Marketing Can Be A Good Thing

"With the renaissance happening in scripted television, we have to elevate our game in reality," said TruTV topper Chris Linn.

His fellow panelists — and network brass — agreed at RealScreen's "Meet the Boss" session, a panel tailor-made for the recent game of musical chairs played by reality execs in the cable space. Joining Linn on the panel was TLC head Nancy Daniels and HGTV/DIY topper Allison Page — all three have been appointed to their new posts within the last year.

"I had been at TLC from 2008-2011, and then went over to Discovery Channel for a couple of years," Daniels explained. "In my heart, I missed the female programming. When this opportunity [to head back to TLC] came up, I was so excited to go back to a network I love, where I am the demo…I think in the few years I was gone the team [at TLC] had rightfully so tried to branch out. They had success, but also lost some of the core audience. When I got there, it was, 'Take a deep breath, get back to basics, and help get back to what we were doing a few years ago.'"

With that quote in mind, the room at RealScreen better understood why Daniels quickly responded "no" when asked if she would move her network into scripted territory. TLC experimented with scripted last year with limited series "Surviving the In-Laws," which took a beating both in ratings and with critics. Daniels made it clear that, now that she is running the cabler, TLC will be focused on unscripted, and unscripted only. (TruTV's Linn, for what it's worth, was the sole panelist to say he is open to the prospect of scripted programming.)

Page was named general manager of Scripps Network Interactive home category in November (a portfolio that includes HGTV, DIY and Great American Country) following a tenure at Food Network and Cooking Channel. The lifestyle vet quipped at the panel, "I feel like my main job is, don't mess it up!"

Page's plans for HGTV and DIY is to "build marquee talent that is known by first name," like Food's Guy Fieri and Rachael Ray. For HGTV and DIY, banner names will help boost brand awareness for the lifestyle cablers, though Page notes that the addition of surprising talent like Vanilla Ice has already established the foundation for HGTV's notable faces.

Linn joined Tru after overseeing MTV's programming, including the launch of hit shows "Jersey Shore" and "Catfish," noting that at the youth-skewing cabler, you often "live in the shadow of the MTV brand."

"Because MTV is all about younger audiences, it always has to reinvent itself. There's the music video era, then the 'Jackass' era, the 'Laguna Beach' era, and now it's the 'Teen Mom,' 'Jersey Shore' era. There's an amazing team there right now and they'll create the next era, but it's tough. That's a very fickle audience."

Since Linn was appointed head of Tru, he has touted the network as "an opportunity to grow something new." The exec stated that the cabler is aiming for a "more upscale audience," and wants to program shows that are focused on fun and comedy, as opposed to the conflict-ridden unscripted series on other networks. Hidden-cam show "Impractical Jokers," Linn said, embodies the network's new tone. Linn also reminded the room that though "there's a perception that Tru skews male," the viewership is actually split quite evenly, with men comprising 55% of the TruTV audience.

Both Linn and Daniels discussed the need to slow down a bit in reality TV production, echoing the concerns voiced by execs including Kevin Reilly regarding the scripted space. Linn called the unscripted world a "pressure cooker" where, because of the tough reality TV financial model, there is an urge to produce episodes faster and faster, which steers producers away from any sense of authenticity in order to pump out segs.

"There's an insatiable appetite," Daniels said, while Linn noted, "We need more consistency and authenticity, where you're not just flipping over tables for a network promo spot."

Daniels joked about the "flak" she and her net get from the press when it comes to TLC's over-the-top titles, most notably "Sex Sent Me to the E.R."

"There's heart in these shows," the exec stated, also mentioning she would love it if "Dance Moms" graced her airwaves, not A&E's. "These loud, noisy titles and we get flak for it, but everyone comes to watch, so I don't care!"

"Sex Sent Me to the E.R." received "no marketing" and "no on-air promo," according to Daniels, yet it still "popped" when it aired. The TLC topper said that oftentimes a net — including her own — will pour millions of dollars into a show's marketing, only to have it return with weak ratings following a premiere broadcast.

"I don't think you can buy eyeballs," she said, remarking that a noisy show title can often snag more audience interest than a massive on-air promo campaign for a different series.

Linn stated, "I think the definition of 'marketing' is changing. It's social media, it's digital. Our audience isn't finding shows the way they have in the past, so we have to innovate. The old way of thinking was that if it's not popping by episode three, it's done. Now, it's not about the launch. 'Duck Dynasty' didn't pop big until season two!"

Page added, "I've seen marketing dollars do well on a show's second or third season. Why not put it on air and see what the biggest focus group ever will say without marketing? That's telling you something."

Linn and Daniels admitted that while formats are hot in the reality TV marketplace right now (due mostly to their ability to help shingles turn meaningful profits), their networks are still interested in character-driven series — of the "Honey Boo Boo" variety.

"Formats are being pitched because they are what keep production companies afloat," Linn stated. "But characters are the needle in the haystack that everyone is looking for. That's what we're looking for."

"Family is definitely at the heart of who TLC is," Daniels said. "We're constantly looking for the next iteration of family. But we get pitched family all the time and it can't just be 'Look at this outrageous family, they're crazy!' Why are they? What's going to be the thing that really gets you in?"

