{"id":88615,"date":"2016-09-13T19:29:10","date_gmt":"2016-09-13T23:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/?p=88615"},"modified":"2021-04-15T17:38:52","modified_gmt":"2021-04-15T21:38:52","slug":"born-this-way-completely-deserves-its-unstructured-reality-show-emmy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/2016\/09\/13\/born-this-way-completely-deserves-its-unstructured-reality-show-emmy\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Born This Way\u2019 Completely Deserves its Unstructured Reality Show Emmy"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n By: Marc Silver<\/p>\n Dear Emmy voters,<\/p>\n Congratulations! You got it right by giving the Emmy for outstanding unstructured reality program to \u201cBorn This Way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBorn This Way\u201d is the rare reality show that features characters who are neither petty nor inane and that has a greater purpose than keeping up with the Kardashians \u2014 which is ironic, because the same production company, Bunim\/Murray, also brings us \u201cKeeping Up With the Kardashians.\u201d<\/p>\n The program, now finishing up Season 2 (10 p.m. Tuesdays on A&E), looks at a group of people who are practically invisible on TV: the 400,000 Americans with Down syndrome. And what the show does is remarkable. As the nonprofit advocacy group RespectAbility puts it, \u201c\u2009\u2018Born This Way\u2019 breaks down stigmas.\u201d<\/p>\n Each episode follows seven young adults doing what everyone in their 20s does: seek a career, have fun, build friendships, look for love. Their quests are complicated by the developmental challenges that can be associated with the condition \u2014 which one of them, Steven, jokingly refers to as \u201cUp syndrome.\u201d<\/p>\n In the most recent episode, Megan moves to Los Angeles, leaving behind the security of life with her mom in Colorado. Steven and Sean plan a dance party. Rachel learns she is pre-diabetic and needs to tame her sweet tooth.<\/p>\n At a housewarming for Megan, they talk about their fears \u2014 starting with thunder and moving to existential dilemmas. \u201cI\u2019m scared of how to teach myself how to live by myself,\u201d says Megan. When Sean says, \u201cDon\u2019t be sad, you\u2019ve got us,\u201d the genuine love and support brought a tear to my eye.<\/p>\n But the show isn\u2019t just an inspirational postcard. Sometimes the protagonists are childlike (hmmm, just like the rest of us) and tensions erupt. Annoyed by Sean\u2019s crush on singer Meghan Trainor, Megan says, \u201cThat fantasy \u2026 is never going to happen.\u201d A wounded Sean says of Megan, \u201cShe\u2019s not my friend anymore.\u201d Steven advises, \u201cYou know what people do when they\u2019re scared \u2014 they push people away.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\nWashington Post\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\n