My TV Addiction is Back

I feel so pathetic getting into reality TV, the very thing I once hated. My schedule currently looks something like this:

Monday: "Dance War"
Tuesday: "American Idol"
Wednesday: "American Idol"
Thursday: "The Apprentice"
Friday: Nothing definite, but there's this show premiering on CMT called "Gone Country" that looks like it might be interesting. We shall see how much I get into that one.

I wish the "Idol" auditions would hurry up so we can get to the performances. I suppose we get a good background on some of the singers now (admittedly, I'm not going to vote for someone with a personality I dislike), but the music is ultimately why I watch the show.

This year "Idol" is going to be different for me. Last year I knew the father of one of the contestants, so I voted for that contestant most of the way. This year I feel more free to choose whomever I want. I'm planning to vote for all the contestants I like each week. Last year there were several contestants I liked who got eliminated and I felt bad that I hadn't voted for them. If that happens this year, at least I won't have the guilt.

I'm also hoping to write recaps of all the performance (and possibly result) shows. I thought it would be good to be able to look back on my first impressions of certain contestants, and perhaps my comments will even be entertaining. I thought my family and I made some funny comments when watching last year (for instance, my mother said that Blake Lewis looked like Howdy Doody when he sang), and perhaps the general public would enjoy them too (assuming anyone actually reads this blog).

I just hope that there'll be some true underdogs to root for in this competition, as it's been revealed that several contestants have had past record deals and such. With all the information that's out there I won't be surprised if there are several shocking eliminations this year.

When Did I Become a TV Addict?

Back when I was in college I rarely watched TV. It meant going downstairs to the main lobby and dealing with the rowdies who lived in the dorm. I didn't enjoy that much, so I usually spent my time in my room on the internet.

It's funny how I used to talk bad about reality television and said that it was a stupid fad that would go out of style before too long. Now that I'm out of school reality TV has made me its slave. I now understand why some people get so obsessed with these shows. You find yourself invested in the outcome because the shows involve real people and you care about the ones you like. I find myself not being able to miss "Beauty and the Geek", "The Next Great American Band", and "Dancing With the Stars". Other shows like "Jeopardy!", "Don't Forget the Lyrics!" and "American Idol Rewind" have also sucked me in. Once some of these shows end Season 7 of "American Idol" is going to start. If you told me a year ago that I'd be another "Idol" addict I wouldn't have believed you. Now I not only follow the American version, but the Canadian version and to some extent the Australian one. I also watch a lot of sports. What's happening to me? I'm spending way too much time in front of the tube.

I suppose reality TV gives us a way to live vicariously through others and to enjoy the excitement of competition at the same time. It's really not that different from watching sports if you think about it. Still, sports seems more respectable. Perhaps I'm too far into this current crop of shows so I might as well finish out the season.

By the way, vote for Très Bien! on "The Next Great American Band"!