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Developing Social Relationships In Children: Tips For Parents

Successful interactions with other people act as the key for development of social skills in kids. You will be able to enjoy successful social relationships in adolescence, only if you develop it from your early childhood. Keeping this in mind, you have to give more importance in developing your kid's communication skills and social skills. Children begin their lives in a social set up of the family and it is from here they study the basics of social relationship in childhood.

As their age advances, they will be introduced to the outside world, where they have to come in contact with different people of different age, sex and character.

HANDLE RELATIONSHIPS IN CYBERSPACE

What your kid learns in their childhood will influence their social relationships in the adolescence as well. So it's important all parents know how to develop their child's social skills. Here, we discuss some ways to improve the ability of your kid to get involved in a society to improve their social acceptance.

Allow them to mingle: Allow your kids to mingle with other children. Being with the same age group will help them understand how to deal with different children with different characters. This will mark the basics of social skills that they will take along with their social relationships in adolescence. Through their peer relationships, children learn assertiveness, conflict management, and aggression control.

Encourage: Encourage your kids to get involved in group activities. This can be achieved by taking them to become a part of group gatherings or family meetings. It will be a good idea to encourage your kid to introduce himself to others. Never make them feel bad for their shy nature. Give them support and confidence to face a crowd. Encouraging social relationships in early childhood is a key to proper development of the child.

Nurture problem-solving ability: Allow your kid to find a solution to his problems, before you enter completely into the scene. This will help them understand how to deal with negative situations with a positive mindset. Many social relationships in childhood demand this skill, especially when the kids are away from their parents.

Responsive parenting: Social relationships start from the small world of family. So, you should act as an observant and responsive parent to develop the social skills of your child. This will be the best idea to increase your kid's self-confidence that will reflect in his behaviour. The ground stone that form in early childhood determines the quality of social development in their adolescence.

Teach the art of conversation: Making your kid aware how to initiate, continue and end conversations with people of different ages is very important. This will help them develop social skills in childhood with confidence. Teach them how to negotiate, how to give and take compliments and how to be assertive instead of being aggressive.

Story first published:  Wednesday, January 29, 2014, 16:50 [IST]

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What ‘The Carrie Diaries’ Taught Me About Relationships

Photo: The CW

Friday is the Season 2 finale of my new obsession The Carrie Diaries. So far the show is not confirmed to return for a third season which means that I may have to say goodbye to baby Bradshaw, baby Bradshaw's incredible clothing, the town of Castlebury, Connecticut, and the cutest boys on that side of 1985. It's a tragedy that I'm getting more and more used to ever since the evil TV gods cancelled both Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B in one season. With The Carrie Diaries, I feel particularly saddened — after all, I was really rooting for these characters. I was learning so much! There's something very refreshing about watching the world through Carrie Bradshaw's non-jaded eyes.

While Sex and the City often featured Carrie behaving in ways that even Hannah Horvath would consider self-absorbed, this version of Carrie Bradshaw is more thoughtful, earnest, and interesting. She tries to be a good person and sometimes, she sucks at it — because who doesn't sometimes? The Carrie Diaries is a great show for the inner teenager inside all of us, trying to navigate our way through the trials and tribulations that come with growing up. (And, in many ways, aren't we all still "growing up?")

While I'm sure someone told me all of this advice at one point in my life, I've always preferred to get my tips on how to live from The CW. Here are the best pieces of advice that I've gotten from The Carrie Diaries on navigating relationships, friendships, and, basically, life in general.

(Oh, spoilers ahead!)

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People Who Love You Can Disappoint You, Even If You Did Nothing Wrong. 

This may be an unpopular opinion, but, sometimes, your friends will suck. Like, really, really suck. Like kiss your freshly-off-the-market-ex on the mouth, in the middle of a bar, with apparently no fucks given about your feelings. This happened on The Carrie Diaries when Maggie kissed Carrie's (just-broken-up-with) boyfriend Sebastian during a momentary crisis in her own life. Maggie apologized to Carrie the next day, and Carrie was not having it. Because, umm, would you?

Eventually, the two friends made up — it took a while, but, eventually, Maggie and Carrie worked out their issues. The truth is, Maggie loved Carrie and loved being her friend — it was her own personal baggage that made her a shitty one. The lesson I took away from this? That, sometimes, people suck. Basically, that's it. People suck, but it's up to you to decide whether the love and bond that you have is strong enough to overcome their own momentary suckiness.

Maggie will probably, on some level, always be insecure and self-involved. She might always make things about her and she might betray Carrie again in the future. It might just be the kind of person she is. But the lesson here isn't that you should put up with terrible friends as much as it is that it is completely your decision as to whether or not you want to. If you can understand how your friends operate, you can decide whether they are operating on a plane that you want to stay on. If you can't? Feel free to be like Carrie did at first and dip. If you think it's worthwhile, you know who this person is — and maybe it will help you understand them better in the future.

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It's Okay To Ask For What You Want Out Of A Relationship 

Carrie's playwright boyfriend Adam was perfect — no, seriously, look at him, and tell me that he's not perfect — until he started enforcing his strict writer's regimen on Carrie. Ultimately, Carrie felt stifled by Adam's supposed "help" and told him that she needed a guy who would support her, not belittle her. (If only grown-up Carrie could have done this earlier with Big…) It ended the relationship, because neither of them were willing to budge on how they felt  about the issue. While I was bummed to see less of the incredibly hot Adam, I definitely understood Carrie's conflict — sometimes, a girl needs to do what she needs to do.

