Can love be sustained on perpetual camera? If history is any judge, the mixing of reality shows with relationships usually ends disastrously. The latest casualty is the marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin of the popular TLC show Jon & Kate Plus 8. Documenting the ups and downs of everyday life with a set of twins and sextuplets, the show seemed to give way to a few more downs than ups. The couple publicly announced their decision to dissolve their 10-year marriage in June via a statement at the end of an episode of the show—seems only fitting…after all, America was more invested in their relationship than they were.

Remember when Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey made their love open to the public on the hit mtv show Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica? How about Hulk and Linda (Bollea) Hogan of vh1’s Hogan Knows Best, whose 24-year marriage was crushed by the constant poking and prodding into their private lives for the entertainment of societally accepted voyeurs, not to mention the little matter of an affair between Hulk and a girl 21 years his junior? Reality regular Lauren Conrad of the popular mtv series The Hills and Laguna Beach has learned not to put a serious relationship on film. This decision was based on a prior bad experience with ex-boyfriend Jason Wahler (whom she chose over an internship in Paris) after the persistent cameras took their toll on a young Hollywood love.

Will our society ever learn by way of the plethora of examples handed to us by willing victims who’ve come before? Or will we continue to dig our own relationship graves by seeing if they’ll withstand the immense pressure that even the most committed couples can’t handle? Only time and TV Guide will tell. ¶

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