The term came to the attention of the mainstream on the non-scripted American television show Big Brother when it was first used by Will Kirby in 2001. It has been used in theater on stage for years. Then it moved to films, theater and scripted television,\ It is primarily entered into as a ploy to gain more public and media attention and, in case of television, more camera time during the run of a theater piece, or a television series. It may be also just a publicity stunt. Showmances during reality shows are often motivated by the participants' wanting viewers to vote to keep them in the show, so that they can see the 'romance' continue . In some competitive reality tv shows (Big Brother or Survivor), contestants often engaged in a showmance for strategic purposes. A showmance couple, by protecting each other and by voting together, maintain power over other contestants . Sometimes, when an amorous relationship actually does continue after the end of a show, many people would still allege that it is "just a show" the two are putting on.
The term came to the attention of the mainstream on the non-scripted American television show Big Brother when it was first used by Will Kirby in 2001. It has been used in theater on stage for years. Then it moved to films, theater and scripted television,\ It is primarily entered into as a ploy to gain more public and media attention and, in case of television, more camera time during the run of a theater piece, or a television series. It may be also just a publicity stunt. Showmances during reality shows are often motivated by the participants' wanting popularity with the viewers for post show success (as well as success during the show, if Audience Voting is apart of the format) . In some competitive reality tv shows (Big Brother or Survivor), contestants often engaged in a showmance for strategic purposes. A showmance couple, by protecting each other and by voting together, maintaining power over the game’s political power structure . Sometimes, when an amorous relationship actually does continue after the end of a show, many people would still allege that it is "just a show" the two are putting on.
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viewers to vote to keep them in
popularity with the viewers for post show success (as well as success during
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so that they can see the 'romance' continue
if Audience Voting is apart of the format)
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maintain power over other contestants
maintaining power over the game’s political power structure