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There Aren't Any Real Rules For Sex — You Do You, Girl 

One of the things that surprised me about The Carrie Diaries was how frank the characters were about sex without ever veering into gratuitous or sleazy territory. The high school characters on this show explore their sexual selves, which often leads to awkward, embarrassing, and sometimes uncomfortable moments. One of the things that is nice about the sex on The Carrie Diaries is that it shows how each character relates differently to it. Carrie wanted to wait for someone special and ended up doing it with someone who wasn't the most special. Maggie used sex as a way to build her confidence, while sex made Mouse feel even more insecure in her relationship. Donna was proud of her sexuality (she is Samantha's cousin, after all) and Walt was confused about how sex with his new boyfriend would even work. Basically The Carrie Diaries says that there is no wrong way to approach your sexuality, and as long as you are comfortable, responsible, safe and happy (and your partner is the same) there aren't any rules.

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Honesty Is Always (Well, Most Of The Times) The Best Policy

As any teen soap enthusiast will tell you, having a character omit the truth or, gasp!, lie to another person is the easiest way to formulate the plot of that episode. Lies are hard! Lying to your friends to spare their feelings often backfires, as it did when Carrie lied to Samantha about wanting her to move out of their apartment, or when Sebastian neglected to tell Carrie that he saw her dad making out with some lady in his car. Lying and keeping secrets are the easiest ways to crack the foundation of any friendship or relationship.

The Carrie Diaries also taught us that sometimes it's more important to keep a friend's secret when they need you to. Carrie and her friends supported Walt by letting him come out of the closet in his own time and protected Maggie from the rumor mill at school after her pregnancy. Sometimes being a friend means knowing when to keep their most personal secrets hidden — no matter what juicy rumor gossip police are dying for you to verify.

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Not All Friendships Or Relationships Will Last Forever (But Some Will)

Ever wonder why we don't see any of Carrie's high school friends drinking Cosmos and running around Manhattan with her SATC foursome? Or why — despite seeming ever-so endgame — Sebastian isn't the one building Carrie the closet in the penthouse on Park Ave.? The truth is that not all friendships or relationships are built to last forever. People change (Carrie, for example, ends up kind of sucking as a person a lot of the time, as opposed to being adorable and wide-eyed as she is here) and sometimes we change too much for the people in our lives to be able to grow with us. That's perfectly fine.

On the other hand, some friendships are built to last — even the ones that seem the most unexpected. Samantha and Carrie's friendship has remained intact when a lot of other friendships have ended. Oftentimes it can be hard to identify which friends will remain with you for years to come — I know that I'm surprised by the people I've drifted from, and also the people who I have been able to keep close — but I think the importance thing here is to value your friendships and relationships for what they are, when they are. Treat your friends well because you'll never know who you'll end up growing with, instead of growing apart.

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Tips To Improve Your Relationship From Our Expert

SMART PEOPLE LEARN FROM OTHERS' MISTAKES

Is your relationship the best that it can be? Are you ready to learn from other people's mistakes?

During my 30 years as a counsellor, I have had a plethora of amazing experiences. While looking into the minds of people as they worked out their issues and challenges, I have learned a lot. I've had similar experiences as a corporate trainer and an executive coach. It is a privilege to be able to share some of these experiences with all of you, on this platform. I know that you will benefit immensely from it.

SEEKING RELATIONSHIP ADVICE: Ask IAN FARIA For Help!

RELATIONSHIPS: MAKE US OR BREAK US?

We are social creatures who deal with others, almost all the time. Do we really understand what happens in someone else's mind? Does he/she see and experience the world the same way that we do? No! They see a totally different world!

We see the world from the narrow filter of our own experience, beliefs, and choices. They see it from theirs. Take the example of an average home. Even though their circumstance and the situation is common, yet each member of that family sees a different dimension of that same reality. This leads to differences, misunderstandings and breakdowns in relationships. The world is different for each person...even though they are a part of that same world.

EMOTIONS RULE
Can we read the writing on the wall? Yes, provided we know what to look for. We all are primarily emotional entities. We feel before we can think. Our emotions rule, run and sometimes they ruin our lives. Somewhere deep within us, we know that we could do better if we could be more in control of our primary relationship - the relationship we have with ourselves.

LIFE - MYSTERY TO MASTERY
Over the next few weeks we will discuss a host of issues in this column. We will learn some quick and effective techniques on how to control our emotions, and how to create and maintain better relationships.

We will cover major issues that affect our lives:

• How can we control our emotions?
• How can we alter our feelings at will?
• How do we rate and improve the quality of our relationships?
• How can we be Emotionally Intelligent?
• How can we communicate better?
• Why do misunderstandings occur? How can they be resolved quickly?
• What is the success formula to get through to another person?
• Is Love real? Can we make it last a lifetime?
• How can we read a person like a book?
• How can we stop conflict and start collaboration?
• How can we live and lead a Happy Life?

Since this is a practical column, we will share easy tips that can lead to best practices.

WE SEE THE WORLD AS WE ARE

All relationships are changeable. The place from where our relationships are controlled is within our reach. In fact, the control lies within us. So to resolve our issues we need to stop breaking our heads and trying to control others. We have tried that for too long... and by now we know that it does not work. So are we ready to try something else? Are we ready to wake up to the reality that life changes only when WE do? The quality of our relationships is not determined by what the other person does. It is determined by how we RESPOND to the situation. Our response is determined by what emotional state we are in at that point of time.

