Michael Kelso: Real Person, or That 70's Fraud?

Superstar Ashton Kutcher had to get his start somewhere, and that was by playing the incredibly dim-witted hottie, Michael Kelso, on the popular T.V. sitcom, “That 70’s Show.” For anyone that doesn’t know, the show is about a group of reckless, fun-loving, teens growing up in the seventies. It follows them through high school and eventually into their post-high school lives. I’ve grown up watching Kelso, Eric, Hyde, Jackie, Fez, and Donna, and have always thought that I can relate to them because of their seemingly realistic lives compared to every other show on T.V. They were middle class kids struggling with school, part time jobs, parents, and relationships, just like me and all of my friends.

The only obvious difference is that their lives are way more entertaining than mine. This was mostly due to the comical source of the group: Kelso. While all of the characters are funny, Kelso is the kind of character that makes you think, “How does he come up with this stuff?” After growing up and becoming less naïve, I’ve finally found the answer to that question: he doesn’t. Every stupidly hilarious act that Kelso does is the product of weeks or even months of writers sitting around talking about what exactly he should say and exactly how he should say it to get the perfect reaction from the audience.

 After this grim realization, I was disappointed that I would never be able to find a friend that could give me as much entertaining relief that Kelso does for his friends. But after continuing to watch the show, this new knowledge did not affect the quality of the show or how often I laughed.  It was still the same old hilarious Kelso, even though I knew the guy I knew as Kelso was really a board of professional writers.

There are some aspects to Kelso’s life that can be automatically characterized as unrealistic though. One of these is that he boasts about being the only person to fall off of the town water tower every year since middle school. Actually falling off isn’t the unrealistic part, but the fact that the most he has ever hurt himself has been a broken wrist and a few scrapes and bruises. One lucky fall is believable, but six? Later in the season, the show weakens its own legitimacy with this issue, because one of their friends, who is only seen for a few episodes, actually dies by falling off the tower the first time he was on it. This makes it unbelievable that Kelso  could have survived all of his falls when this character died on his first one.

There are a few other instances that suggest that Kelso isn’t real; like his getting accepted into the police academy with his reputation of illegal acts, and how he somehow manages to graduate from high school while rarely attending class. Overall, Kelso’s home life and relationships are much like anyone else’s though. He has an ongoing fling with Jackie that has the same ups and downs as real life relationships and his family is one that could be found in your own home town. So overall, even though Kelso may not be as funny or original as his writers make him out to be, that doesn’t make him any less entertaining.