The bright lights of nightlife (say that one fast, three times) are a staple in reality TV. As such, the nightclubs featured provide ideal backdrops for the debauchery we love to watch. But if you’ve been paying close attention, you’ll start seeing an interesting trend: the name Karma seems to be a popular moniker for the clubs shown on these various programs. Is it just a coincidence? It’s likely. But you’ve got to wonder if television execs aren’t trying to make a few subliminal points. Observe…
You could say the Karma craze began with MTV’s “Jersey Shore” where Snooki & Co. did their dirt for multiple seasons. This Seaside Heights nightclub served as their home base, and was the catalyst for fights, hook-ups and everything in between.
Then “Buckwild” – MTV’s Thursday night Shore replacement – came along. And even these kids had a brief jaunt at a club called Karma. Only this one was smack dab in the middle of Morgantown, West Virginia. Kara was the one who introduced this southern fried bunch to nightlife. But it wasn’t really their cup of tea. The comparisons to its Thursday night predecessor were brief, and so was this nightclub’s screen time. These wacky West Virginia kids ultimately returned their party to the back woods.
Because there aren’t enough reality shows starring 20somethngs on MTV, the network decided to add “Washington Heights” to its lineup. This vibrant group of Dominican youngsters has traded drunken binges for poetry sessions and jaunts to Coney Island. When they’re not doing that, they’re trying to break into the music business, like rapper/singer Audubon aka J.P. On a recent episode he nearly caught his big break at—you guessed it—a club called Karma. But things didn’t really go as planned. As a result of his “unpreparedness”, his meeting with an A&R rep turned out to be an epic fail. He was essentially told to step up his game and take his grind farther than the five boroughs.
The Real Husbands of Hollywood –
Last but not least, there’s the “Real Husbands of Hollywood”, a faux-documentary comedy that makes a mockery of the reality genre. With Kevin Hart at the helm, you can hardly go wrong, as he gives the word 'inappropriate' new meaning. On the show, he gets sucked into a business deal with the fellas to buy a restaurant/lounge named Karma. But as usual, things aren’t always what they seem. As luck would have it, the establishment’s previous owner was murdered. Oh yeah, and there’s one catch: the widow selling the place just happens to be the alleged killer. Talk about bad karma.
