A while ago I told myself that I would never get into reality TV, and that those that loved it watched simply so that they could see people worse than they were so that they could feel good about themselves (this was my theory about talk shows as well -- especially Jerry Springer).  I was doing fairly well with little slip-ups here and there (like watching some American Idol performances or The Amazing Race - which is more like a game show than it is a reality show), as co-workers would tallk about these shows and I had to be in the know so that I could contribute to the conversations.

I recently realized, that, little by little, I had become one of these people I so despised.  I watch WAY too much reality TV.  While I could easily blame the writer's strike, I actually blame myself more.  You do, indeed, find people on these shows that are crazier than you, and it makes you feel good and mature to not be like them.  But still, the reason to watch is just to see what's going to happen and to be able to talk to others about the show.

Now I DO have my limits, though.  There are some shows that I will not watch.  I tried to watch a couple seasons of The Real World (in Austin and Australia), but Brooke from Austin was TOO crazy (she completely went postal when a guy she liked asked her out and planned to go bowling), and the Australia cast kept changing (a few people were kicked-off).  I tried to watch Survivor, but it never stuck.  The sad part, is that there are some shows that are worse that these that I actually watch.

American Idol - Sadly, this has become a must.  My co-workers watch and we discuss daily.  The bad part is Paula.  Is there a way to get rid of her?  Either take away the drugs she's on, or give her a bigger dose so that she can't even talk.  One or the other.  And what's up with the audience booing (and Paula encouraging them, of course).  How classless are they?
Project Runway - How can people NOT watch this show?  It's brilliant!  The only thing wrong have been some of the eliminations and one of the winner (I mean Jeffrey last year?  Seriously?  JEFFREY?  ugh.)
Top Chef - Just like PR, but with food.  Now a friend told me he had a problem with the food reality shows because he can't taste the food, and has to rely completely on what the judges say, whereas the AI and PR, you can hear and see the contestant's products.  Valid point.  BUT - it's still a good show nonetheless.  Padma with her big arm-scar always in a sleeveless top, and Ted from Queer Eye actually being a judge (I mean really . . . TED from Queer Eye?  Couldn't they find an actual chef?  Were they really THAT hard-up for a familiar face?  The only thing that would have been worse is if the got Jai instead.  I mean . . . what did he do on Queer Eye anyway?  Nothing.  Exaclty).
America's Next Top Model - I actually got into this at a previous job, when a few of my female co-workers, seeing the fun I have from my sports pools (fantasy football, college football pool, NCAA brackets, etc) asked me to make-up a pool for them for this show.  Unfortunately, they needed more people, so I agreed to play along as well.  Unfortunately, I got hooked.  My only beef with this show (and she's a big side of beef) is Tyra.  From her "anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-better" photos before every elimination to her belief that to be a supermodel you have to be able to do every other job in the world (she made the girls read their own contracts and sign or redliine them; she made the girls compete in a boot-camp sort of training thing); from her self-important attitude (everytime she makes a comment about herself take a drink.  You won't last the first 30 minutes) to her need to be the center of all attention (she crowned herself the homecoming queen in the first episode of this season).  Why won't she just die?
Make Me  A Supermodel - another BravoTV brainchild.  Like Top Model without the annoying Tyra, and with . . . wait for it . . . with MEN as well!!!!!  Brilliant.
Beauty and the Geek - Ashton Kutcher (not one of my favorite actors) was a genius when he devised this "social experiment" (as they have come to call it).  Pairing-off female beauties with male geeks and having them depend on each other to win challenges and avoid elimination is brilliant in bridging the stereo-typical gap between these two groups.  As a self-admitted geek (I read comic books, played in the high school band), I find that people changing their attitudes because of this show is heart-warming to see.  Lately, though, they've tweaked the show in ways that have deterred the changing.  Last year they had a male beauty (who was not that much of a beauty) and a female geek.  The male beauty, of course hooked-up with one of the female beauties on his bed.  What I have neglected to mention is that the female geek was in the top bunk.  RUDE!  And this year, they have made it beauties v. geeks.  LAME!  ALSO - the beauties have not really been that beauteous.  Just average, really.  Ask anyone.  They'll agree.
Pussycat Dolls present Girlicious - I honestly do not know why I watch this trash.  I just do.

I'm sure there are others that I watch that I can't think of off the top of my head, but the above list is enough to prove that I have become that which I hated.

Now here's the kicker.  On the Logo network (one of the 2 gay networks), they have a show called TransAmerican Love Story about a trandgender (M-F) person looking for love.  She gives the bachellors that move onto the next round a piece of chocolate.  Dumb, I know.  But here's the thing that gets me about this show - while most elimination shows ask the audience to vote for the contestant they want to stay on the show, this one asks the audience to vote for the person they want eliminated.  This is so typical of the gay world.  Instead of backing someone that you want to win, you chose the one you don't like and kick them out.  Really, LOGO?  That's what you're going to do?  Why don't you just do a modeling show and have the audience vote for the ugliest person?

Perhaps it was made that way knowing that the gays would vote that way anyway.  Sad.