Let's Get Real!

I enjoy reality TV. I think everyone does, to some extent. Tyler would argue with me since he thinks the reality shows I like are lame, but doesn't mind watching Animal Planet or Food Network. He seriously rolls his eyes when I get excited for a new episode of my kind of reality. Now, here's the thing. I am fairly intelligent enough to realize I am not being stimulated mentally, that there's not a ton that makes a difference in the world showing on reality shows, and then it's pretty appalling at what some people will do on national television. And yet, I LOVE IT. I am totally voyeur-istic (hello! blog lurking much?!) and find it an interesting study of the human condition on HOW people handle interactions with others, WHY people say and do the things they do, and WHERE IN THE WORLD they come up with the stuff they come up with to actually broadcast. Tyler's beef (well, one of them about reality) is that it's not really reality; that there's so much of it that's fixed and fabricated. And, I am totally okay with that. Especially when I don't really have to engage in a serious plot or follow some dynamic character development.

And pretty much I am not discriminating. I like all sorts of reality shows. With the writer's strike, I have been able to keep up a little more religiously on the shows I like with the help of my DVR. So, let me point out some of my shows and what I find most interesting about them. Like, do y'all watch Jon and Kate + 8. They are this family with twins and then sextuplets. They have the whole camera crew thing follow them in their day-to-day life, which is interesting to me since it's mostly whining kids who fight with each other and a lot of laundry. But what I really love is the parts where just Jon and Kate speak on camera. They're, like, squeezed onto this loveseat and then you can tell how dry and sarcastic and drained the dad is, while the mom is controlling and over-bearing and opinionated. Last week she is talking and turns to the hubby mid-sentence and says, "Gosh, do you have to breath so loud?" [She turns to the crew] "Can you guys hear how loud he's breathing? It's gross." [Back to him] "Stop breathing." So, the husband just looks at her and then over-exaggerates his breathing to be really loud and then turns to the crew and without saying anything takes a big gulp of breath and holds it. He's just looking at the camera, like, GEEZ! Cracks me up. Look at the mom's face in this picture:

I love that I can semi-relate to this family. Even though they have an amazing amount of kids, they still go out in public (albeit, I'm sure with a cache of nannies behind the camera), and the kids are all color-coordinated. I love that!

Okay, and let's hear it for BRAVO! I don't even know why the network was created, but I am sure the reality shows have brought it into it's full potential. I mean, can we even have blog room enough to talk about how FIERCE Project Runway is? And yes, I am not above Make Me a Supermodel every now and then. Bravo's great because they show these marathons of their reality shows, so you can totally catch up on an entire series in an entire Saturday. My current can't miss shows running on Bravo are Top Chef (airs show #2 tonight) AND The Real Housewives of New York City.

Last week Nimma (I think that's how you say it) had to "Pack Her Knives" and go home, which I concurred with the judges decision. Now, this show's definitely more high brow compared to Housewives, and I do feel like it's a bit more legit to watch a cooking competition filled with HUGE egos and tons of skill compared to a bunch of socialites who are catty, frivolous, and seriously deluded about reality.

And, of course, for the water cooler conversations (well, not so much in my life, but for social situtions nonetheless) I have to catch American Idol here and there. I'm kinda over the whole Beatles thing, not to diss the Beatles, but I do like some diversity. And while I enjoy the commentary from the judges, I love Tyler's reactions to the commentary and bantering. He cannot stand Ryan Seacrest and he totally cracks up when Simon makes fun of him. My personal favorites are Brooke, little David A, and Seyesha (just cuz I think she's really pretty). I'm not much for the rockers, love the ballads, and can't stand the cheesiness they're working through the past couple episodes.

And last, but not least, THE BACHELOR has returned. Daniel TOTALLY gave a good recap on his blog yesterday (which, was gratifying on so many levels that we have truly converted him to this piece of slop and it was SO noteworthy some of the stuff that went on). Some shows can be justified as semi-educational or entertaining, but this one (like Housewives) really has no redeeming value. I mean, 25 women on National TV lusting and competing over this random stranger, who this season happens to be from Britain. Of course we had our Bachelor party and Erin, Stacy, and I were picking our favorites and doing a lot of "Oh No She Didn't" as they were vying for Matt Grant's attention. I get a kick from the catty-ness and stink eyes, but the embarrassing antics of some women are REALLY why I tune on. Like this week, homegirl Stacy full on stuffed this pair of underwear (presumably the ones she had been wearing) into the Bachelor's suit pocket. He was totally disgusted, she was so drunk (and even passed out on a mattress mid-party), and NO! she did not get a rose. Too much.

Doesn't she look semi-hoochie anyway? Oh, poor thing. And there's something about the Bachelor that reminds me of my cousin, Greg. I mean, minus the British accent. Okay, and minus the cute Aunt Clo in front of him and not so 1990s, but does anyone else see it?

Anyhow, for those of you who made it through this, you're probably pretty disturbed that not only do I watch that stuff (our friend Tom would say I'm in the"Thick of Thin Things"), but have spent my 200th post writing about it too. I'm okay with that part of me, and do rationalize that I can DVR it and have it as my house-cleaning/blogging background. We can't all be tuned in all the time.