EMOTIONS - the remote control of life
The best way to regain control of our emotions is to work with awareness, and to take conscious decisions. If we react, we operate from the animal instinct within us. If we respond, we operate from a higher self. Let's try to understand conscious awareness. While you are reading this article, are you aware of the sounds in the room? Is your body posture in balance or are you already creating some tension in yourself - maybe in your neck, or back, or through the position of your hand on the keypad?
Are you focusing on the words in this article or the way it is formatted? Or are you focused on what you can gain from it?

Or are you reading this article in the hope that you can resolve your emotional issues?
Are you a person who is ruled by the head or the heart?
Are you constantly thinking about the past? Do you enjoy the present or do you constantly worry about the future?
Are you aware that there is still a lot more you need to learn if you have to be the master of your emotions? Well, I assure you that I will walk you through the jungle of emotions you have within you. It is a step by step process and it will bring you great results.

Now here are some questions that you need to think DEEPLY about...

1. What is the best thing you have read so far?
2. Are you going to implement this learning or are you just going to file it away as academic knowledge? Confucius had a point when he said, "To know and not to do, is not yet to know."
3.Is this article already getting you to review yourself through awareness of your thinking and feeling patterns? Then we have started off well. If not, read this article again for you may have missed a gem that could already be working on your life. Until my next article, which you can read on Sunday.

Ian Faria has been a counsellor for almost 30 years, and he specializes in Relationships, Marital Discord ... and Suicide Issues. Professionally, he is a corporate trainer and executive coach. If you have any queries then please feel free to contact him through http://www.talktemple.com/

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Are You Afraid of True Love?

We are all afraid of real love but why?

No matter what the timeline, the story of lost love is one most of us can tell. This leaves the question "why do relationships fail?" to linger heavily in the back of our minds. The answer for many of us can be found within. Whether we know it or not, most of us are afraid of really being in love. While our fears may manifest themselves in different ways or show themselves at different stages of a relationship, we all harbor defenses that we believe on some level will protect us from getting hurt. These defenses may offer us a false illusion of safety or security, but they keep us from attaining the closeness we most desire. So what drives our fears of intimacy? What keeps us from finding and keeping the love we say we want?

1. Real love makes us feel vulnerable. A new relationship is uncharted territory, and most of us have natural fears of the unknown. Letting ourselves fall in love means taking a real risk. We are placing a great amount of trust in another person, allowing them to affect us, which makes us feel exposed and vulnerable. Our core defenses are challenged. Any habits we've long had that allow us to feel self-focused or self-contained start to fall by the wayside. We tend to believe that the more we care, the more we can get hurt.

2. New love stirs up past hurts. When we enter into a relationship, we are rarely fully aware of how we've been impacted by our history. The ways we were hurt in previous relationships, starting from our childhood, have a strong influence on how we perceive the people we get close to as well as how we act in our romantic relationships. Old, negative dynamics may make us wary of opening ourselves up to someone new. We may steer away from intimacy, because it stirs up old feelings of hurt, loss,anger or rejection. 

3. Love challenges an old identity. Many of us struggle with underlying feelings of being unlovable. We have trouble feeling our own value and believing anyone could really care for us. We all have a "critical inner voice," which acts like a cruel coach inside our heads that tells us we are worthless or undeserving of happiness. This coach is shaped from painful childhood experiences and critical attitudes we were exposed to early in life as well as feelings our parents had about themselves.
While these attitudes can be hurtful, over time, they have become engrained in us. As adults, we may fail to see them as an enemy, instead accepting their destructive point of view as our own. These critical thoughts or "inner voices" are often harmful and unpleasant, but they're also comfortable in their familiarity. When another person sees us differently from our voices, loving and appreciating us, we may actually start to feel uncomfortable and defensive, as it challenges these long-held points of identification.

4. With real joy comes real pain. Any time we fully experience true joy or feel the preciousness of life on an emotional level, we can expect to feel a great amount of sadness. Many of us shy away from the things that would make us happiest, because they also make us feel pain. The opposite is also true. We cannot selectively numb ourselves to sadness without numbing ourselves to joy. When it comes to falling in love, we may be hesitant to go "all in," for fear of the sadness it would stir up in us.

5. Love is often unequal. Many people I've talked to have expressed hesitation over getting involved with someone, because that person "likes them too much." They worry that if they got involved with this person, their own feelings wouldn't evolve, and the other person would wind up getting hurt or feeling rejected. The truth is that love is often imbalanced, with one person feeling more or less from moment to moment. Our feelings toward someone are an ever-changing force. In a matter of seconds, we can feel anger, irritation or even hate for a person we love. Worryi ng over how we will feel keeps us from seeing where our feelings would naturally go. It's better to be open to how our feelings develop over time. Allowing worry or guilt over how we may or may not feel keeps us from getting to know someone who is expressing interest in us and may prevent us from forming a relationship that could really make us happy.

6. Relationships can break your connection to your family. Relationships can be the ultimate symbol of growing up. They represent starting our own lives as independent, autonomous individuals. This development can also represent a parting from our family. Much like breaking from an old identity, this separation isn't physical. It doesn't mean literally giving up our family, but rather letting go on an emotional level – no longer feeling like a kid and differentiating from the more negative dynamics that plagued our early relationships and shaped our identity.

