Hello, my name is Jeanna, and I'm addicted to reality shows. It all started with Survivor. Richard Hatch bore his bottom, Susan Hawk trash talked, and Rudy was the surliest ex-Navy SEAL ever. May 31, 2000. D-day for my addiction.
My addiction wouldn't have been so bad if I had just stuck with Surivor, but since season one I have branched out.
Here is the most comprehensive list I have ever compiled of all the reality shows I have either watched faithfully from season 1 episode 1, or I have watched a few episodes or at least a portion of one episode. If I've only seen a few minutes of the program, I'll mark it with a (*).
Survivor
Amazing Race
The Mole
The Bachelor
The Bachelorette
More to Love
Hell's Kitchen
Top Chef
Inked
Tattoo Highway
The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Orange County, New York City, New Jersey
Househusbands of Hollywood
Big Brother
The Apprentice
Celebrity Apprentice
Dancing With the Stars*
Fear Factor*
Project Runway*
Wife Swap
The Osbournes
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Outta Here*
Miami Ink*
The Biggest Loser
Making the Band
Reinventing Bonnaduce
Extreme Makeover, Extreme Makeover Home Edition
What Not to Wear
Kitchen Nightmares
Trading Spaces
MTV's Cribs
Secret Millionaire
Punk'd*
Deadliest Catch
America's Toughest Job*
The Real World, too many seasons
Yes, there are 39 shows listed here. Should I blame Survivor or did it all start with Star Search?
Now the big question is this: Can I quit reality TV? Some of these shows are no longer on the air. Some of these shows are in their 20th season. I didn't even list the prime time non-reality shows I like to watch.
Holy Crap. This post started out with me just thinking it was funny how addicted I am to reality. Now I can see that I have a serious problem. I have GOT to do something more productive with my time.
I could blame eight of my nine year addiction on work. I work so much it seems that when I have down time I relax by watching the boob tube. I do like to read and if I listed the books I've read I'd have a pretty sweet, long list. (Unfortunately, wikipedia doesn't have my personal book list as an entry, because I forget most of the books I've read.)
I also have a house at the moment that could use some serious deep, deep cleaning. Baseboards, refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, etc.
Help!! This all ties in to a talk I have to give on Sunday and has made me really think about how I spend my time. I need a do-over. I need 9 years of my life back.
ADDENDUM:
Dating in the Dark
American Idol
Making the grand total 41.
And p.s. I haven't had TV reception for at least 5-6 years. I watch all these shows online with approximately 2.5 minutes of commercials during each show. It isn't the commercials I am regretting, its the 22-44 minutes of time I spend on the stupid shows!!!
ADDENDUM (2):
Ace of Cakes
Cake Boss
Jon and Kate Plus 8
18 Kids and Counting
Small People, Big World
New Total: 46
12 comments:
May I suggest this new contraption called a DVR?? You set it to record anything and everything you may or may not want to watch. Then, when you have an extra 5 minutes or 50 minutes, you can watch anything you want. Commercial free. It is a truly heaven sent device and I will never go back to watching live TV. You can watch an entire show in 1/2 the time. This has become my answer to lost time in front of the boob tube. I just can't bring myself to give up something that gives me so much pleasure...
Wowa! That's a lot of reality TV! I get the vibe though that some of them are more like game shows...or just shows...actually controlled by directors and producers. Especially the bachelor-ette ones...and big brother and even sometimes the Biggest Loser.How many of them actually reflect reality? They should come up with a new name for that genre of show. Maybe unscripted or something...but reality just doesn't fit for me. Anyway, because of that they kinda turn me off. I also get annoyed with fighting and the reality shows seem to do that a lot...many times ruthlessly.
I'm not sure what your talk is on? I just babbled about my take on reality TV so I was probably no help. Is it on how we should spend our time? I gotta go back and see if you say the topic.
what, no cougars? or whatever that show about 40-year-old women is... i've only heard how thrilling that one is. :)
I think you forgot American Idol. You watched that with us once.
oh, and dating in the dark... I'm just sayin'...
Yikes! That is a lot of reality TV. I try to watch the shows that are "uplifting" and that reward "good behavior." That way I avoid a lot of the trashy ones, and let's face it, most of them are trashy. I stick to Amazing Race, Project Runway, The Biggest Loser, etc. A DVR might be a wise investment. Or just watch them online like I do.
What about Supernanny and Dirty Jobs. When I started reading your post I thought - -I don't watch reality TV- - but then you started the list and I wouldn't have thought some of them were reality shows. The fact remains I've seen a fair amount. I would confess that to my ward though. How about the time on blogs and facebooks. That is something I need to get a grip on.
I hate most reality t.v., because people seem to be so catty. I have seen a few of those, and the ones I got into I really don't watch anymore. I guess you need to just tear yourself away. I have admitted to being addicted to Fox News, and I also watch Food Network when I'm watching t.v. Anyway I really don't watch a lot and my house still needs major cleaning too. I really have no great ideas except pick a couple of your faves and stay away from the rest. Atleast your reading and expanding your mind that way. If you want to keep track of the books you've read try goodreads.com. It's kind of like facebook where you request friends and then you get to see what people are reading and read reviews on books, its fun.
Like Jeff said, stick with the uplifting ones or at least the ones with some substance. My faves are: Dancing with the Stars (I can tell a rhumba from a mambo now), Survivor (seen every episode of every season!), The Amazing Race, American Idol, and What not to Wear. Let's face it, Bachelor/ette is just one big makeout session with rotating people, although I'm guilty of watching 3-4 seasons of it. Then there's a whole genre of questionable taste/borderline tasteless that I refuse to even give 5 minutes to. This sounds ultra-Utahish, but think to yourself, "Would I be embarassed to be watching this if a general authority were sitting here with me?" That'll help you weed out a ton of worthless programming choices. And I agree with the DVR comments...best invention ever!
This is the funniest blog! I thought that I was bad when it came to reality shows. Thank you for being so brave and outing yourself.
I just discovered the food network challenge for cake decoration. I love that show among many others.
You are not alone!
By the way, I am watching Americas Next Top Model and have So You Think You Can Dance recording as I am writing this.
LOL! i love you jeanna. i love that some of my secret guilty pleasures are on there. i think the first step is admitting to the problem...haha. i have no comment - i'm in the same boat. :) you are the cutest. ♥
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