The middle class americans with nothing better to do but sit at home and watch these low class people do so just to feel more normal themselves. If they did in fact want to learn more about morals why don't the talk shows have middle class people on the show, the people committing white collar crimes like fraud and the house wives at home cheating on their spouses. These people they find in the trailer parks expose themselves to the humiliation because they have no where else to go with their problems. They offer a fake source of help through their "rough-and-ready therapist," and all they get is crucified by the audience on national television.
I would love to see Ehrenreich's idea of a talk show, with the "different cast of characters and caregory of crimes... CEO's who rake in millions while their employees get downsized..." Now thats a talk show that I would watch.