After his reality television show The Bachelor swept network ratings, ABC's producer Mike Fleiss is at the helm of another reality show, Are You Hot?

The show, like its popular predecessor, American Idol, judges its contestants by a panel of celebrities and call-in viewers from home. But in Are You Hot? contestants are not judged for their musical talent; instead, competitors are judged on their physical appearance.

While high ratings for reality television shows prove their increasing popularity, some Penn State faculty members find this new program insulting.

Brian Jara, a women's studies lecturer, said the show is part of a larger problem in mainstream media. "There's this horrible trend of how much more gratuitous and exploitative we can get," Jara said. "I'm not sure if this is the kind of quality everyone is asking for. We're going down a path that I think is very interesting and troubling."

Dawn McKee, education and outreach coordinator for the Centre County Women's Resource Center, is worried about the impact the show might have on its viewers.

"Any time there's any kind of objectification of people, it concerns me because of the impression it might make on adolescents," McKee said. "Some people can watch it and be fine with it, and realize that it's just another stupid show. Others, if they're not feeling self-confident, can buy into a whole negative body image."

Penn State students had mixed feelings about the show.

E.J. Whipple (freshman-kinesiology) said some people might be attracted to the show's premise.

"Like other reality TV shows, it's a guilty pleasure, though it scrutinizes people that are already good looking," Whipple said.

Greg Smore (freshman-communications) said he would watch the program just to see who's hot.

The show's appearance-based premise didn't seem to impress many Penn State students though.

Eromese Igbavboa (freshman-communications) said she does not need a television show to judge her looks or drag down her self-esteem.

"When you see a massive group of people put down other people, it makes you question yourself," she said. "Teenagers are already worried enough about their body image."

Adam Brown (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said he cannot understand the appeal the show had for contestants. "What do they really win? The fact that they're good looking?" Brown asked. "I mean, some of them ended up crying afterwards."

Jenny Difilippo (freshman-health and human development) also did not find any appeal in the show. "It was kind of uncalled for, very stereotypical," Difilippo said. "It plays into what people think of as the norm. I don't know how [the judges] can define what is and what is not socially acceptable." In the end, some students like Jon Brenizer (senior-geosciences) simply refuse to watch the show.

"I feel that it's not really reality TV because it presents this false image of everyone," Brenizer said. "And if I don't watch it, I'm taking away from their ratings."

The show airs at 9 p.m. Thursdays on ABC.