Gulty "Pleasures"?

Those of you poor fools who follow my blog know that I am a reality show fanatic. I can't help it....they are everywhere....and, on every channel. What's a girl to do?

Today I decided to critique some of them...the good, the bad and the ugly (and you know who you are!).

The good: So You Think You Can Dance has to top the list. Anyone who watches these young people dance their hearts out week after week has to get hooked. The way that they move around that stage is nothing short of incredible...even in my "younger years" I couldn't do any of the moves that they do...nor would I ever attempt to.

They go flying through the air...jumping up and getting caught mid-air by their partners...tumbling acrobatically over and over and still managing to land on their feet. Stunning. Truly fascinating. Amazing.

Wednesday's show was highlighted by a moving dance performed with precision and full of emotion. It was to be a dance of someone finding out that they had breast cancer. There wasn't a dry eye in the place when they were done...and, I learned what a powerfully emotional thing dance can be.

Wow.

More good: All of the shows on the Food Channel: Chopped, Food Challenge, America's Next Food Network Star and Top Chef (and, now, Top Chef Masters where prize money goes to the chef's favorite charities). Nice.

Because I love to cook, these shows inspire and entertain me with their different challenges. I adore the Food Challenge shows where the chefs make cakes and/or chocolate or sugar creations. They miraculously mold these totally edible delicacies into various forms from cartoon characters to patriotic themes to famous buildings around the world. The only part of these challenges that gets to me is when, after 8 hours of steady work, they then must carry their fragile creations over to a table several feet away. I have seen a few go "down" during this part of the show. Disconcerting...even though the audience seems to enjoy the suspense!

I wouldn't mind being there to pick up these delectable pieces of chocolate and sugar that have broken though.... : )

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The bad: Hell's Kitchen. How Gordon Ramsey has not keeled over from a heart attack yet is beyond me! He spends the entire show screaming out obscenities and criticisms to the aspiring amateur chefs who are trying to please him.

When he isn't yelling at them he is spitting out or throwing away the food that they have prepared.

I don't get the attraction here.

The bad: The Housewives of--------(fill in the blank here with a city). Puleeze. What are these women thinking? They flaunt their money, their boobs their private lives, their arguments....etc. etc. Pretty sleazy if you ask me.

The bad: My Sweet Sixteens

This is where spoiled teenagers are shown batting their eyes at their rich "daddies" and expecting huge gala birthday parties with the new car of their choice thrown into the bunch. They seem to derive some sort of sick pleasure at leaving out certain people when their invitations are distributed...and they all have a sense of entitlement that turns my stomach. What are these parents thinking?

More of the bad: Wife Swap, Big Brother 1-11, Bachelorette and Bachelor, Jon and Kate plus Eight (don't even get me started on that one!!!)

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The ugly: Toddlers and Tiaras. (This is how it is described: "On any given weekend, on stages across the country, little girls and boys parade around wearing makeup, false eyelashes, spray tans and fake hair to be judged on their beauty, personality and costumes. Toddlers and Tiaras follows families on their quest for sparkly crowns, big titles, and lots of cash.")

Oh my! Have you seen this show?!?!? On the first episode of the new season, one of the mothers has twin daughters that she puts in the pageants. She obviously adores one of them over the other...and makes that very clear to all...including the ignored daughter.

Daughter #1 (the adored one) is spoiled and bratty and overly confident (we are talking about 5 year olds here!) while daughter #2 is berated constantly and tearful as she tries so hard to win her mother's approval.

Child and Family Services should intervene here in that this poor child #2 is going to be in need some seriously heavy-duty therapy as she gets older.

It is truly hard to watch.

Another mother on the show dragged her two sons into the pageant and entered her TWO WEEK old baby into the competition! I couldn't believe my eyes.

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Enough of my ranting for today....anyway, I think that it is time for Bridezillas to go on!

**sigh**