7. Love stirs up existential fears. The more we have, the more we have to lose. The more someone means to us, the more afraid we are of losing that person. When we fall in love, we not only face the fear of losing our partner, but we become more aware of our mortality. Our life now holds more value and meaning, so the thought of losing it becomes more frightening. In an attempt to cover over this fear, we may focus on more superficial concerns, pick fights with our partner or, in extreme cases, completely give up the relationship. We are rarely fully aware of how we defend against these existential fears. We may even try to rationalize to ourselves a million reasons we shouldn't be in the relationship. However, the reasons we give may have workable solutions, and what's really driving us are those deeper fears of loss.

Most relationships bring up an onslaught of challenges. Getting to know our fears of intimacy and how they inform our behavior is an important step to having a fulfilling, long-term relationship. These fears can b e masked by various justifications for why things aren't working out, however we may be surprised to learn about all of the ways that we self-sabotage when getting close to someone else.

Visit www.HealTheFamilyNow.com to contact Kimile.

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Operas Filled With Forbidden Love in Madrid

Violeta Urmana and Ekaterina Gubanova below a video by Bill Viola in "Tristan und Isolde" at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Javier del Real/Teatro Real

MADRID — Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde," a tale of forbidden, ill-fated love, was presented at the Teatro Real this week when one of the major events of the international opera season was also taking place at the theater: the Tuesday premiere of the composer Charles Wuorinen's "Brokeback Mountain," an adaptation of the acclaimed short story by Annie Proulx, who wrote the libretto. The "Tristan," in a production by Peter Sellars, with video by Bill Viola, is a powerful staging that is new to Madrid. On Monday, the house was packed for the fifth performance of the run, attended by Queen Sofía of Spain, who waved to onlookers from the royal box, though among the applause there were scattered boos that could have been motivated by any number of political and economic issues.

In December, in anticipation of both works (a review of "Brokeback Mountain" will follow), the Teatro Real presented Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore," a playful idea, since "The Elixir of Love" could be a subtitle for "Tristan."

Tristan und Isolde Ekaterina Gubanova, left, and Violeta Urmana in the Peter Sellars-Bill Viola version of the opera, at Teatro Real in Madrid. Javier del Real/Teatro Real

The season was planned by Gerard Mortier, who became the company's artistic director in 2010 but announced in September that he has cancer and moved on to be artistic adviser. This shift followed an unusually public confrontation between Mr. Mortier, who tried to steer the appointment of his successor, and the board, who brought in Joan Matabosch. That tension now seems to be in the past.

The first manifestation of this "Tristan und Isolde" came in 2004, at Disney Hall in Los Angeles, a semi-staged version involving extensive use of Mr. Viola's videos and directed by Mr. Sellars. (A version of that production later played at Lincoln Center.) A fully realized Sellars-Viola "Tristan" was introduced at the Paris National Opera in 2005, though the creative team seems to keep refining the staging, which opened at Teatro Real on Jan. 12.

Opera companies everywhere have been experimenting with video. For all the dramatic potential of the medium, the challenge is that video elements in an opera can become distracting. Many people have found this a problem with the Sellars-Viola "Tristan."

I would say that it is more a trade-off than a problem. Though Mr. Viola' s videos are mostly slow-moving and ritualistic, it is true that the compelling images can take your attention from the singers. Still, his videos acutely explore themes of the opera, even specific words from the libretto, to mesmerizing effect.

At first, the staging is spare, almost abstract. In Wagner's libretto, Isolde, the Irish princess, along with her handmaid Brangäne, are seen quartered in the ship of the warrior Tristan, who is taking Isolde to be the bride of King Marke of Cornwall. Here, Isolde (the soprano Violeta Urmana) and Brangäne (the mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova) are seated on a low black box against a backdrop of video images showing dark, churning seas. It could not be simpler or more evocative.

During the episode known as Isolde's n arrative and curse, when she tells the story of how she encountered the wounded Tristan and nursed him to health, only to discover that he had killed the man she was intending to marry, Mr. Viola's videos become much more involved. We see images of a man and a woman, both grim-faced. Standing in place, they slowly remove their clothing, everything, then engage in what seem to be purification rituals of water and fire. It is touching that these two actors are not young and sexy but middle-aged and unglamorous.

Some of Mr. Viola's imagery casts a spell, especially the close-ups of the hands of the actors being washed by streams of water, and scenes when their whole bodies are submerged, with only gurgling bubbles to indicate their breathing.

Still, during this crucial scene, Ms. Urmana, an acclaimed Isolde, sang the narrative and curse with rich, textured sound; deep expressivity; and chilling top notes.

It is wonderful to hear the singers and the excellent orchestra in such an acoustically lively house. The conductor Marc Piollet drew a warm, glowing and surging account of the great score from the inspired players. The tenor Robert Dean Smith, known for his Tristan, was ill. Franco Farina took his place. Mr. Farina has mostly performed Italian repertory; Tristan was his first Wagner role. On Monday, his singing was marred by a tendency to bellow and drift off pitch. Still, he gave a creditable performance, at his best, singing with pliant phrasing and muscular intensity.

