"All the world's a stage." And recently, it has not been only the news media capitalizing on the appeal of real-life stories; variety shows, long dominated by vaudevillian antics, have also begun to mine this lode. Through program segments dedicated to finding long-lost benefactors, reuniting divided lovers, and "helping" disadvantaged persons, these programs have raised their audience ratings considerably.
如戲的人生，引人入勝，不僅新聞媒體，近來連慣於嬉鬧搞笑的綜藝節目，也大量炒作這類真人實事的題材，藉製作尋人報恩、決裂複合、援助弱勢等故事單元，提高不少收視率。