Bush TV

"Television! Teacher, mother, secret lover."

-Homer Simpson

Ut oh. This is really hard to admit. In fact, I can hardly believe it myself, but I think I am watching too many reality shows! LOL. I say too many, because I can remember the day when I wouldn't even consider wasting my time with the likes of Survivor: Where The Hell Are We Now? Or Fear Factor, or eeeegadddds... American Idol! LOL. Nope, won't do it, don't ask me. I had made my mind up that these shows were an intellectual waste of time. Well, apparently I am no intellectual, because I have succumbed to their mindless seduction. I am addicted. Among my guilty pleasures are...

1. Denise Richards... It's Complicated

2. The Bachelorette

3. America's Got Talent

4. She's Got The Look

5. Ghost Hunters

6. Hell's Kitchen

7. Last Comic Standing

Now ok, so it's only seven reality shows, but honestly, that is a lot for someone who almost never gave in to the genre. Well, I have watched one or two over the years. One of my favorite was, the Fox show, Murder in Small Town X. I really liked that one for it's puzzle/mystery format. I watched the sort of reality show that Ben Affleck produced, Push Nevada, it was an interesting mystery, and besides, it was giving away a million dollars to whoever could solve the mystery. Yeah... that turned out well! Anyway, after those two shows crashed and burned, I didn't watch another reality show... until... Ghost Hunters. But jeepers, how could a ghost enthusiast such as myself, not watch two hunky guys, Jason, and Grant, who are Rotor Rooter men by day, and ghost hunters by night? OMG... that show has it all, and now they have gone international!

See, it makes sense. In fact, I have a good reason for watching all the reality shows currently on my TiVO que. Let's start with Denise Richards... It's Complicated. I saw her on The View back in May, pimping her new show, and I thought at that time that she was just another bimbo, out on the circuit, filled with shameful self-promotion, then I heard how the critics panned her show, and I decided to have a look for myself. I don't usually listen to critics, I like to make up my own mind. What I found was a young woman, raising two little girls, and caring for a recently widowed father, while making some extraordinarily tough decisions. Like having to save time and money by giving herself bikini waxes, as opposed to going to an expensive, and time consuming, Beverly Hills Salon. She's saving money and time... that is just informative TV!

Now, about She's Got The Look. You know, I like seeing women over 35, proving that we cougars got it going on! It's a well done show, and it shows how hard it is to be a model. How rigid the whole world is, how you are not encouraged to be yourself, or to speak your mind. How really evil a scoop of ice-cream can be. How if you don't stop to think about every step you take, you will someday walk the wrong way right off the runway and out of competition with your peers. I like the show. I am a better person for having watched it. And for whatever reason, I can't seem to look away.

Hell's Kitchen. Well, it sometimes seems like Gordon Ramsey is simply another Simon Cowell knockoff, but all his screaming and throwing of plates and dishes is just his way of saying, "I want nothing but the best for you up and coming chefs." I don't know how well the kitchens of America would do, if we all turned into screaming idiots as we fixed our Sloppy Joes, but heck, I could give it try I suppose. "ALAN HURRY UP WITH THOSE BUNS!" To which he would have to reply, "YES CHEF!" Yeah, I like that idea! :) Hey Alan, want Sloppy Joes tonight?

When it comes to America's Got Talent, and Last Comic Standing, well I have actually been watching similar on TV since the days of Star Search. I liked America's Got Talent last year, there was some really talented folks on there who kept me entertained. My favorites where Butterscotch, and Terry Fator. In the end it was Terry Fator who went on to fame and fortune as the big winner. In fact, he has shattered the record for the biggest post production contract of any reality TV star. He recently signed a $100 million dollar contract. He really deserved it too. This year however, I am not seeing anyone nearly as entertaining as his puppetry and impersonations were.

What can I say about the Bachelorette? Deanna Pappas seems to be the smartest of the ladies they have shown so far. When she was dumped by former Bachelor Brad, she got her little heart broken by a guy who she felt kind of lead her on. Who hasn't got a guy like Brad in their past? I don't know, she just seemed like a sincere young lady, and since I hadn't actually watched a single episode of the show in the past, I decided to give it a look see. I have been enjoying her journey to love, but I still have to wonder about the route she has taken. I guess there is just something really nice about not having won Alan on a game show. But then this is a different world then the one I fell in love in. Maybe we need to just grab love wherever it is, even if it's in an alternate reality.

As summer TV goes, these shows aren't all that bad. It's just a little guilty pleasure. I can stop any time I want. No intervention is necessary. LOL.

So tell me, what do you think? Do I need an Intervention?Do you enjoy reality shows? Have you ever voted for someone on a reality show? If you had to do away with one reality show, which one would it be? If you could star on a reality show, which one would it be? If you could bring back a former reality show, which one would it be? Speak up. Tell me everything!


-OndineMonet