With her plush voice, fervor and dramatic sens itivity, Ms. Gubanova is an affecting Brangäne. The bass-baritone Jukka Rasilainen brings stentorian sound and earnestness to Kurwenal, Tristan's servant and good-hearted friend. The formidable bass Franz-Josef Selig is an aching Marke, so shattered to discover that his loyal Tristan is overwhelmed with love for Isolde.

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Latinos in Reality TV: MTV Looking to Create Jersey Shore Spinoff Mexico Shore, Mexican Version of Ridiculousness and More

Reality shows are known for spicy and sexy behavior, so it's no wonder that plenty of Latinos have gained fame through reality television. Of course, most reality stars don't see more than 15 minutes of fame. These next Latino stars, on the other hand, know how to make the most out of their time. Here is the list of realty television's Latino stars that are shining today.

Credit: Juan Pablo Galavis/Facebook

Galavis broke reality show barriers when he became the first Latino and minority to star in ABC's The Bachelor. The 32-year-old was born in New York, but both of his parents are from Venezuela. The former professional soccer player currently watches girls play for his heart in the show's 18th season.

Besides his good looks, Galavis is well-known another reason. Earlier this month, the current bachelor and former The Bachelorette contestant said that neither homosexuals nor bisexuals should be on The Bachelor during an interview with The TV Page.

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"There's this thing about gay people -- it seems to me, I don't know if I'm mistaken or not -- I have a lot of friends like that, but they're more pervert in a sense," he said. "To me, the show would be too strong, too hard to watch on TV."

ABC, Warner Horizon Television and producers condemned Galavis for his remarks.

"Just 'cause I respect them but, honestly, I don't think it's a good example for kids to watch that on TV," Galavis continued. "It's hard. It's hard. It's a very thin line."

Galavis has since apologized for the remarks.

"The comment was taken out of context," the bachelor explained via Facebook. "If you listen to the entire interview, there's nothing but respect for Gay people and their families. I have many gay friends ... The word pervert was not what I meant to say and I am very sorry about it. Everyone knows English is my second language and my vocabulary is not as broad as it is in Spanish and, because of this, sometimes I use the wrong words to express myself. What I meant to say was that gay people are more affectionate and intense and for a segment of the TV audience this would be too racy to accept."

Whether it's for his good looks or his Duck Dynasty-esque remarks, Galavis is definitely one of reality television's most recognizable stars.

Credit: Facebook

DeJesus made her reality debut on MTV's 16 and Pregnant before graduating to Teen Mom 3, but that's not the only graduating the American-born Puerto Rican mother plans on doing.

DeJesus is one of the most respectable mothers to grace MTV's pregnant teenager franchise. Despite finding herself dumped and pregnant at 16 years old, she gave birth to healthy Nova. With the support of her mother and sister, she seems to be one of the most mature young ladies on the show. Tantrums, cursing and borderline-violent wars with the baby's father are kept to a minimum.

In addition, the 19-year-old is attending Valencia College to get her associates degree in general studies as a step to starting her and Nova's life on the right track.

When it comes to being a mother, DeJesus believes her heritage is a benefit.

"We are nurturing, right?" she told Latina.com. "We are loving. We are patient, and we grew up with such a big family. I think that is all that really matters."

She plans on teaching her daughter Spanish.

"I think I want Nova to know Spanish, so I wanted to buy the Rosetta Stone so me and her can learn it together," DeJesus said. "We need that because she is half black, so she needs to have some spunk in there like, "I speak Spanish, and I'm black!'"

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Lopez was by no means unknown before entering the world of reality television. Since entering the reality game, however, his fame has only grown.

The 40-year-old star was born in California, but is of Mexican descent. He first gained fame as muscular jock A.C. Slater in Saved by the Bell. Afterwards, his career was saved by reality television.

Lopez did not take the typical route of child stars, which often involves starring in a reality show just to stay in the spotlight. Instead of fighting for the spotlight, he fought for the microphone.

In addition to plenty of acting gigs, Lopez has hosted reality competition shows. From 2008 until 2012, he hosted MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew. Since 2012, he has hosted The X Factor.

After establishing himself as a respectable actor and host, Lopez eventually did star in his own reality show. VH1's Mario Lopez: Saved by the Baby documented his and girlfriend Courtney Mazza's life as they prepared for their new baby.

With the help of reality television, Lopez has become a household name.

Credit: fabulous_gii/Instagram

Oxygen's Bad Girls Club documents the lives of seven self-proclaimed bad girls from across America who decides to live in a mansion, party, fight, and if they're as lucky as Steph and Gigi, bond.

This past season, Stephanie "Steph" Rivera and Gina "Gigi" Lopez instantly bonded over their Latina pride. The show has had had Latina stars before, but these girls were some of the proudest Latinas in the show's history.

Rivera, a half-Dominican, half-Puerto Rican Connecticut native, made it to the season finale, one of only three original cast members to do so. Some remember the 21-year-old for wearing a SARS-like mask for many episodes (in an effort to battle the flu) and for being relatively calm, cool and collected for the whole show. When she finally did get into a physical fight, it was one of the biggest of the season and resulted in a girl going home. What finally sent Steph over the edge? Shanae took her socks off, to which Steph replied, "Oh, you taking your socks off. I see that as you want to fight."

