Mike Morin

“I could write a book.” As an author, I hear that from a lot from people I meet and I encourage them to do just that. Everybody has a story. I’ve always believed that but it turns out I’m in the minority. A new survey from the website yougov.com asked nearly 8,000 people, “Do you think your life could make for a good reality TV series?

Only 25% said yes, 60% replied no and 15% didn’t know. Are you telling me that after watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians, you don’t have a more interesting or funnier life? Before I try to convince you to put your story out for all to read, here are a few other bad reality shows you may recall:

I Wanna Marry Harry was a show where women hoped to marry a con man who was a dead ringer for now-married Prince Harry. These contestants were led to believe it was really the Duke of Sussex, but it wasn’t.

Outback Jack had promise: 12 women were dropped off at a mansion expecting a lavish experience, only to be immediately flown to the Australian outback to compete for former underwear model Dale’s affection. I’m pretty sure I’d rather watch your reality show even if it didn’t include kangaroos and scorpions.

From just the past few weeks, I can offer two examples of real New Hampshire people I’ve met who casually shared stories with me that could easily be worked into either book form or reality TV. I have made up fictitious story titles, hoping to suck you in to learn more. And these are all true.

I Kicked Buttt, is about a smoker who gave up cigarettes. Many have tried and will relate to this one. If they can do a TV show about hoarders, why wouldn’t you want to read about a 40-ish guy who took what would have been his cigarette money and started an art glass collection? He was visiting my house to do a job and I saw him admiring a few pieces of art glass I have. Then he shared that he has amassed a collection of 300 unique pieces, that began with 10 glass ashtrays after having quit smoking.

You Drilled the Well but I got the Shaft, the true story of a Nashua realtor who decided to try his hand at becoming a building contractor and selling homes he would create dealing with subcontractors. “Lew” teamed up with a land owner/investor/partner and before you could say the word “fail,” three unsuccessful well drillings led to the end of a promising project. Even more dramatic, Dale represented himself in a mediation hearing where the drillers wanted their $40,000-plus fee for the nonproducing holes.

Lew did his homework and continued to decline their requests until a final settlement of $5,000 was agreed upon, where the investor would pay the paltry amount of $250 in monthly installments.

Then there was the story of a kangaroo that quit smoking. Maybe next time.