Host Your Own Reality TV Viewing Party

by Jennifer Matthews

Donald has already chosen his "LA Apprentice" but there are still a lot of Reality Show finals set for May Sweeps - including the Amazing Race All Star Edition, Survivor and of course, American Idol.

Given the popularity of "Heroes" and "Gray's Anatomy" you may want to create a party around their final episodes as well using some of these tips. (don't worry, we know they are not reality shows)

Whether you’re a self-described fan or a closet voyeur, chances are you’ve been swept up in at least a few minutes/episodes/series of reality TV. And you’re not alone: Few people don’t know who Trista and Ryan are, pretty much everyone knows where Kelly Clarkson got her start, and the phrase “You’re Fired!” is being printed on everything from T-shirts to coffee mugs.

	Some official reality TV web sites and start dates: The Amazing Race All Stars The Apprentice American Idol

The reality TV phenomenon shows no signs diminishing anytime soon. Even those of us who aren’t glued to the set each week often can’t resist watching the finale shows to find out who will end up with the big money, the big job or the big romance. So if everyone’s watching anyway, why not make it a party?

Viewing party key ingredients

Invitations: Evite (www.evite.com ) is a great online resource for organizing a viewing party. The site even offers custom designs for some reality shows, including The Bachelor and The Apprentice. Invite people to come a couple of hours before showtime —it will leave time for food, games and lots of mingling beforehand.

Seating: Of course, you’ll need a TV—and lots of seating around it. Have either a large-screen TV with lots of space, or a number of smaller TVs set up so everyone can have a clear view of the action. You’ll want extra chairs, but floor pillows are comfy alternatives as well. Consider setting up “stadium-style” seating, putting your tallest seats in the back row.

Voting pool: As guests arrive, have them guess who will be the last contestant standing. Collect ballots (and cash, if you want to make it interesting) in a voting box.

Trivia and show info: Log on to the show’s official Web site—most have lots of downloads, including profiles of the contestants, trivia quizzes, even music from the show. Set up a table with copies of finalist profiles, and use the trivia as a party game.

Refreshments: This is definitely not a sit-down dinner party. Keep things light and casual. As almost all show finales are on weeknights, many of your guests will be coming straight from work (as you may be), so do provide a light meal with lots of snacks for during the show. Serve lasagna, salad and bread buffet-style, and save dessert for showtime. And help your guests help themselves by setting up a self-serve bar and coffee/snack/dessert table, allowing you to view the show as well. But don’t completely abandon your post as host—use commercial breaks to replenish drinks and food. And regardless of how much food you’ve served, enormous bowls of popcorn and TV pretty much always go together.

Music: The show’s soundtrack is a must. Most shows have them—search amazon.com or your local music store. In many cases you can download music directly from the show’s official Web site.

Role play: Have guests come dressed as their favorite reality show contestant. Award prizes for most inventive costume.

Atmosphere: This is where your creativity really comes into play. Recreating some of the show’s key elements will help gear guests up before the show begins. A few ideas:

Survivor party : Fill your space with torches (if you’re outdoors) and tribal masks. Decide in advance on tribe names, and provide guests with different-colored straw hats, leis or arm bands to show their membership. Hold “reward challenges” before the show starts, and award the winners the best seats in the house. Gummy-worm eating contests, scavenger hunts and timed relay races (if you have the space or are partying outdoors) are fun recreations of the real thing. And don’t forget the all-important “immunity challenge”: Create a trivia contest with questions from the show’s season. The winner can either be awarded a prize of your choosing, or can receive “immunity” in a “final vote” to determine who will host next season’s Survivor party. 

 

As most of the series are filmed in tropical locations why not serve up some tropical themed drinks such as, Mai Tai, Colada's

Idol party: Rent a karaoke machine and set up a stage complete with spotlights and judging seats (let guests play the roles of the judges). Invite partygoers to sing their favourite song (or choose songs from a particular era or artist, as the show does) and submit themselves to scathing commentary. Have guests decide the winner by a show of hands or secret ballot, and give that person the best seat in the house when the show begins—and a William Hung CD, of course.

The Apprentice party: Have guests arrive straight from their corporate jobs (or looking as if they have). Food should be high-quality, New York cocktail party fare, with a nod to the series wherever possible (lemonade would be a must in a season one party, reminiscent of the first episode’s lemonade stand challenge; Trump water, beer and champagne are essentials as well). Greet guests with pitchers of “You’re Fired!” cocktails—a blend of bourbon, Cointreau, lemon juice and grenadine (substitute bourbon for the whiskey in our recipe for the Ste. Agathe Cocktail for a close re-creation). You might want to also mix up the $1,000-per-glass (yes, that’s correct) “You’re Hired!” cocktail for the moment after the winner is announced (try our imitation to recreate it for slightly less cash). And there’s actually a Trump board game out there, circa 1990. If you can get your hands on one, set up a game at your party for interested players.

Awards: After the show ends, tally up the voting pool. In keeping with the theme of most reality shows, the winner really should take home cash. The amount isn’t important—it’s the principle, you know?