Although Lopez entered the show later than the original cast, the 23-year-old Brooklynite of Columbian descent had no problem earning respect and making friends. She bravely defended herself against Sarah Oliver, "The Bootylicious Blondie" who some say attacked Gigi, whose Latina curves rivaled her own. Despite being a replacement, Lopez was one of the last girls standing, and thus, one of the most memorable cast members.

The pair showed even more Latina pride when Rivera brought the cast to salsa dance classes and during a house trip to Puerto Rico.

A Mexican spin on a New Jersey classic will soon be guido bumping its way to television.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, MTV Latin America is working on a Mexican version of MTV's 2009-2012 hit Jersey Shore. The channel has already ordered 13 episodes of the show, which is tentatively titled Mexico Shore. The location of the show has yet to be announced.

The stars of Mexico Shore are not yet finalized, but because of the enormous popularity of the Jersey Shore franchise, these soon-to-be Latino reality stars are the talk of the town.

The cast will join another Spanish-speaking version of Jersey Shore, MTV Spain's Gandia Shore, which is currently under production of its second season.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

MTV Latin America is also developing a Mexican version of Ridiculousness, a viral video show hosted by Rob Dyrdek that premiered in 2011.

"For 'Ridiculousness,' we know that viral videos are a dime a dozen, so it's all about finding a witty host with good comedic timing and a fresh perspective," Sofia Ioannou, managing director of Viacom International Media Networks for the Americas, told The Hollywood Reporter.

The show is making headlines because viral video shows are incredibly popular these days. The format is reminiscent of America's Funniest Home Videos, and we all know what that did for Bob Sage. Dyrdek and comedian Daniel Tosh have both seen greatly increased fame through the medium.

The key to Ridiculousness Mexico is finding the most charismatic Mexican host around, which will surely result in a future Latino reality star.

TagsReality Television, Reality TV, reality shows, Latinos, latinos in television, Latino reality stars, Juan Pablo Galavis, The Bachelor, ABC, Briana DeJesus, Teen Mom 3, 16 and Pregnant, Valencia College, Mario Lopez, Saved by the Bell, America's Best Dance Crew, The X Factor, Mario Lopez: Saved by the Baby, VH1, Fox, Stephanie Rivera, Gina Lopez, Bad Girls Club, Oxygen, MTV, Mexico Shore, Ridiculousness Mexico, MTV Latin America, Gandia Shore, MTV Spain

© 2014 Latin Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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Republicans have an Obamacare replacement. Economists will love it, real people won’t.

Welcome to Health Reform Watch, Sarah Kliff's regular look at how the Affordable Care Act is changing the American health-care system — and being changed by it. You can reach Sarah with questions, comments and suggestions here. Check back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon for the latest edition or sign up here to receive it straight from your inbox. Read previous columns here.

1. Republican Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) released Thursday what is arguably the most complete Obamacare replacement plan offered by their party to date. It is a piece of legislation that, like the Affordable Care Act, aims to increase access to health care and drive down costs.

2. The replacement plan has structural similarities to Obamacare. It relies on a concept that health economist Jon Gruber describes as a 'three-legged stool' of health reform.

One leg is expanding access to coverage. Obamacare does this by ending medical underwriting -- the part of the individual market where, prior to 2014, health plans used individuals' pre-existing conditions to set the price of the premium they pay. Under Obamacare, insurance companies cannot use medical histories to set prices.

The Republican proposal would do this in a more limited way: It would end pre-existing conditions limitations for those who remain continuously insured. That means if you lost your job and health insurance, and immediately purchased a plan on the individual market, your insurance company could not use your medical history to set prices. If your coverage did lapse, however, there would be the possibility of facing underwriting fees when purchasing an individual plan.

The second leg is a policy to encourage people to get coverage -- if you don't have that, only sick people will sign up. Obamacare obviously has the requirement to purchase insurance on this front. The replacement plan has an arguably less punitive policy that's described above: If Americans let their health coverage lapse -- decide, for example, that they're pretty healthy and want to make a go of being uninsured -- they could be charged for their pre-existing conditions when they come back into the individual market to buy coverage.

The third leg is about making insurance affordable. Both Obamacare and the replacement plan include tax subsidies for low- to middle-income Americans, although they're structured a bit differently. The Republican replacement plan would let Americans use tax credits to purchase insurance coverage if they earned less than 300 percent of the poverty line (about $36,000 for an individual). Subsidies in Obamacare go up to 400 percent of the poverty line. The Republican plan envisions anyone below 300 percent of the poverty line qualifying for these subsidies, whereas Obamacare has those who earn less than 133 percent of the poverty line (about $15,000) become eligible for Medicaid.

4. There are, of course, some differences between the two. There are no exchanges in the Republican plan, nor is there a mandated set of benefits that insurance plans must cover. Obamacare limits the amount that insurers can charge their oldest enrollees to three times the amount they charge their youngest enrollee. Republicans would widen that age band, allowing insurers to charge older subscribers five times as much -- lowering premiums for younger people in the process.

The Republican plan puts less emphasis on expanding Medicaid; Obamacare relies on that public program for half of the entire insurance expansion. The replacement plan would limit any Medicaid expansion to pregnant women and children living below the poverty line, and give states the option to decide whether to participate. And even then, those people would have more of a choice: They could decide whether to participate on Medicaid, or use a tax credit to buy private insurance. Under Obamacare, there isn't that option.

