Yes, I watch Reality TV

[3113]

I'm not ashamed to admit it. Okay. Maybe a little

But it's all research. So tell me, what shows do you watch? Why? And what have they taught you?

I just learned that "Jaded" is a verb: "I jaded you." See? I learn so much from these shows.

 

[cloudy]

I watch America's Next Top Model.

I love it. The girls are so catty and Ms. Jay such a witty drag queen that I can't resist.

I got Abs hooked on it while she was here.

Beauty & The Geek is another favorite, except that its hard to imagine girls so fucking stupid sometimes.

 

[Brute_Force]

I admit it. I watch reality tv too. Sometimes, I watch Fear Factor and on occasion, The Pickup Artist (though it's pretty stupid).

 

[somberReality]

I've watched Fear Factor a bit but that's it. Just not a big fan of it.

 

[Brute_Force]

Yeah, I don't much like it when they start eating bugs and shit. But, sometimes it's okay. Not gripping tv, by any means tho. LOL.

 

[jomar]

Bless you 3. I almost started a thread awhile back about "your guilty pleasure." But you're right, they are packed with information.

Survivor here. I learned lots of bugs taste like crap and they bite you and leave marks.

And my daughter loves Next Top Model. I spend quality time with her watching it. I learned models are high maintenance and cry a lot.

Don't care for those dating shows (date my mom, my daughter, lie detector stuff), but they capture your attention for awhile like a highway accident. I surmised that people on these shows are chosen for their particular blend of psychopathology.

 

[flavortang]

The only Reality TV I watch is The Ultimate Fighter because at least there's a point to it. It's not just about a bunch of pretty guys or girls sitting around bitching for the sake of bitching, or voyeuristically observing the life of some non-celebrity.

 

[only_more_so]

The only reality series I ever watched any of was the Surreal Life, and that was basically a spoof of a reality series. Actually, I only enjoyed the first season, after that it wasn't as much fun to watch.

 

[Guest]

I like Hell's Kitchen. Gordon Ramsey calling all the chefs dumb donkey makes me laugh. Supposedly he has a new reality show in the US for restaurants.

 

[3113]

I like Hell's Kitchen. Gordon Ramsey calling all the chefs dumb donkey makes me laugh. Supposedly he has a new reality show in the US for restaurants.

"Kitchen Nightmares" which is a U.S. version of the U.K. version of the same name. I learned a lot from that show and "Hell's Kitchen" as well:

1) Some kitchens are really disgusting
2) Working in a kitchen is perhaps the highest high pressure job there is...and one of the most dangerous (knives, fire, spills to slip on...)
3) People who work in kitchens smoke...a lot. I don't know how they know the taste of anything they're cooking.

 

[SlickTony]

I haven't watched Reality TV for years. I enjoyed watching Frontier House and The Ship, and also watched Joe Millionaire when Evan Marriott was in it, because he was just so good looking he was almost unreal, even if he did seem to be as dumb as a box of rocks. I assume he has gone back to his life as a heavy equipment operator and I hope he's happy.

I share the tube with two other people, and there's just too much other stuff to watch.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

My only foray into the Reality TV mess, save for a rare episode of "nothing else is on" television viewing after which I can't even remember what I watched, was mostly back in the day when all that really counted were the MTV shows, "Road Rules" and "The Real World." I used to like them well-enough.

The little bit I've seen of the new ones doesn't impress me, but then, I'm not one for watching TV any more. My viewing tends to be more intellictually stimulating, like The Simpsons, South Park, or Californication.

Q_C

 

[bluebell]

Make it work

I've got to wave the flag for Project Runway and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.
I find a lot of the Bravo shows, in general, to be pretty good.
Although I'm not enamored with Tim Gunn's show as I thought I would be.
And am I the only person who wishes they were still filming Blow Out?

 

[3113]

I would love to hear what lessons you've learned from some of these shows.

 

[jomar]

And am I the only person who wishes they were still filming Blow Out?

You mean the De Palma film wherein John Travolta gets the perfect scream on tape? Excellent move blue! Or do you mean the Bravo show?

 

[bluebell]

You mean the De Palma film wherein John Travolta gets the perfect scream on tape? Excellent move blue! Or do you mean the Bravo show?

*embarrassed chuckle*

Uhhhh. The Bravo show.

Where did Brian De Palma go, anyhow?
Oh, I know. He's been hiding away watching Big Brother.
I'm at a loss to know what he might be learning from that show, besides how to live in a house that's infested with scabies and people who use too much hair gel.

