Reality TV - Come on, you know you watch at least one!

OK, first my apologies for the lack of wrap up from the Oscars, the Monday after and the week that has succeeded it have been crazy and illness filled.

Reality TV aka cheap TV to produce and a network's dream programming. There is a gluttony of shows in this category that range from interesting to insane. Many often point to Survivor as the big leader of this genre. I would say give credit where credit is due, to MTV's The Real World. Long ago in 1992 Andre, Becky, Eric, Heather B., Julie, Norman and Kevin moved into a loft in Tribeca (before was the destination living place it is today) and MTV had a birds eye view into "What would happen if seven strangers lived in a loft together for 6 weeks". What happened was an ongoing series for 16 years (and the beginning of the end for MTV actually reflecting Music Television).

Flash forward to last night - In prime time network alone last night there was Supernanny, Wife Swap, America's Next Top Model, and American Idol (night 2 of 3). Tonight brings us Idol redux, Survivor, Celebrity Apprentice and Tuesdays gives The Biggest Loser, Big Brother, Beauty and the Geek and of course Idol. This does not take into account the fact that old hits The Bachelor, Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, Amazing Race are coming back soon, the first two come back on air this month.

If that last paragraph hasn't given you a headache, think of what I have left out. All cable reality which has brought television viewers not what scrapes the bottom of the barrel but what lies underneath it - the likes of Flavor of Love and I Love New York. There are at least a dozen of these insipid shows. I also did not include borderline shows like the new phenom "The Moment of Truth". Finally, missing are shows that have recently run their course (and hopefully will not be back for seconds). Two that come to mind are Dance Wars, which banked on the popularity of two Dancing With the Stars judges -ahem, moving on and Kid Nation which places a couple of dozen children (ranging in ages 8-12) in a deserted town and left them to build a community amongst themselves. Where's the old NY "Shame on You" report when you need it - who were these parents?

So now that you have been completely bombarded by all things "Reality" here is my confession. I watch it! Not all of it, but enough of it to feel the shame of it. The ultimate favorite is Amazing Race. It's travelogue with competition, there is little not to love in watching couples of all types racing around the world, seeing places you'd never visit on your own and seeing people compete in challenges that inform you of the culture, history and customs of the nations they visit. It is the only reality show I would jump at the chance to go on in a New York minute. No luck so far in finding a partner to do it, but I will contend to the day I die that my brother and I would get on and WIN if we did this show.

True Confession -- I also watch Biggest Loser, America's Next Top Model, American Idol (after the auditions) and So You Think You Can Dance. OK I watch Dancing with the Stars too, I have to, it is literally the show they made just for my mother. Ballroom Dancing made popular. I have thoughts on these as well as all of the ones mentioned in this blog. Over the next few weeks I will break them down slowly, so no one implodes and certainly so none of you stop reading.

Go on confess -- which ones to do you watch? Better yet, what was your favorite Real World?