5. We don't know how many people this plan would cover since it's not formal legislation yet and has not been scored by the Congressional Budget Office. The subsidies are less generous than Obamacare, which could mean it would cover fewer people. But the penalty of being underwritten for not buying coverage could prove even more onerous than the individual mandate's relatively weak fines for not carrying insurance coverage.

6. The biggest, most significant difference between Obamacare and the replacement plan is about financing -- how you pay for all those insurance subsidies. The replacement plan repeals a whole slew of industry taxes that had the insurance companies, hospitals and medical device makers all helping to foot the bill. Those are gone. In their place is a limit on the the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored insurance.

Right now, the federal government does not tax health insurance when it is provided to an employee by an employer. The Republican plan would limit the tax exclusion to 65 percent of the average health insurance plan. Any amount of a premium beyond that amount would need to be paid with post-tax dollars. There's no estimate on how many people this would effect and how much more they would pay for premiums, but Republican Senate aides do say it's true that people who receive more robust policies from their employers would pay more for premiums.

7. Economists across the political spectrum tend to love the idea of limiting -- or, ideally, eliminating -- tax preferences for health insurance. It creates an uneven playing field and is regressive, making it a lot easier for an employer to buy insurance than an individual. It drives up the demand for really robust health insurance packages that may be well beyond what workers need -- but since health insurance is tax-preferenced, it's a cheaper way to pay employees. The federal government loses over $100 billion in revenue each year by not taxing health plans.

8. People -- especially the 56 percent of Americans under 65 who get their insurance through their employer -- tend to hate the idea of ending this health insurance tax exclusion because it means the same exact health benefit package they get right now could get a whole lot more expensive. No matter how much economists like the idea of ending the employer tax exclusion, politicians tend to get brutalized for proposing it (see: John McCain in 2008).

9. One other notable feature of this plan: Obamacare has become the starting point for negotiations. This wasn't really true a few years ago, or even a few months ago, before the health-care law's insurance expansion started. It's interesting that this proposal takes some of the contours of Obamacare and works around them, such as ending pre-existing conditions and continuing dependent coverage up to age 26. The health-care law's $700 million in Medicare cuts stick around, too. Even though it's a replacement plan, it also acknowledges that Obamacare isn't totally going to disappear.

KLIFF NOTES: Top health policy reads from around the Web.

How will Obama handle Obamacare in the State of the Union? "This time, President Barack Obama is going to have to actually talk about Obamacare in his State of the Union address. No more touch-the-base-and-keep-running treatments, the way he's handled it the past couple of years. This time, he'll be expected to linger on base a bit, at least long enough to acknowledge the launch of the biggest domestic achievement of his presidency — and do it in the least awkward way possible." David Nather in Politico.

Economists see little Obamacare impact on hiring. "About 75 percent of those surveyed said the Affordable Care Act hasn't influenced their planning or expectations for 2014, according to data from theNational Association for Business Economics. Twenty-one percent of 64 respondents said that the law would have a negative impact on business conditions and 5 percent said it will be positive." Carlos Torres in Bloomberg.

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Reality TV Rundown: All Stars, Leaky Breasts and More!

It's been a whirlwind day in the world of reality television.

THE AMAZING RACE named a couple Globetrotters, two cancer survivors and a pair of YouTube hosts as its upcoming All-Stars edition, releasing the following cast photo in anticipation of the February 23 premiere.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS told the story of a homeless Khloe, a stripping Kourtney, a singing Kris and a lactating Kim. Yes, sadly, you read that final part correctly.

Watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians online here for more... if you dare:

Watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians Season 9 Episode 3 Online

The #RICHKIDS of BEVERLY HILLS traveled to Cabo where - shocker of shockers! - the friends didn't simply enjoy a couple days of drinking in the sun.

There was fighting over texting, arguing over who was late for dinner... and many shots of tequila. There was also a private plane ride with champagne because of course there was.

A nice picture of the #RichKids of Beverly Hills. These people are SO COOL (not)!

View As List

1. Rich Kids of Beverly Hills Picture

A nice picture of the #RichKids of Beverly Hills. These people are SO COOL (not)!

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2. Rich Kids of Beverly Hills Selfie

A shot of the Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. One of the kids looks like he's balding.

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3. Rich Kids of Beverly Hills Pic

The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. Not really kids and not really all that rich ... but they have their own show.

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4. Some Rich Kids of Beverly Hills

The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills think they're all that. We think they need to get knocked down a peg.

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5. Dorothy Wang and Morgan Stewart

Dorothy Wang and Morgan Stewart of The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills fame.

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6. #RichKids of Beverly Hills Cast

The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills are E!'s new reality stars. You may punch yourself in the face on cue.

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7. Rich Kids

The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills are really more like Young Adults. But they act like kids, so whatev.

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SISTER WIVES actually grew very serious, as one of the kids came down with an illness.

The scare resulted in nine days of a hospital stay, along with dialysis treatment and the lesson that it's imperative to spend as much time with one's kids as possible.

Watch Sister Wives online to witness the difficult ordeal:

Watch Sister Wives Season 4 Episode 16 Online

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA featured a major fight, with tension finally boiling over between Apollo Nida and Brandon DeShaver. It wasn't hard to see this one coming, was it?

What went down, exactly? Watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta online now:

Watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 6 Episode 13 Online

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