Okay, Lady Threelish, here's what I've learned:

1) Fresh corn silks must be refrigerated in order to stay looking like a beautiful green dress and not a shrivelly thing. Austin Scarlett learned that the hard way.
2) Heidi Klum says funny things about boobies and coochies.
3) Gay men are usually the best (and funniest) designers.
4) Tim Gunn is a silver fox.
5) I do more in a day than Kathy Griffin's three assistants combined. But they get to laugh more (maybe).
6) You can say pretty much anything you want as long as you're willing to be seen as an infidel of the social realm (party down, woo!).
7) It's not easy hosting the Gay Porn Awards.
8) Some male hairdressers really are straight. Really.
9) I can buy Jonathan Antin's Beauty Water shower head on Sephora's website, and have seriously thought about it.
10) I'm annoyed by the Pussycat Dolls. So much so that I just typed "Pussycant Dolls" instead. Backspace, baby. Or...

 

[perfect_deb]

I like Hell's Kitchen. Gordon Ramsey calling all the chefs dumb donkey makes me laugh. Supposedly he has a new reality show in the US for restaurants.

god! i used to be a chef - i HATE that guy

i used to watch his show in horrified fascination cos he was a conglomeration of every asshole, dickhead, misogynist, head chef i had ever had to deal with.

 

[jomar]

*embarrassed chuckle*

Uhhhh. The Bravo show.

Where did Brian De Palma go, anyhow?
Oh, I know. He's been hiding away watching Big Brother.
I'm at a loss to know what he might be learning from that show, besides how to live in a house that's infested with scabies and people who use too much hair gel.

I know, we're talking TV here. Just thought I'd throw you a movie reference, because, well, you know.

I haven't seen Big Brother since the 16th season. I keep waiting for the geriatric all star special edition.

 

[TE999]

Does anyone else here think 'Reality TV Shows' are for the most part staged and faked for emotional and dramatic effect?

I mean, come on. Some of that stuff strains credulity to the point it needs a truss.

Chewing gum for the brain. A guilty pleasure indeed.

 

[jomar]

Does anyone else here think 'Reality TV Shows' are for the most part staged and faked for emotional and dramatic effect?

I mean, come on. Some of that stuff strains credulity to the point it needs a truss.

Chewing gum for the brain. A guilty pleasure indeed.

What!!! Staged and...and...scripted?

 

[RogueLurker]

Survivor, Hell's Kitchen, Beauty and the Geek and The Amazing Race.

I have managed to give up watching American and Canadian Idol (thank god).


Survivor and the Amazing Race are great character/personality studies - I love watching the interactions. I think I prefer Amazing Race over Survivor - I think its more of a challenge physically, emotionally and mentally.

Hell's Kitchen makes me laugh (though after two seasons I might be getting tired of watching the "donkey" abuse). Beauty and the Geek just astounds me - that there are guys that geeky and women that .. uhm ... not geeky.

What I have learned from Reality Shows:

-I will never eat bull or caribou penis, no matter how much money is on the line.

-My partner and I wouldn't make it to the first Pit Stop on the Amazing Race (we can't even build Ikea furniture together ... you expect us to drive a Yak cart acrosss the Russian Steppes?)

-I enjoy personal hygeniene too much to be on Survivor (and I'd never get a buff big enough to act as a "tank top")

- Risotto is actually really hard to make

- I'm not half a geeky as the guys who pair up with the beauties.

- There is a limit on how much "reality tv" I can watch - and I'm very close to it now.

 

[Guest]

.........

 

[sophia jane]

I watch Survivor and Amazing Race. I'm a new convert to Family Jewels (Gene Simmons from Kiss and his family). I've never been a Kiss fan, but I love his family.
I'm also a sucker for all those home improvement, house flipping type shows.

 

[perfect_deb]

"Kitchen Nightmares" which is a U.S. version of the U.K. version of the same name. I learned a lot from that show and "Hell's Kitchen" as well:

1) Some kitchens are really disgusting
2) Working in a kitchen is perhaps the highest high pressure job there is...and one of the most dangerous (knives, fire, spills to slip on...)
3) People who work in kitchens smoke...a lot. I don't know how they know the taste of anything they're cooking.

i didnt smoke but i drank a LOT of coffee

and yes, working in a kitchen is perhaps the highest high pressure job there is - the average retirment age for chefs is 40 - too much pressure, hard on your feet, hard on your back

i was a head chef for many years - i retired just after the olympics in 2000 - i made so much money in that 3 weeks it was a crime, but i trashed the ligaments in my feet and literally couldnt walk properly for 2 years.

these days i teach sometimes - i just love playing with the heads of 16yo apprentices

 

[flavortang]

Does anyone else here think 'Reality TV Shows' are for the most part staged and faked for emotional and dramatic effect?

I mean, come on. Some of that stuff strains credulity to the point it needs a truss.

Chewing gum for the brain. A guilty pleasure indeed.

I hate to admit that I did watch a handful of episodes of Miami Ink. Notably, the ones where Kat Von D was 'fired' from the shop. Now, ironically, she has her own spin-off show. I'm sure that her firing from Miami Ink wasn't staged to set up the new show. Yeah, I was being sarcastic about that last part.