Christian Reality TV Arrives on Cable

There are the strung-out addicts from VH1's "CelebrityRehab with Dr. Drew" and A&E's "Intervention," not to mention the wannabes on Fox's mega-hit "American Idol" and on dating shows such as VH1's "Flavor of Love" and MTV's risqué "Double Shot at Love."

Who can stand out within this cacophony? Maybe ... God?

Hoping to buck the bawdy trend, two new Christian reality shows debuted on cable TV in October.

See more about the shows tonight on "Nightline" at 11:35 p.m. ET.

"The Uprising," which launched on the Inspirational Network, features a trio of Christian pro skateboarders who try to convert people on the street. The cast includes Christian Hosoi, who said he got out of prison a few years ago after being locked up for possession of and intent to distribute crystal meth.

During the first episode they talk to a passerby named Quinn, a kid with a flipped-up baseball cap who says he's an atheist. More on him later.

When "Nightline" visited "The Uprising" crew, they tried to convert us, too.

Hosoi was especially impassioned.

"Guarantee this is one of those moments in your life," he said, "that God is reaching out to you, Karson and Dan, and saying, 'You know what? I love you guys and I put you on this assignment not just to get a good article or show, but to really intervene in your life and put up a flag of, hey, you know, I love you.' Jesus is really saying, 'I love you guys and I want to be in your life.'"

Downgrading the Degrading

"I think the difference about our reality show," cast member Jay Haizlip said, "is that a majority of the ones out there are degrading. They all have a huge element of rejection. It's all about elimination. It's all about, 'We don't need you anymore so we're going to dispose of you.'"

He acknowledged that although a little bit of cruelty can be entertaining to viewers, the public might be hungering for a little empathy as well.

"I think there obviously is an element of that, that does appeal to people," Haizlip said. "But I think the thing that is causing our reality show to blow up to the degree that it is, is because there is that part of compassion that is in people, as well, and watching this program is waking that up in them." source>>>

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