To Watch or Not...

This isn't really a sh!t hitting the fan post, although I have found out that really anything can make something hit the fan even if it isn't sh!t. Anyway, as I was watching Cashmere Mafia today on Netflix, I was thinking about all the reality tv that I watch and how it connects me to other people.

First off, I'm not really sure why I watch it or like it, but there is something about it that just keeps me coming back season after season. I don't watch all the trash that comes on, but I do have a special interest in contest reality (BB, ANTM, AR, SYTYCD) versus watch my every move reality (Brandy and Ray J, Keyshia Cole, The City) or dating reality (Brett Michaels, Flavor Flav)...although sometimes i get caught up by watching a commercial or hearing people talk about a show. That's how I fell into The Hills and The Bachelor... although, I'm not a huge fan of The Bachelorette.

Back to the point...This afternoon, I sat with 7 women and the conversation very naturally shifted to reality tv after we finished discussing the book of the month. We talked about these people as if we knew them. So many emotions and opinions came up while we talked... Disgust, happiness, betrayal, uncertainty, and loyalty among others.

My question, or maybe a better word is confusion, is why do we care? What wires us to spend so much (or maybe so little) time discussing people we don't know? Are we... envious? Bored with our lives? Looking for a little spice? looking to judge others? being entertained? confused?

I have said on multiple occasions that I really like the work of certain performers, but that I don't care about their personal lives. We have no idea what is true or not true about celebrities, and I think it is maybe a bit outrageous to wager that so-and-so is a great person because they have portrayed themselves well in public. But then, I think about reality stars (non celebrities) or reality show host and how connected I feel to some of them at the end of a season. I am totally approving or disapproving of their behavior based on how they present themselves in the media. If anything, I should trust them less because they are trying to create a reputation whereas celebrities are trying to protect theirs. Although that mey be an argument to do the opposite. I always want to believe that people are being genuine, but as soon as the show ends, someone is involved in some type of scandal.

I will say that regardless of the real reason people continue to watch trash tv, reality tv has aided in creating some friendships. I think about conversations that start out about a particular show and end up about hobbies and interests. Or how reality show viewing parties make strangers friends. You know, it is amazing how much tv impacts our lives and relationships. I for one am glad that it exist even though I could waste a good 40 hours a week watching reality tv.