In 1968, American artist Andy Warhol declared that "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." Warhol's prophetic statement may have perplexed social commentators of his day. But surprisingly, his off-the-cuff assertion rings true today, some 38 years later.

According to Warhol, the media could enable anyone to become famous. You don't have to be beautiful, talented or well connected. All it takes is bravado and a willingness to make a fool of yourself in front of a camera. The unexpected and explosive rise of reality-television shows gives new meaning to Warhol's famous quote.

They're Just Like Us

Programs featuring regular Joes such "American Idol," "Project Runway" and "The Apprentice" has given rise to a new breed of celebrity, one's who is as flawed as the audience that watches them. But in spite of their 15 minutes of fame, the audience can relate to these "celebs" because they are of the audience. Ironically, it was reality TV that spawned the ubiquity and popularity of today's dubious "stars," such as Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.

The Hollywood community has dismissed the genre as artistically void, and consid-er reality-TV stars talent-less hacks who steal their airtime and jobs. But the trend doesn't seem to be letting up. So where are we going with our celebrity worship and fame obsession? And what kind of statement do they make about our society?

Voyeuristic Appeal

Personally, I totally get the appeal of reality shows. In fact, I'm embarrassed to admit that I find several of them really entertaining. The programs, which appeal to our inherently voyeuristic natures, are usually cast to ensure just the right mix of tension and melodrama. It's hard to resist gawking at the "real-life" reactions of so-called real people placed in bizarre or unusual situations.

There's also an odd appeal in watching a show that you yourself think you could be on if you had tried out for it. This makes the shows seem extremely accessible to viewers, in contrast to TV programs featuring professional actors. It's easy to imagine yourself running into reality show stars on the street and approaching them. Generally, you don't feel that same level of approachability with a Hollywood actor.

Another appeal of the genre is the so-called unscripted nature of the programming. This makes for lots of over-the-top emotional meltdowns and catfights. I don't think anyone could argue that these shows have any artistic merit. Their appeal is purely due to their shallow (and in some cases, manufactured) mix of melodrama. In fact, some of the stuff that contestants go through on these shows is downright humiliating. I'm oftentimes embarrassed for the show's stars for making such jackasses of themselves, even as I sit glued to the TV screen taking it all in.

As distasteful as some may find this overcrowded genre, I don't see the trend letting up anytime soon. With their low-cost budgets, ease of pro-duction and endless supply of people willing to grab their 15 minutes of fame, it's safe to say that reality TV is going to be around for a while.

Fame as a Commodity

To me, the advent of reality TV has minimized the value of fame as a commodity. Fame just isn't what it used to be. It's easier to achieve nowadays, but harder to hang on to. The public's attention span is so short that being famous today doesn't guarantee that anyone will remember your name tomorrow. So it seems that Warhol's "15 minutes" of fame has winnowed down to about 15 seconds. Even then, however, swarms of people will still be clamoring for it.

Samantha Chang is the executive editor of TheImproper.com